Veteran Malayalam actress Urvashi, who won Best Supporting Actress for Ullozhukku, has questioned the fairness of the jury after fellow actor Vijayaraghavan was awarded Best Supporting Actor for Pookkaalam.

In a sharp critique during an interview with Asianet News, Urvashi said, “Vijayaraghavan is such a great actor. What exactly did the jury consider to distinguish between Vijayaraghavan’s and Shah Rukh Khan’s performances? How did one become a supporting actor and the other best actor?”

Urvashi pointed out that both actors have decades of experience and deserve equal recognition. She hinted at a possible bias linked to production scale and star value. “We should raise such questions—we too are taxpaying citizens,” she added, demanding transparency in jury decisions.

The actress also revealed that she was initially offered the role of Vijayaraghavan’s on-screen partner in Pookkaalam but declined due to the heavy prosthetics required. “Even if you pay me crores, I wouldn’t do it. But he, at his age, endured all of that and performed. That alone deserves at least a Special Mention,” she said.

In Pookkaalam, Vijayaraghavan played a 100-year-old man, a role that required physical endurance and deep transformation. Urvashi’s remarks have reignited a conversation about how award categories are defined and whether veteran talents like Vijayaraghavan are being sidelined.

At the awards, Shah Rukh Khan was named Best Actor for Jawan (shared with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail), while Vijayaraghavan’s role in Pookkaalam opposite K. P. A. C. Leela was recognised under the supporting category—an apparent mismatch, according to Urvashi.