The 19th edition of the prestigious Pradhana Vizha award ceremony took place at Mediacorp in Singapore on February 24. Honouring the best of local Indian entertainment, as many as 26 awards, across two parts, were distributed through the course of the programme.
Themed “Starry Night”, Pradhana Vizha 2024 unfolded first in an exclusive ceremony dedicated to behind-the-scenes talents. It was followed by a glitzy show featuring some of the biggest local Indian celebrities at The Theatre at Mediacorp.
Mediacorp OLI 968 DJ duo Ravi Guna and Haleema Asman was entrusted with the hosting gig. Pradhana Vizha 2024 Part One featured 13 Creative and Programme categories.
This part was dominated by Kattradhu Kadhal. The drama, which has struck a chord with the audience, claimed three accolades and emerged as the biggest winner of the night. Not only did this heartfelt series bag the highly coveted “Best Drama” award, it also brought home two more trophies for its outstanding plot, with Jaya Rathakrishnan winning both the “Best Writing (Scripted)” and “Best Original Screenplay” awards. Produced by Stardust Story, this drama narrates an emotional tale of three resilient women courageously facing the challenges of breast cancer, and captured hearts with its strong narrative on breast cancer survivors.
Other offscreen talents were also recognised, with Don Aravind earning the “Best Direction (Scripted)” award for his direction in poignant drama series Iruthi Payanam, which delves into the final moments of a deceased person’s journey on Earth through the eyes of an undertaker. The impact of the series was further reflected in its editing, earning Shireen Halimah and Darshan the “Best Editing (All Genres)” award.
On the unscripted front, Shahul Hameed secured the “Best Direction (Unscripted)” award for his work in the innovative reality series Inaintha Kaigal, which features local celebrities joining forces with migrant workers to showcase their diverse skills – an attempt to shed light on the hidden talents of the unsung heroes in Singapore.
The “Best Digital Short Form Content” award was presented to supernatural series Thigil Tales, produced by Organized Mayhem, while Mediacorp OLI 968 DJ Haleema Asman secured the “Best Radio Programme” accolade for Singapenne Season 2, which showcases the bold stories of inspiring women.
Pradhana Vizha 2024 Part One also showcased captivating performances by musician Mohamed Raffee and his band, alongside homegrown singers such as Mohamed Yacob, Sindhu Vimalkumar, and Abdul Jalil.
As day transitioned into night, the stars illuminated the Red Carpet, donned in their finest ensembles. Fans were treated to glimpses of their favourite celebrities who indulged in delightful banter with hosts Mediacorp OLI 968 DJ Gunalan Morgan and actress Malene. Moments later, the curtains parted for Pradhana Vizha 2024 Part Two, as the charming hosts Karthikeyan Somasundram, Jay Nesh Isuran and entertainment presenter Priyanka Deshpande kicked off the celebrations for the next 13 Programme and Personality awards.
As a homage to outstanding acting performances, the “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” accolades were presented to Vishnu M Anandh and Udaya Soundari, respectively, for their powerful portrayals in dramas Aathman and Kattradhu Kadhal, respectively.
Devarajan received recognition for his villainous role in Naam 2 with the “Best Performance in an Antagonist Role”. For their impressive presenting skills in Vasantham Star 2023 and SICCI Launchpad, respectively, Saravanan Ayyavoo and Mohamed Ali were given the “Best Host – Entertainment Series” and “Best Host – Information Series” awards.
Guest of Honour Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance, and Second Minister for National Development graced the occasion to present the esteemed “Lifetime Achievement” award to the legendary L. Vijayandran. A virtuoso in both song and dance, Vijayandran has built a legacy with his profound contributions to the industry and continues to pave the way for aspiring performers.
The evening also witnessed with the crowning of Surendran Ananthan and Suthasini as the “Most Popular Male Personality” and “Most Popular Female Personality”, respectively, with fans showing strong support for the two artistes in the polls.
In a surprise announcement that followed, the inaugural “All-Time Favourite Artiste” award was introduced to shine a spotlight on artistes in the local Indian entertainment industry who have captured the hearts of audiences over the years. Not only does this recognise those who have stood out among their peers with their popularity and strong fanbases, it also honours the consistency with which they have done so in continuing to be crowd favourites. The laurel was granted to well-loved stars Gunalan Morgan, Jay Nesh Isuran, Saravanan Ayyavoo, Udaya Soundari and Vishnu M Anandh.
The night closed to the upbeat tune of “Velicham Paravum Ulangengum”, a track composed by Shabir Music Asia, and performed by the talented homegrown musical maestros Suthasini, Vishnu Balaji, Subashini, and Vasantham Star 2023 winner Navein Gunasekaran.
Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer at Mediacorp, said: “Pradhana Vizha continues to be the definitive award ceremony for Singapore’s Indian entertainment, and we are extremely proud to be able to celebrate the brilliance of all the talents and content today. Congratulations once again to all the winners!”