After being declared defunct in 2008, the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards were suddenly announced on July 13. Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy announced the awards for six years starting from 2009 up till 2014 all together. The awards in categories ranging from Best Actor to Best Picture to Best Character Artist and Best Dialogue Writer were chosen by a jury headed by former judge A Raman.

Actor Vishal, who is the general secretary of the Nadigar Sangam and the president of Tamil Film Producers Council, sent a letter to the minister thanking him for announcing the awards finally.

In the Best Picture category are such films as Pasanga (2009), Myna (2010), Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011), Vazhakku En 18/9 (2012), Ramanujan (2013) and Kutram Kadithal (2014). Each year features a different recipient in the Best Actor (male and female) category.

The TN State Government has oscillated between giving and discontinuing the awards since the 1970s. The awards were first instituted in 1967 only to be discontinued in 1970 until 1977. They finally had a continuous run from 1977 to 1982. Between 1988 and 2008 too, the awards were given again continuously, only to be finally declared obsolete in 2008.