Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 29 (IANS): Acclaimed film director T.V Chandran has won J.C Daniel Award, the highest film award of Kerala.

The award carries a statute, a citation and five lakh rupees cash award.

The selection jury was headed by ace director K.P. Kumaran, who himself has won J.C Daniel Award last year, actor and director Revathy, actor and writer V.K Sreeraman, and C. Ajoy as member Secretary of Kerala state Chalachithra academy.

Chandran has directed 15 Malayalam movies which include ‘Ponthanmada’, ‘Danny’, ‘Kadhavasheshan’, ‘Susanna’ that left a mark in the Kerala tinsel world.

He has also directed two Tamil movies.

Most of his films are known for strong feminist characters.

T.V. Chandran who hails from Thalassery was a former officer with the Reserve Bank of India who had quit his job and entered into the world of cinema. He is now settled in Thiruvananthapuram.

He has won six national awards and ten state awards. He has also won the national best director award in 1993.

He made his debut into the world of films as an actor in the movie ‘Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol’ directed by P. A Backer, and later shifted into direction.

The jury observed that Chandran had paved the way for the growth of the parallel film movement in Kerala.

Nine of his movies have been selected for Indian Panorama while his movie ‘Alicinte Anweshanam’ was nominated for the Golden Leopard Award at the Locarno International Film Festival.