The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India since 1969 to an actress for the best performance within the Malayalam film industry. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Since 1998, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit organisation functioning under the Department of Cultural Affairs, has been exercising control over the awards. The awardees, decided by a jury formed by the academy, are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs and are presented by the Chief Minister.

The 1st Kerala State Film Awards ceremony was held in 1970 with Sheela receiving the Best Actress award for her role in Kallichellamma (1969). The following year, Sharada was recognised for her performances in two films—Thriveni and Thara. Since then, several actresses have been awarded for more than one film during a year.

Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the government has presented a total of 54 Best Actress awards to 38 different actresses. Urvashi has been the most frequent winner, with five awards. She is followed by Sheela and Srividya with three awards each. As of 2023, nine actresses—Jayabharathi, Seema, Samyuktha Varma, Suhasini Maniratnam, Navya Nair, Meera Jasmine, Kavya Madhavan, Shweta Menon and Parvathy Thiruvothu have won the award two times. The 2005 ceremony was the only occasion when the category was tied; Kavya Madhavan and Geetu Mohandas shared the award for their performances in Perumazhakkalam, and Akale and Oridam respectively. The most recent recipient of the award is Vincy Aloshious, for the film Rekha in 2023.

Winners

*	Indicates a joint award for that year

List of award recipients, showing the year and film(s)

Year	Image	Recipient(s)	Film(s)	Ref.
1969		Sheela	Kallichellamma
1970		Sharada	Thriveni Thara
1971		Sheela	Oru Penninte Kadha Sarasayya Ummachu
1972		Jayabharathi	Various films
1973			Madhavikutty Gayathri
1974		Lakshmi	Chattakari
1975		Rani Chandra	Swapnadanam
1976		Sheela	Anubhavam
1977		Santhakumari	Chuvanna Vithukal
1978		Shoba	Ente Neelakaasham
1979		Srividya	Edavazhiyile Poocha Minda Poocha Jeevitham Oru Gaanam
1980		Poornima Jayaram	Manjil Virinja Pookkal
1981		Jalaja	Venal
1982		Madhavi	Ormakkayi
1983		Srividya	Rachana
1984		Seema	Aksharangal Aalkkoottathil Thaniye
1985			Anubandham
1986		Shari	Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal
1987		Suhasini	EzhuthappurangalManivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal
1988		Anju	Rugmini
1989		Urvashi	Mazhavilkavadi Varthamana Kalam
1990			Thalayanamanthram
1991			Kadinjool Kalyanam Kakkathollayiram Bharatham Mukha Chithram
1992		Srividya	Daivathinte Vikrithikal
1993		Shobana	Manichitrathazhu
1994		Shanthi Krishna	Chakoram
1995		Urvashi	Kazhakam
1996		Manju Warrier	Ee Puzhayum Kadannu
1997		Jomol	Ennu Swantham Janakikutty
1998		Sangita	Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala
1999		Samyuktha Varma	Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal
2000			Madhuranombarakattu Mazha Swayamvara Panthal
2001		Suhasini	Theerthadanam
2002		Navya Nair	Nandanam
2003		Meera Jasmine	Kasthooriman Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
2004 *		Kavya Madhavan	Perumazhakkalam
		Geetu Mohandas	Akale Oridam
2005		Navya Nair	Saira Kanne Madanguka
2006		Urvashi	Madhuchandralekha
2007		Meera Jasmine	Ore Kadal
2008		Priyanka Nair	Vilapangalkappuram
2009		Swetha Menon	Paleri Manikyam
2010		Kavya Madhavan	Khaddama
2011		Swetha Menon	Salt N' Pepper
2012		Rima Kallingal	22 Female Kottayam Nidra
2013		Ann Augustine	Artist
2014		Nazriya Nazim	Bangalore Days Ohm Shanthi Oshaana
2015		Parvathy Thiruvothu	Charlie Ennu Ninte Moideen
2016		Rajisha Vijayan	Anuraga Karikkin Vellam
2017		Parvathy Thiruvothu	Take Off
2018		Nimisha Sajayan	Oru Kuprasidha Payyan Chola
2019		Kani Kusruti	Biriyaani
2020		Anna Ben	Kappela
2021		Revathi	Bhoothakalam
2022		Vincy Aloshious	Rekha

See also

• National Film Award for Best Actress