Child actor Deva Nandha slams Prakash Raj after he snubs children's categories at Kerala State Film Awards

This year's Kerala State Film Awards did not select any films or actors to receive awards in the children's category. Prakash Raj received flak for it. 

This year’s Kerala State Film Awards were selected by a jury, headed by Prakash Raj. In a surprising move, the actor announced on Monday that nobody in the children’s film and actors category has won an award. Child actor Deva Nandha took to Instagram to call him out on his decision.

Deva Nandha slams Prakash Raj for ignoring children

On Deva’s Instagram, which is managed by her parents, she posted a clip of Prakash speaking about the children’s categories at the press conference following the announcement of the state awards. The clip is interspersed with scenes from Manu Radhakrishnan’s 2024 film Gu, which starred her and Saiju Kurup.

Slamming Prakash for his decision, she wrote, “You can close your eyes to kids, but don’t say it’s all dark here. Children are also a part of this society; the jury closed its eyes with the announcement of the 2024 Malayalam Film Awards against the upcoming generation.” She then provided examples of how children have acted in films such as Sthanarthi Sreekuttan, Gu, Phoenix, and ARM in 2024.

“It’s not by denying awards to two children that one should try to say more children’s films should be made. If you had given awards to two children, it would have become an inspiration for many others,” she wrote, adding, “I express my strong resentment towards the jury chairman, who said children should get more opportunities and that they are also part of society, but overlooked children’s rights. It’s not by denying rights that reforms should be ushered in; rights should also be protected alongside reforms.”

Filmmaker Vinesh Viswanath and actor Anand Manmadhan also voiced their frustration about the move on social media.

What did Prakash Raj say?

Prakash Raj noted at the press conference that, while six films were submitted for the Best Children’s Film category, the jury decided that none of them met the criteria. He stated that the same applies to the actors as well. “We did not find a single film or attempt to make a children’s film. Directors and writers should realise that it’s not just the elders and youngsters, but children are part of society,” he said.

Prakash also added, “What children think, what they understand, and their world has to be made into cinema. Just by casting children, it won’t automatically become children’s cinema. We need to know what children think; they are a vital part of this evolution. None of the films talk about children's perception. Or a few child actors were not speaking their age.” However, the actor has been receiving flak for his statement on social media.