It’s that time of the year when we usually reflect back upon the past twelve months and figure out how things have been for Tamil Cinema. This is also the time when we tend to look out for the films that impressed, the actors, directors and other technicians who’ve been in top form and also reflect upon how the future would turn out for them. Film as an art form though universal in appeal, still has the element of personal choice/ preferences playing upon us when it comes to forming an opinion. While it’s very rare to find a near universal acceptance of an opinion, when it comes to films especially these days, the finest contributions really deserve our awards and accolades.
Here is my list of the very best, Tamil cinema had to offer in 2014.
1. Best Actor in Lead Role – Male:
The nominees are
1. Dinesh for his stunning portrayal of the nonchalant, confident and happy-go-lucky sightless youth in ‘Cuckoo‘
2. Aari for his natural act as violent and rustic highway burglar in ‘Nedunchaalai‘
3. Vishal for his authentic depiction of a narcoleptic in ‘Naan Sigappu Manithan‘
4. Siddarth for his feisty acts as the self centered, yet persevering filmmaker in ‘Jigarthanda’ and the emotionally torn stage artist in ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan‘
5. Karthi for his neat portrayal of the North Madras middle-class youngster in ‘Madras‘
And, the winner is Dinesh for ‘Cuckoo’.
2. Best Actor in a Lead Role – Female:
The nominees are
1. Nayanthara for her flawless portrayal of the woman seeking justice in ‘Nee Enge En Anbe’
2. Salony Ruthra for her bold and boisterous act as the mysterious twins in ‘Sarabham‘
3. Pia Bajpai for her act as the misunderstood rebel in ‘Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathey‘
4. Vedhika for her sincere portrayal of the lovelorn singer cum dancer in ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan’
5. Ananthi for her terrific peformance as the orphaned girl who falls blindly in love in ‘Kayal‘
And, the winner is Salony Ruthra for Sarabham
3. Best Actor – In a Negative role:
The nominees are
1. Vamsi Krishna for his intense act as the covetous cricketer in ‘Vallinam’
2. Bobby Simha for his no-holds-barred performance as the ruthless gangster in ‘Jigarthanda‘
3. Prithviraj Sukumaran for his portrayal of the scheming and jealous stage artist in ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan‘
4. Ashutosh Rana for his unbeleivably subtle act as the invisible mafia don in ‘Meaghamann‘
5. Natraj Subramaniam for his portrayal of a man of brains, who lives by certain principles. albeit crooked in ‘Sathurangavettai’
And, the winner is Bobby Simha for Jigarthanda.
4. Best Debutante Actor in a Lead Role – Male:
The nominees are
1. Abhinav Vaddi for his near-perfect depiction of the maths wizard in the biographical ‘Ramanujan’
2. Shabeer for his performance as the honest lorry driver in ‘Nerungi Vaa Muthamithade‘
3. Ashraf for his act as the psychologically traumatised husband in ‘Ra’
4. Naga for his understated performance as the man caught between rationality and paranormality in ‘Pisaasu‘
5. Chandran for his raw, natural act as the lovable vagabond in ‘Kayal‘
6. Dulquer Salmaan for his breezy role in ‘Vaayai Moodi Pesavum’
And, the winner is Chandran for Kayal
5. Best Debutante Actor in a Lead Role – Female:
The nominees are
1. Malavika Nair for her splendid performance as as the visually impaired girl who yearns for love in ‘Cuckoo‘
2. Sugandha Garg for beautifully portraying the pains of love and war in ‘Inam‘
3. Shivada Nair for her role as the loud, aggressive and righteous dhabba owner in ‘Nedunchaalai‘
4. Akhila Kishore for her alluring portrayal of a sensitive woman in ‘Kathai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam’
5. Mia George for her natural act as the innocent school girl in ‘Amara Kaaviyam‘
6. Catherine Tresa for representing the true North Madras girl in ‘Madras‘
7. Prayaga Rose Martin for her physically draining performance as the ghost in ‘Pisaasu’
And, the winner is Malavika Nair for Cuckoo
6. Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Male:
