The Malayalam film "Margam" has bagged a host of awards at the 2003 Kerala State Film Awards announced here Wednesday. Directed by Rajiv Vijayaraghavan, it won the awards for best film, best actor for veteran character actor Nedumudi Venu and best photography for ace cameraman Venu. It also got the screenplay award for Vijayaraghavan, Anwar Ali and S.P. Ramesh; best music director award for Issac Thomas; best sound recording for N. Harikumar; and the special jury award for heroine Meera Krishnan.

The film tells the tale of Venukumara Menon, played by Nedumudi Venu, a leader of the radical left movement in Kerala in the late 1960s and early 1970s who withdraws into seclusion. It is about the stark conflict between the ends and the means in today's times, where the concept of a "just society" is questioned.

Upcoming heroine Meera Jasmine bagged the best actress award for her roles in "Kasturiman" and "Padom Onnu Oru Vilapam".

Veteran film director Sibi Malayil was awarded the best director award for the family entertainer "Ente Veedu Appuvinteyum", which also saw Kalidasan, the son of ace Malayalam actor Jayaram, winning the best child artiste award. The film was cited as having mass appeal.

Siddique bagged the second best actor award for his roles in "Sasneham Sumitra" and "Choonda", while Rosalin who played the heroine's role in "Padom Onnu Oru Vilapam" got the second best actress award.

"Padom Onnu Oru Vilapam" produced by Aryadan Shoukat and directed by award winning director T.V. Chandran got the second best film award. Shoukat also won the award for best story.

Veteran playback singer P. Jayachandran who turned 60 Tuesday was declared the best male playback singer while Gayathri won for best female playback singing.

Announcing the awards here, veteran film director T. Hariharan noted that just 27 films had contested for the awards. "It is a sad state of affairs that the quality of Malayalam films has deteriorated badly and, if this is a sign of things to come, then Malayalam films, which had a worldwide reputation, will be badly hit. The only way out is new themes and subjects," said Hariharan.

Like in the past, this year too controversies over the awards may surface, particularly the numerous honours given to "Margam". "'Margam' definitely is a good film, but I am worried why a director like Chandran who made my film has been left stranded. My film has bagged several awards outside India but here we have been ignored," said a dejected Shoukat.

Last year immediately after the announcement of the film awards by the then jury chairman, veteran film director Priyadarshan, some people had pelted his house here with stones.