5th Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards: Kaatera, SSE bag most awards

Bengaluru: Darshan’s Kaatera and Rakshit Shetty’s Sapta Saagaradache Ello, won seven and four awards respectively at the 5th Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards on Sunday evening. Ramesh Aravind won the Best Actor award for his performance in Shivaji Suratkal 2 while Rukmini Vasanth bagged the Best Actress award for Hemanth Rao directed Sapta Sagaradache Ello (SSE).

Tharun Kishore directed Kaatera was adjudged the Best Film of 2023 by movie critics. It also won the Best Director for Tharun Kishore Sudhir, Best Debut Actress for Aradhana, Best Supporting Actress for Shruti, Best Screenplay for Tarun Kishore and Jadesh K, Best Dialogues for Maasti and Best Choreography for Bhushan (Pasandagvne song).

Among the debutants, Nitin Krishnamurthy won the Best Writer award for Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare and Best Debut Producer award named after Puneeth Rajkumar went to actress-turned-producer Ramya for Swati Mutthina Male Haniye.

The gala event at Hotel Lalit Ashok was inaugurated by legendary music composer and lyricist Hamsalekha who coined the terms Sandalwood and Chandanavana for the Kannada film industry, eight time national award winning director P Sheshadri, actress Malashree, actress Prema, veteran director Om Sai Prakash and KFCC President NM Suresh. The star-studded event witnessed the presence of Kanrnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and the who-is-who of Sandalwood. The minister appreciated the Academy going beyond films by promoting organ donation as the theme of this year’s awards. Over two dozen celebrities have pledged their support for this initiative.

Top producers, directors, technicians of the Kannada film industry were witness to the year’s first awards event. Kauvery Hospital, Alliance University, Turbo Steel, Anand Audio, A2 Music, Suraj Productions, KSDL, KMF, BESCOM, Karnataka Tourism, CASAGRAND, Amrut Noni and K-tech were among the supporters of the event.

Kaiva, starring Dhanveer Gowda and directed by Jayateertha won two awards; Best Editing for KM Prakash and Best Art Director for Dharani Gangeputra. Daredevil Musthafa bagged two awards for Best Debut Actor for Shishir Baikady and Best Debut Director for Shashank Soghal. Viratapura Viraagi bagged the Best BGM for Manikanth Kadri and Best Male Singer for Ravindra Soragavi (Nodalaagade song).

V Harikrishna won his first critics’ award for his composition in Kranti. The Best Stunt/Action award went to Vikram Mor for the climax fight sequence in Sapta Sagaradache Ello. Namana won the Best Child Artist award for Gowli and Ramesh Indira bagged the Best Supporting Actor for SSE.

Over 50 film journalists and critics voted to select the 25 awards from over 200 Kannada films released in 2023.

Winners

• Best Film: Kaatera

• Best Director: Tarun Kishore Sudhir (Kaatera)

• Best Actor: Ramesh Aravind (Shivaji Suratkal 2)

•Best Actress: Rukmini Vasanth (Sapta Sagaradache Ello)

• Best Supporting Actor: Ramesh Indira (Sapta Sagaradache Ello)

• Best Supporting Actress: Shruti (Kaatera))

• Best Child Artist: Namana (Gowli)

• Best Screenplay: Tarun Kishore – Jadesh K (Kaatera))

• Best Dialogues: Maasti (Kaatera)

• Best Music Director: V. Harikrishna (Kranti)

• Best Lyrics: Jayanth Kaikini (Kausalya Supraja Rama - Preethisuve)

• Best BGM: Kadri Manikanth (Viratapura Viraagi)

• Best Female Singer: Sangeeta Katti and Vasushree Halemane (Pentagon - Kayo Shiva)

• Best Male Singer: Ravindra Soragavi (Viratapura Viraagi - Nodalaagade)

• Best Debut Producer - Puneeth Rajkumar Award: Ramya, Swati Mutthina Male Haniye

• Best Debut Actress - Tripuramba Award: Aradhana for Kaatera.

• Best Debut Actor - Sanchari Vijay Award: Shishir Baikady for Daredevil Musthafa

• Best Debut Writer - Chi. Udayashankar Award: Nitin Krishnamurthy for Hostel Hudagaru Bekagiddare

• Best Debut Director - Shankar Nag Award: Shashank Sogal for Daredevil Musthafa

• Best VFX: Asoo Studios, Mohammed Abdi (Ghost)

• Best Art Director: Dharani Gangeputra (Kaiva)

• Best Stunt Director: Vikram Mor (Sapta Sagaradache Ello)

• Best Cinematography: Advaitha Gurumurthy (Sapta Sagaradache Ello)

• Best Editing: K M Prakash (Kaiva)

• Best Choreography: Bhushan (Kaatera - Pasandagavne)