The nominees are
1. Jayaprakash for his simple yet stylish portrayal of the naive Pannaiyaar in ‘Pannaiyarum Padminiyum‘
2. S. Karan for playing himself as the mentally handicapped war victim in ‘Inam’
3. Nasser for his portrayal of the strict family head in ‘Saivam‘ and the experienced guru in ‘Kaaviyathalaivan’
4. MS. Baskar for his contribution to spicing up the drama in ‘Arima Nambi’
5. Radharavi for his poignant portrayal of the bereaved father in ‘Pisaasu‘.
6. Kalaiyarasan for his impactful performance as the budding politician in ‘Madras’
And, the award is shared between Nasser for Saivam and Kaaviyathalaivan and Kalaiyarasan for Madras
7. Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female :
The nominees are
1. Thulasi for her grounded act as the wife of the village head in ‘Pannaiyarum Padminiyum‘
2. Sujatha Sivakumar for her portrayal of the loving and protective Aachi in ‘Goli Soda’
3. Saritha for her touching depiction of the mother figure to war victims in ‘Inam’
4. Saranya Ponvannan for her spontaneous performance as a loving mom in ‘VIP’
5. Ritwika for her sensuous and appealing character sketch of a loving wife in ‘Madras’.
And, the winner is Ritwika for Madras
8. Best Actor in a Comical Role:
The nominees are
1. Bhagavathi Perumal for entertaining us with his looks and lines in ‘Oru Kanniyum Moondru Kalavaanikalum’
2. Pandiarajan for sending us into raptures of laughter as the minister in ‘Vaayai Moodi Pesavum‘
3. Karunakaran for his brilliant act as the friend in ‘Jigarthanda’ and ‘Yamirukka Bayamey’
4. Kaali Venkat for his sparkling sense of humor in ‘Mundasupatti‘
5. Bala Saravanan for superbly complimenting Dinesh in bringing the roof down in ‘Thirudan Police‘
And, the winner is Karunakaran for Jigarthanda and Yamirukka Bayamey
9. Best Child Artist:
The nominees are
1. Sara Arjun and 2. Master Ray Paul for their delightful performances in ‘Saivam‘
3. Vasanth, 4. Gaurav Kalai and 5. Praveen Kishore for their acting escapades in ‘Poovarasam Pee Pee’
And, the winners are Sara Arjun and Master Ray Paul for Saivam
10. Best Original Screenplay:
The nominees are
1. Vijay Milton for his skill at telling a revenge story in a refreshingly innovative way in ‘Goli Soda‘
2. P. Ramesh for his efforts in writing a novel and compelling conflict targetting the thriller genre in ‘Thegidi’
3. H. Vinoth for his sarcastic and painfully real depiction of the ugly truths in ‘Sathuranga Vettai‘
4. Karthik Subbaraj for his pure magic on screen in ‘Jigarthanda’
5. Parthiban Rathakrishnan for challenging the rules of ‘Syd Field’ in ‘Kathai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam‘
6. Pa. Ranjith for weaving a ‘slice of life’ drama in ‘Madras’
And, the winner is Karthik Subbaraj for Jigarthanda
11. Best dialogues:
The nominees were
1. H. Vinoth for ‘Sathurangavettai’. “Unnai oruthan emaathunaa avanai edhiriyaa nenaikaadha! Oru vagaila avan unaku Guru!”
2. Karthik Subbaraj for ‘Jigarthanda’. “Enga area la ponnunga irukaanga. Aana unga area la aambalainga illaiyaame?”
3. Parthiban Rathakrishnan for ‘Kathai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam’. “Neenga edukra cinema va neenga paathutu daan theatreku anupveengala, illa apdiye straighta theatre ku anupiduveengala?”
4. Raju Murugan for ‘Cuckoo’. “Ovvovurthiyum Saami da! Pombalaingala thittradaiye oru fashiona vechitu alaiyireengalada?”
5. Suseenthiran for ‘Jeeva’. “Pinnaadi Tatti kuduthaarnu nenachen, aana thadavi paathaarunu apuram daan therinjidhu!”
And, the winner is H. Vinoth for Sathurangavettai
12. Best Cinematographer:
The nominees are
1. Santosh Sivan for providing a realistic and unsympathetic feel of war in ‘Inam’
2. Jeeva Shankar for capturing the lush green rustic essence of Ooty in ‘Amara Kaaviyam’
3. Gavemic U Ary for showing the alluring beauty of the temple city in all its grandeur in ‘Jigarthanda’
4. Ravi Roy for his unconventional frames and lighting in ‘Pisaasu’
5. Vetrivel Mahendran for recording the pristine beauty of Ladakh and Kanyakumari in ‘Kayal’
And, the winner is Ravi Roy for Pisaasu.
