Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the 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.

[4] Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of Kerala has presented a total of 50 best director awards to 25 different filmmakers.

As of 2023, five directors—Shaji N. Karun, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, T. V. Chandran, Hariharan and Lijo Jose Pellissery— have won the award twice in their careers.

[7] Vidhu Vincent was the first female director to win the award in 2016, for her debut film Manhole.