Karunanidhi presents Kalaimamani Awards

Chennai, (PTI): A total of 125 artistes, who excelled in the field of art, dance and drama in the last three years in Tamil Nadu were conferred with the Kalaimamani awards by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday.

Cinematographer Rajeev Menon, comedian Karunaas, writers Elasai Sundaram and Rani Mainthan were presented with the awards for 2008 at a function organized by the state government.

Writers Nanjil Nadan, Rajeshkumar, Actors Chinni Jayanth,Actress Rohini, Saranya, veteran actress Padmini, vocalist Gayathri Girish, television artistes Poovilangu Mohan were presented the awards by Karunanidhi for the year 2009.

Actors Aarya, Anushka Shetty and Tammana Bhatia were also honoured with the awards. Illayaraja bagged MS Subbulakshmi Award and danseuse Padma Subrahmaniyam conferred with Balasaraswathi Award. Actress Saroja Devi and YG Mahendra was also honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for their outstanding contribution for the film industry.

Speaking after presenting the awards, he said the DMK government, if voted to power after the coming polls, would double the number of awardees.

Karunanidhi, who has been associated with the Tamil film industry for the past 50 years through screenplays and dialogues, recently received the 'Heart of Cinema' award from the jury of International Film festival of Nagpur.