# Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress

The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India since 1969 to an actress for the best performance within the Malayalam film industry. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Since 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit organisation functioning under the Department of Cultural Affairs, has been exercising control over the awards. The awardees, decided by a jury formed by the academy, are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs and are presented by the Chief Minister.
The 1st Kerala State Film Awards ceremony was held in 1970 with Sheela receiving the Best Actress award for her role in Kallichellamma (1969). The following year, Sharada was recognised for her performances in two films—Thriveni and Thara. Since then, several actresses have been awarded for more than one film during a year.
Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the government has presented a total of 54 Best Actress awards to 38 different actresses. Urvashi has been the most frequent winner, with six awards. She is followed by Sheela and Srividya with three awards each. As of 2023, nine actresses—Jayabharathi, Seema, Samyuktha Varma, Suhasini Maniratnam, Navya Nair, Meera Jasmine, Kavya Madhavan, Shweta Menon and Parvathy Thiruvothu have won the award two times. The 2005 ceremony was the only occasion when the category was tied; Kavya Madhavan and Geetu Mohandas shared the award for their performances in Perumazhakkalam, and Akale and Oridam respectively. The most recent recipient of the award is Vincy Aloshious, for the film Rekha in 2023.

## Winners

| * | Indicates a joint award for that year |
List of award recipients, showing the year and film(s) :
| Year | Recipient(s) | Film(s) |
| 1969 | Sheela | Kallichellamma |
| 1970 | Sharada | Thriveni Thara |
| 1971 | Sheela | Oru Penninte Kadha Sarasayya Ummachu |
| 1972 | Jayabharathi | Various films |
| 1973 | Jayabharathi | Madhavikutty Gayathri |
| 1974 | Lakshmi | Chattakari |
| 1975 | Rani Chandra | Swapnadanam |
| 1976 | Sheela | Anubhavam |
| 1977 | Santhakumari | Chuvanna Vithukal |
| 1978 | Shoba | Ente Neelakaasham |
| 1979 | Srividya | Edavazhiyile Poocha Minda Poocha Jeevitham Oru Gaanam |
| 1980 | Poornima Jayaram | Manjil Virinja Pookkal |
| 1981 | Jalaja | Venal |
| 1982 | Madhavi | Ormakkayi |
| 1983 | Srividya | Rachana |
| 1984 | Seema | Aksharangal Aalkkoottathil Thaniye |
| 1985 | Seema | Anubandham |
| 1986 | Shari | Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal |
| 1987 | Suhasini | EzhuthappurangalManivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal |
| 1988 | Anju | Rugmini |
| 1989 | Urvashi | Mazhavilkavadi Varthamana Kalam |
| 1990 | Urvashi | Thalayanamanthram |
| 1991 | Urvashi | Kadinjool Kalyanam Kakkathollayiram Bharatham Mukha Chithram |
| 1992 | Srividya | Daivathinte Vikrithikal |
| 1993 | Shobana | Manichitrathazhu |
| 1994 | Shanthi Krishna | Chakoram |
| 1995 | Urvashi | Kazhakam |
| 1996 | Manju Warrier | Ee Puzhayum Kadannu |
| 1997 | Jomol | Ennu Swantham Janakikutty |
| 1998 | Sangita | Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala |
| 1999 | Samyuktha Varma | Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal |
| 2000 | Samyuktha Varma | Madhuranombarakattu Mazha Swayamvara Panthal |
| 2001 | Suhasini | Theerthadanam |
| 2002 | Navya Nair | Nandanam |
| 2003 | Meera Jasmine | Kasthooriman Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam |
| 2004 * | Kavya Madhavan | Perumazhakkalam |
| 2004 * | Geetu Mohandas | Akale Oridam |
| 2005 | Navya Nair | Saira Kanne Madanguka |
| 2006 | Urvashi | Madhuchandralekha |
| 2007 | Meera Jasmine | Ore Kadal |
| 2008 | Priyanka Nair | Vilapangalkappuram |
| 2009 | Swetha Menon | Paleri Manikyam |
| 2010 | Kavya Madhavan | Khaddama |
| 2011 | Swetha Menon | Salt N' Pepper |
| 2012 | Rima Kallingal | 22 Female Kottayam Nidra |
| 2013 | Ann Augustine | Artist |
| 2014 | Nazriya Nazim | Bangalore Days Ohm Shanthi Oshaana |
| 2015 | Parvathy Thiruvothu | Charlie Ennu Ninte Moideen |
| 2016 | Rajisha Vijayan | Anuraga Karikkin Vellam |
| 2017 | Parvathy Thiruvothu | Take Off |
| 2018 | Nimisha Sajayan | Oru Kuprasidha Payyan Chola |
| 2019 | Kani Kusruti | Biriyaani |
| 2020 | Anna Ben | Kappela |
| 2021 | Revathi | Bhoothakalam |
| 2022 | Vincy Aloshious | Rekha |
| 2023 * | Urvashi | Ullozhukku |
| 2023 * | Beena R. Chandran | Thadavu |