Jos Prakash, who excelled in character and villain roles from 1950s to 1990s, was chosen for the honour in view of his outstanding contribution to Malayalam cinema.
The award carries Rs. 1,00,000, citation and memento.
Jos Prakash first entered the film as a singer after serving briefly in the army in 1950s.
Since then he has done memorable roles, mostly as villain in over 300 films during his long career.