Kerala State Film Award for Best Director

(Manjummel Boys) ( Nadhi ) The Kerala State Film Award for Best Director is an honour presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India since 1969. It is given to a film director who has exhibited outstanding direction while working in the Malayalam film industry. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the 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 recipients are decided by an independent jury formed by the academy. They are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs and are presented by the Chief Minister.

The first Kerala State Film Awards ceremony was held in 1970 with cinematographer-director A. Vincent receiving the Best Director award for his work in Nadhi (1969). Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of Kerala has presented a total of 50 best director awards to 25 different filmmakers. The recipients receive a figurine, a certificate, and a cash prize of .

G. Aravindan is the most frequent winner in this category with seven awards. He is followed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan (six awards), Shyamaprasad (five awards), K. S. Sethumadhavan (four awards) and Blessy (three awards). As of 2023, five directorsShaji N. Karun, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, T. V. Chandran, Hariharan and Lijo Jose Pellissery have won the award twice in their careers. The academy did not present the award at the 2002 ceremony. Vidhu Vincent was the first female director to win the award in 2016, for her debut film Manhole. The most recent recipient was Chidambaram S. Poduval, who received the award for his film Manjummel Boys in 2024.

Winners

Year	Recipient	Film	Ref.	Bharathan	Jayaraj	Shyamaprasad	Shyamaprasad	Blessy	Shyamaprasad	Blessy	Shyamaprasad	Shyamaprasad	Sidhartha Siva	Dileesh Pothan	Mahesh Narayan	Blessy	Chidambaram S. Poduval
1969	Nadhi
1970	Aranazhika Neram
1971	Karakanakadal	url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawares.htm	title=State Film Awards (1969–80)	publisher=Kerala State Chalachitra Academy	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232254/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawares.htm	archive-date=3 March 2016	url-status=dead	access-date=26 September 2015}}
1972	Panitheeratha Veedu
1973	Nirmaalyam
1974	Uttarayanam
1975	Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol
1976	Thanal
1977	Kodiyettam
1978	Thampu
1979	Esthappan
1980	Oppol
1981	Pokkuveyil	url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards2.htm	title=State Film Awards (1981–90)	publisher=Kerala State Chalachitra Academy	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234213/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards2.htm	archive-date=3 March 2016	url-status=dead	access-date=26 September 2015}}
1982	Marmaram
1983	Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku
1984	Mukhamukham
1985	Chidambaram
1986	Oridathu
1987	Anantaram
1988	Rugmini
1989	Mrugaya
1990	Vasthuhara
1991	Ulladakkam	url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards3.htm	title=State Film Awards (1991–99)	publisher=Kerala State Chalachitra Academy	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234157/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards3.htm	archive-date=3 March 2016	url-status=dead	access-date=26 September 2015}}
1992	Sargam
1993	Vidheyan
1994	Swaham
1995	Kathapurushan
1996	Desadanam
1997	Mangamma
1998	Agnisakshi
1999	Vanaprastham
2000	Oru Cheru Punchiri	url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards4.htm	title=State Film Awards (2000–12)	publisher=Kerala State Chalachitra Academy	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707210332/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards4.htm	archive-date=7 July 2015	url-status=dead	access-date=26 September 2015}}
2001	Dany
2002	No winner
2003	Ente Veedu Appuvinteyum
2004	Akale
2005	Thanmathra
2006	Rathri Mazha
2007	Atayalangal
2008	Oru Pennum Randaanum
2009	Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja
2010	Elektra
2011	Pranayam
2012	Ayalum Njanum Thammil
2013	Artist
2014	Oraalppokkam
2015	Charlie
2016	Manhole	url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/vidhu-vincent-bags-best-director-award-for-manhole/article17423465.ece	title=Vidhu Vincent bags best director award for 'Manhole'	date=7 March 2017	work=The Hindu	access-date=4 May 2017	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504061517/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/vidhu-vincent-bags-best-director-award-for-manhole/article17423465.ece	archive-date=4 May 2017	url-status=live}}
2017	Ee.Ma.Yau.
2018	Oru Njayarazhcha
2019	Jellikkettu
2020	Ennivar
2021	Joji
2022	Ariyippu
2023	Aadujeevitham
2024	Manjummel Boys