Southward Ho!

DEVESH SHARMA BRINGS AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED 66TH YAMAHA FASCINO FILMFARE AWARDS SOUTH 2019

- Devesh Sharma

The night of December 21, 2019, saw the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, glittering with ethereal light. The 66th Yamaha Fascino Filmfare Awards South 2019 was being held there. Fans and cinema connoisseurs have always displayed unflinching loyalty towards their favorites when it comes to the South industry. This time too they waited with bated breath to cheer the winners.

Our Lifetime Achievement Award is all about honoring a lifetime of excellence. This year the award went to Malayalam director Hariharan. Hariharan started his career with Ladies Hostel (1973). He’s been active in cinema ever since, having won numerous National Awards as well as the Kerala State Awards in the process. His films entertain and also offer a critique of society.

The veteran was handed over the trophy by another South stalwart, actor-director K Bhagyaraj. Bhagyaraj said he’s always held Hariharan in high regard, having started their careers simultaneously. He added it gave him great pleasure to be the one handing over the trophy to his peer. Hariharan too remarked that years ago he had planned a film with Bhagyaraj in mind but things didn’t work out then. He added that he too was glad to receive the award from his contemporary.