Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (.) Eminent actress Sharada has been chosen for the J.C. Daniel Award for 2024, the Kerala Government’s highest honour for lifetime contribution to cinema, Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian announced here today.
The prestigious award, comprising a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a citation and a sculpture, will be presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Kerala State Film Awards presentation ceremony to be held on January 25, 2026, at Nishagandhi Auditorium, Thiruvananthapuram.
The awardee was selected by a jury headed by lyricist and filmmaker Sreekumaran Thampi, J.C. Daniel Award winner for 2017, with actress Urvashi and director Balu Kiriath as members, and C. Ajoy, Secretary of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, as Member Secretary.
At 80, Sharada becomes the 32nd recipient of the State’s most prestigious film honour.
The jury observed that Sharada’s exceptional acting prowess earned her two National Film Awards for Best Actress, bringing national recognition to Malayalam cinema.
Through her powerful yet restrained performances from the 1960s across two decades, she etched on screen the lived experiences, resilience and emotional depth of the Malayali woman.
She won her first National Award in 1968 for ‘Thulabharam’, followed by further honours for Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s ‘Swayamvaram’ (1972) and the Telugu film ‘Nimajjanam’ (1977).
Sharada has portrayed several unforgettable characters in Malayalam films including ‘Thriveni’, ‘Murappennu’, ‘Mooladhanam’ and ‘Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam’. The jury noted that her body of work makes her eminently deserving of the State’s highest cinematic recognition.
Born on June 25, 1945, at Tenali in Andhra Pradesh, as Saraswathi Devi, daughter of Venkateswara Rao and Sathyavani Devi, she adopted the screen name Sharada during her debut Telugu film ‘Iru Mithrulu’. She made her Malayalam debut in 1965 with ‘Inapravukal’, written by Muttathu Varkey and directed by Kunchacko.
Her performances in ‘Murappennu’ (directed by Vincent) and ‘Iruttinte Athmavu’ (directed by P. Bhaskaran), both scripted by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, firmly established her as a leading presence in Malayalam cinema.
With roles in over 125 Malayalam films, including ‘Yekshi’, ‘Adimakal’, ‘Asuravithu’, ‘Koottukudumbam’, ‘Nadi’, ‘Ennippadikal’, ‘Elippathayam’ and ‘Rappakal’, Sharada has left an indelible mark on Indian cinema.
She was also the first Malayalam actress to have her films showcased in the Retrospective Section of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), during its 24th edition held in 2019.
. DS .