13. Best Editor:
The nominees are
1. Leo John Paul for spicing up the tempo big time in ‘Thegidi‘
2. M.V. Rajesh Kumar for the slick cuts in ‘Velaiyilla Pattathari’
3. Vivek Harshan for his unique style of intercutting sequences in ‘Jigarthanda’
4. Praveen K.L for the seamlessly flowing narrative in ‘Madras’
5. Gopinath for maintaining the sinister atmosphere and eerie feel in ‘Pisaasu’
And, the winner is Leo John Paul for Thegidi.
14. Best Director:
This category considers the making skills of the artist in question, and the way the script is translated to the screen.
The nominees are
1. Vijay Milton for his confidence and trust in the audience for ‘masala’ cinema in ‘Goli Soda’
2. Balaji Mohan for his courage to experiment in ‘Vaayai Moodi Pesavum‘
3. Karthik Subbaraj for his flair for genre defying cinema in ‘Jigarthanda’
4. Pa. Ranjith for his gritty take on caste politics in ‘Madras‘
5. Suseenthiran for his guts and responsibility to address a sensitive social issue in ‘Jeeva‘
6. Mysskin for his inspiring style in redefining the horror genre in ‘Pisaasu‘
And, the winner is Mysskin for Pisaasu.
15. Best Debutante Director:
The nominees are
1. S.U. Arun Kumar for taking us on an emotional journey in ‘Pannaiyarum Padminiyum‘
2. P. Ramesh for thrilling us with a riveting script in ‘Thegidi‘
3. Raju Murugan for showing us new dimensions of love in ‘Cuckoo‘
4. Ram for taking us on a hilarious trip in ‘Mundasupatti‘
5. Vinoth for amusing and shocking us simultaneously in ‘Sathuranga Vettai‘
6. Dharanidaran for his jazz and style in crafting a heist thriller in ‘Burma‘
7. Caarthick Raju for his comical take on a drama in ‘Thirudan Police‘
And, the award is shared by P.Ramesh for Thegidi and Vinoth for Sathurangavettai.
16. Best Original Background Score:
The nominees are
1. Nivas. K. Prasanna for ‘Thegidi’
2. Vishal Chandrasekar for ‘Inam’
3. Santhosh Narayanan for ‘Cuckoo’, ‘Jigarthanda’ and ‘Madras’
4. AR. Rahman for ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ and ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan’
5. Arrel Corelli for ‘Pisaasu’
And, the winner is Arrel Corelli for Pisaasu.
17. Best Music Director:
The nominees are
1. Anirudh Ravichander for ‘Maan Karate‘ and ‘Vellaiyilla Pattathari’
2. Ghibran for ‘Thirumanam Enum Nikkah’
3. Santhosh Narayanan for ‘Cuckoo’, ‘Jigarthanda’ and ‘Madras’
4. AR. Rahman for ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ and ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan‘
5. D. Imman for ‘Kayal‘
And, the winner is Santhosh Narayanan for ‘Cuckoo’, ‘Jigarthanda’ and ‘Madras’.
18. Best Art Director:
The nominees are
1. Sunil Babu for recreating the war field and atmosphere in ‘Inam’
2. CR. Velu for his mammoth efforts for achieving the period feel in ‘Kochadaiiyaan’
3. Gopi Anand for recording the bygone era with perfection in ‘Mundaasupatti’
4. Santhanam for authentically recreating the stage drama in ‘Kaaviya Thalaivan’
5. T. Ramalingam for attempting the North Madras feel with lots of conviction in ‘Madras’
And, the winner is Sunil Babu for Inam.
