The 70th Filmfare Awards South with Kerala Tourism lit up Kochi on Saturday in grand style and became the glittering stage for one of South Indian cinema’s most celebrated nights. Stars, performances, emotions and some well-deserved trophies made for an evening that reminded everyone about the magic of cinema. The milestone edition brought together the finest from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada cinema under one roof.The evening opened with a Kathakali performance that set the cultural tone before the glamour took over. Hosts Vishnu Warrier, RJ Mithun and Ranjini Haridas kept things lively through the night, their easy chemistry making for an engaging watch. The stage saw some spirited performances too, Sanya Malhotra on ‘Viral Vayyari’ and ‘Kurchi Madathapetti’, Pranitha Subhash on ‘Illuminati’, Nidhhi Agerwal on ‘Aachaley’, Aparna Balamurali with a traditional Kerala number, and Trisha Shetty wrapping things up with ‘Yama Yama’.Telugu cinema brought its own thunder and how. ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ led the pack with five awards, including Best Film. Allu Arjun, completing a hat-trick of Best Actor wins, gave the crowd exactly what they wanted, recreating his iconic Pushpa dialogue and signature pose live on stage.“This is my seventh Filmfare award. I look forward to achieving a lot more and making everyone proud,” he said, soaking in every moment. He further added, “Every actor who wins Best Actor does so because their director envisioned it. It’s a collective energy, and this honour belongs to the entire team. I’m deeply grateful to my director for his faith in me. And to my wife, your unwavering support makes everything possible for me. Thank you, darling,” keeping it gracious even in triumph. Amitabh Bachchan won Best Supporting Actor (Male) for ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, while Kajal Aggarwal took home Best Actress (Critics’) for ‘Satyabhama’. ‘Devara: Part 1′, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, ‘Committee Kurrollu’ and ‘Guntur Kaaram’ each secured two awards, reflecting a powerful year for the industry.Tamil cinema had plenty to cheer about, with Amaran emerging as the night’s biggest winner, sweeping eight awards including Best Film. Sivakarthikeyan took home the Best Actor (Male) award, while Sai Pallavi claimed the Best Actor (Female) award, dedicating her win to the real family behind the story. Parvathy Thiruvothu’s Best Supporting Actress moment was made even more memorable as she invited her parents on stage and handed them the Black Lady. Vikram was bestowed with the Outstanding Performance Award for ‘Thangalaan’, while ‘Meiyazhagan’ followed with four awards.Malayalam cinema had its heart full. Mammootty claimed Best Actor (Male) for the atmospheric ‘Bramayugam’ — his 16th Filmfare win — and in a gesture that won every heart in the room, walked over to share his trophy with fellow nominees Asif Ali and Basil Joseph. The night’s most emotional moment came when a Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously presented to the late Sreenivasan, the entire auditorium rising in silent tribute, mobile flashlights held aloft in his memory. Veteran lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi, whose pen has gifted Malayalam cinema over 3,000 songs, was equally honoured.Kannada cinema too had reason to celebrate. Shakhahaari claimed the prestigious Best Film award, while Prithvi Konanur won Best Director for ‘Hadinelentu’. Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi swept the music categories with three awards, and Blink secured two, including Best Film (Critics’) and Best Supporting Actor (Male) for Gopal Krishna Deshpande, a well-rounded showing for the industry. The red carpet too was a celebration in itself with Sai Pallavi, Kajal Aggarwal, Suhasini Maniratnam, GV Prakash and a host of stars from across industries adding glamour to an already glittering evening.The 70th Filmfare Awards South had Kerala Tourism as the destination partner and was held in partnership with Kamar Film Factory. The awards were co-powered by TTK Prestige and Sensodent DSP, with DNA-Designs Never Again Gold & Diamonds, Dazller Cosmetics, Double Bull, Aachi Masala and Arun Icecreams among the associate partners.
