Superstar Mohanalal and Priyamani were adjudged the last year's best actors in the Idea -Mathrubhumi-Amritha awards announced yesterday. While 'Thirakkatha' was selected as the best film of the year, its director Renjith bagged the awards for the best director of the year.

Mammootty was named for the 'excellence in acing 'award while Sreenivasan will receive the 'Abhinaya Prathiabha' Puraskaram.

Mohanlal was selected for the awards for his performances in the movies Pakalnakshatrangal, Aakashagopuram and Kurukshetra while Priyamani bagged the awards for her meticulous display in ‘Thiraktha’. Veteran actress Sukumari will be honoured with Chalachithra Saparya awards.

Siddique has been chosen as the best villain while Jayaram and Gopika were named as the most popular actor and actress for the last years big hit Veruthe Oru Bharya'. Indrajith and Samvrutha were chosen as the best on screen pair for their performance in 'Minnaminnikkoottam' while Prithviraj was selected as the youth icon.

Meera Nandan and Vineeth Sreenivasan won the award for best debut for their debut films 'Mulla' and 'Cycle' respectively. Jayasuriya and Roma were selected as the best character actors for their performance in 'Minnaminnikkoottam'.

The other awards announced yesterday includes those for Babu Janardanan (Best Screenplay - 'Thalappavu'), Santosh Thundiyil (Best in Cinematography - 'Aakashagopuram'), Deb Jyothi Mishra (Best Music - 'Calcutta News'), Rafiq Ahmed (Lyrics- 'Laptop'), Vijay Yesudas (Male singer- 'Gulmohar'), Chitra (Female singer- 'Mizhikal Saakshi'and Calcutta news), Don Max (Editing- 'Thalappavu', 'Raudram'), Gokul Das (Best Art direction- 'Mulla'), Sreejith Guruvayur (Best Make up- 'Mulla') and Gautham (Costume- 'Rathri Mazha'). The awards will be presented this weekend in a function held at Chandrasekahran Nair Stadium in the capital city.