19. Best Lyricist:
The nominees are
1. Vaali for “Onakaaga Poranthaenae” (Pannaiyarum Padminiyum) and the ‘Alli Arjuna’ series (Kaaviyathalaivan)
2. Kabilan for “Vinmeen Vithaiyil” (Thegidi)
3. Yugabharathi for “Aagasatha” (Cuckoo)
4. Vairamuthu for “Maattram Ondrudhaan Maaraadhadhu” and “Manappenin Sathiyam” (Kochadaaiyaan)
5. Karthik Netha for “Enthara Enthara” (Thirumanam Enum Nikkah)
And, the winner is Vairamuthu for the tracks “Maattram Ondrudhaan Maaraadhadhu” and “Manappenin Sathiyam” from Kochadaaiyaan
20. Best Male playback singer:
The nominees are
1. RR for “Potta Pulla” and “Manasula Surakatre” (Cuckoo)
2. SP. Balasubrahmanyam for “Engae Pogudho Vaanam” and “Meduvaagathaan” (Kochadaiiyaan)
3. Arun Raja for “Ding Dong” (Jigarthanda)
4. Shadab Faridi for “Enthaara” (Thirumanam Enum NIkkah)
5. Haricharan for “Alli Arjuna” ,“Sandhi Kuthirai” (Kaaviyathalaivan) and “Paravaiyai Parakirom” (Kayal)
6. Gana Bala for “Kakidha Kappal” (Madras)
And, the winner is Haricharan for the tracks “Alli Arjuna” ,“Sandhi Kuthirai” (Kaaviyathalaivan) and “Paravaiyai Parakirom” (Kayal)
21. Best Female Playback Singer:
The nominees are
1. Saindhavi for “Vinmeen Vithaiyil” (Thegidi)
2. Kalyani Nair for “Agasatha” (Cuckoo)
3. Shruthi Haasan for “Un Vizhigalil” (Maan Karate)
4. Chinmayee for “Idhayam” (Kochadaiiyaan) and “Enthaara” (Thirumanam Enum Nikkah)
5. Rita for “Kannamma” (Jigarthanda)
6. Shaktishree Gopalan for “Naan Nee” (Madras)
7. Kaushiki Desikan for “Chillendra Chillendra” (Thirumanam Enum Nikkah)
8. Sweta Mohan for “Yaarumillaa” (Kaaviyathalaivan)
9. Shreya Goshal for “Yengirindhu Vandhaayo” (Kayal)
10. Uthara Unnikrishnan for “Nadhi Pogum Koozhangal” (Pisaasu) and “Azhagu” (Saivam)
And, this award is shared by Shaktishree Gopalan for “Naan Nee” (Madras) and Uthara Unnikrishnan for “Nadhi Pogum Koozhangal” (Pisaasu) and “Azhagu” (Saivam)
22. Best Dance Choreographer:
The nominees are
1. Baskar for “What a Karvaad” (Vellaiyilla Pattathari) and “Paandinaattu Kodi” (Jigarthanda)
2. Shobi Paulraj for “Pakkam Vanthu” (Kaththi)
3. Raghuram Master for “Thirupugazh” (Kaaviyathalaivan)
4. Satish for “Kakidha Kappal” (Madras)
5. Yuvraaj Jayakumar for the Rudhratandavam dance (Kochadaiiyaan)
6. Gururaj for “Petromax Lightaedaan Venumaa” (Aranmanai)
And, the winner is Baskar for “What a Karvaad” (Vellaiyilla Pattathari) and “Paandinaattu Kodi” (Jigarthanda).
23. Best Costume Designer:
The nominees are
1. Sathya NJ and Vasukhi Bhaskar for ‘Maan Karate’
2. Khushbu Doshi and Eka Lakhani for ‘Inam‘
3. Neeta Lulla for ‘Kochadaiiyaan’
4. Jegathesan for ‘Mundasupatti’
5. Perumal Selvam and Niranjani Agathiyan for ‘Kaaviyathalaivan’.
And, the winner is Neeta Lulla for ‘Kochadaiiyaan’
24. Best Make-up Consultant:
The nominees are
1. Ranjith Ambady for ‘Inam‘
2. Lalitha for ‘Yaamirukka Bayamey’ and ‘Pisaasu’
3. Niranjani Agathiyan for ‘Kaaviyathalaivan’
And, the winner is Niranjani Agathiyan for ‘Kaaviyathalaivan’
25. Best Stunt Director :
The nominees are
1. Peter Hein for ‘Kochadaiiyaan’
2. Anal Arasu for ‘Meaghamann’
3. Tony for ‘Pisaasu’
4. Mahesh for ‘Burma’
5. Supreme Sundar for ‘Golisoda’
And the winner is Supreme Sundar for Golisoda
26. Best Crew: For the film Jigarthanda
27. Best film of 2014: Jigarthanda.
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