Director Laments Snub for 'Kishkindha Kaandam' at Kerala Film Awards

In November 2025, director Dinjith Ayyathan expressed his disappointment over his film 'Kishkindha Kaandam' missing out on key honors at the 55th Kerala State Film Awards. While the film brought Malayalam star Asif Ali his first-ever State Award for Best Actor, Ayyathan felt the jury overlooked one of the film's strongest elements - its compelling original script, written by Bahul Ramesh.

Speaking to OTT Play, Ayyathan stated that he genuinely believed the script would win the Best Script award, as he hasn't "come across a script like this in recent years." He acknowledged the quality of 'Manjummel Boys,' which won the Best Screenplay award, but reiterated that his disappointment stemmed from his belief in the uniqueness of 'Kishkindha Kaandam's writing.

Another major disappointment for the filmmaker was veteran actor Vijayaraghavan missing out on recognition despite widespread acclaim for his haunting performance in the film. Vijayaraghavan, who has spent over 40 years in the industry, previously stated that awards have never dictated his journey, and that audience love matters far more than accolades.