Kalasha film awards are finally here

By Emmanuel Mwendwa

Glamour and pomp are expected to mark the first Kalasha Film and Television Awards at the Carnivore tonight.

Public voting for best actors, actresses, comedians, filmmakers, scriptwriters and producers started last month.

Scenes in Fomula X.

For the TV awards, several accolades are split across personalities local viewers are familiar with. For instance, household names such as Charles Bukeko aka Papa Shirandula and Churchill Live’s Daniel Ndambuki are frontrunners with four nominations each for Best Performance in the comedy category. Veteran actors Benson Wanjau aka Ojwang (Vitimbi) and Davis Mwambili (Inspekta Mwala) may not pose as much challenge as they would have a few years ago.

Nominees for Best Comedy Programme are Vitimbi, Papa Shirandula, Vioja Mahakamani and Churchill Live.

Stiff competition

Papa Shirandula, also a nominee for Best Actor in TV Series award, faces stiff competition from Tahidi High’s Joseph Kinuthia aka Omosh, Tony Njuguna (Makutano Junction) and Mother-in-Law’s Arabon Osanya.

Jackline Nyaminde (Wilbroda), Elizabeth Wanjiru (Charity-Shosh), Linet Atieno (Hilda) and Lucy Wangui, who acts as the Judge in Vioja Mahakamani, are battling for Best Actress award.

The Best TV Drama category pits Better Days (off air since last year) against Tahidi High, Makutano Junction and Heart Beat FM.

Agenda Kenya, The Woman’s Show, Time Yetu and Hatua are contenders for Best Talk Show award. And perhaps the battle of titans is in the Best TV Producer category with Zorro Lukhwile (Churchill Live), Irene Mukonyoro (Makutano Junction), Tony Mwite (Wash & Set) and Catherine Wamuyu (Mother-in-Law) battling it out.

But even as a section of players in the local movie scene seek long-overdue recognition, the awards are undoubtedly a bold statement by the Government that the days of peddling outdated foreign content on our screens are gone.