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Bharathan was born on 14 November 1947 in Vadakkancheri, Trichur, Kerala, British India. He was a director and art director, known for Thevar Magan (1992), Prayanam (1975) and Thakara (1979). He was married to K.P.A.C. Lalitha. He died on 29 July 1998 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Adoor Gopalakrishnan is India's most acclaimed contemporary filmmaker. Born in 1941 in Kerala, a state in south India, he belongs to a family with strong links to the performing arts, especially Kathakali, a highly-stylised form of dance drama. From the age of eight Adoor began acting for the stage, later producing and directing over twenty plays, several written by him. He is the author of two books on the theatre as well as a book on the cinema, "The World of Cinema", for which he won a national award in 1983. In 1962 Adoor enrolled in the Film and Television Institute in Pune and graduated in 1965 with a diploma in Scriptwriting and Direction. The same year he founded the Chitralekha Film Society of Trivandrum as well as the Chitralekha Film Cooperative. Both played a key role in the development of film culture in Kerala. In 1972 Adoor made Swayamvaram/One's Own Choice, his first full-length feature film. It launched the New Cinema in Kerala and became one of the major films of the Indian New Wave. He has since made seven more films (along with over 25 shorts and documentaries), all of which have won major national and international awards: Kodiyettam/Ascent (1977); Elippathayam/Rat Trap (1981); Mukhamukham/Face to Face (1984); Anantaram/Monologue (1987); Mathilukal/The Walls (1990); Vidheyan/The Servile (1993), and Kathapurushan/Man of the Story (1995). Elippathayam received the prestigious British Film Institute Award in 1982; Mukhamukham won the FIPRESCI prize in 1985; Kathapurushan was honoured in India in 1995 with the National Award for Best Film. Retrospectives of Adoor's films have been held in Pesaro, Helsinki, La Rochelle, Nantes, Munich, and New York. All of Adoor's films draw on the history and culture of his native Kerala. Kerala's transition from feudalism to modernity serves as a backdrop to his complex meditations on the psychology of power, the nature of oppression, the corruption of patriarchy, and the coexistence of the modern and the feudal in post-Independence democratic India. Elippathayam, his masterpiece, vividly captures the descent into paranoia of a man trapped within his feudal universe. In Mukhamukham, a study in failed idealism, a Communist leader gives up on revolution and decides to go to sleep instead. Vidheyan, a parable-like story, deals with the abuse of power, the plight of the outsider, and the nature of a master-servant relationship. The more recent films--especially Anantaram, Mathilukal and Kathapurushan--display a new concern with interiority and reflexivity, foregrounding time, memory, consciousness, and the nature of storytelling itself. Adoor's genius lies in his ability to create visually complex films that operate on multiple levels, that are culture-specific and yet universal in significance.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
P. Padmarajan was an Indian author, screenwriter, and film director who was known for his landmark works in Malayalam literature and Malayalam cinema. Padmarajan was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam, along with Bharathan, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed.
Padmarajan was born on 23 May 1946 in Muthukulam near Haripad in Alappuzha district as the sixth son of Thundathil Anantha Padmanabha Pillai and Njavarakkal Devaki Amma. After early schooling at Muthukulam, he studied at M. G. College and University College Trivandrum, graduating with a BSc in chemistry (1963). Subsequently, he learned Sanskrit from the scholar Cheppad Achyutha Warrier at Muthukulam. He then joined All India Radio, Trichur (1965), starting as a program announcer, and later settled at Poojappura, Trivandrum (1968); he would remain at All India Radio until 1986, when his busy involvement in films would prompt him to retire voluntarily.
His stories deal with deceit, murder, romance, mystery, passion, jealousy, libertinism, anarchism, individualism, and the life of peripheral elements of society. Some of them are considered as among the best in Malayalam literature, his first novel Nakshathrangale Kaaval (With only the stars as witness) won the Kerala Sahithya Academy award (1972).
He entered the world of Malayalam films by writing the screenplay for Bharathan's directorial debut Prayaanam (1975) to take first steps to be one of the most talented script writers to have graced Malayalam cinema.
He later began to direct films based on his own screenplays, beginning with Peruvazhiyambalam (The Street as a Choultry) (1979), which are greatly popular among the common people as well as intellectuals and film critics, while maintaining richness in artistic and thematic originality and excellence. Padmarajan was a great experimenter who explored all walks of life in his works. His screen plays had such hitherto-unheard of features and subjects - such as casting rain as a character in Thoovanthumbikal (Dragonflies in the Spraying Rain), friendship between two young school girls in Desadanakili Karayarilla (Migratory Birds Don't Cry), unusual climax (By traditional standards) in Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal (Vineyards for us to dwell) and Oridaththoru Phayalvaan (There Lived a Wrestler). Many of his films bear the mark of his romanticism.
He is celebrated for his possibly unparalleled attention to detail in his screenplays. Some of his scripts are arguably the smoothest narratives ever penned in the Malayalam language. They are also ample proof for his keen observation, acute perception, and astute portrayal of human relationships and emotions. Many of his films have stunning and haunting climaxes, most of them not commonly portrayed in Malayalam movies. His characters were portrayed with great sensitivity and intensity on the screen and many of the scenes are generously sprinkled with humor. The dialogues of characters are quite natural, in the language of the common man, and yet have a subtle lyrical quality.
Indeed, a just case may be made that his directorial merit flowed easily from his exquisitely crafted screenplays: he never directed a film based on a script written by someone else (unlike other Malayalam film directors of comparable stature, say, Bharathan and K. G. George), and rarely adapted his script from a story not his own. Consequently, he had an unusually intimate knowledge of the characters in his films in combination with his mastery of the script.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
K.G. George was born on 26 May 1946 in Changanacheri, Kerala, British India [now India]. He was a director and writer, known for Yavanika (1982), Ee Kannikoodi (1990) and Lekhayude Maranam: Oru Flashback (1983). He was married to Selma George. He died on 24 September 2023 in Kakkanad, Kerala, India.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
I.V. Sasi was born on 28 March 1948 in Kerala, British India [now India]. He was a director and writer, known for Eeta (1978), Itha Ivide Vare (1977) and Karimpin Poovinakkare (1985). He was married to Seema. He died on 24 October 2017 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Fazil was born in 1953 in Alleppey, Kerala, India. He is a writer and director, known for Manichithrathazhu (1993), Poove Poochudava (1985) and Killer (1992).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Malayalam director who studied economics at a college near Kottayam. His grandfather educated him and gave him his first camera. He worked as an insurance salesman in Bellary. Then he went to FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) and studied under Bengali director Ritwik Kumar Ghatak. He started with a student film. His first film was Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile (1971) made in Tamil. He also wrote his own films. He later lived a nomadic lifestyle in the 70s and depended on support from his friends and colleagues. He suffered from alcoholism and died an accidental death.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
A.K. Lohithadas was born on 10 May 1955 in Chalakudy, Kerala, India. He was a writer and director, known for Thaniyavartanam (1987), Kasthuriman (2003) and Joker (2000). He was married to Sindhu. He died on 28 June 2009 in Kochi, Kerala, India.- Director
- Writer
- Composer
Govindan Aravindan was born on 21 January 1935 in Kottayam, Kerala, India. He was a director and writer, known for Esthappan (1980), Vasthuhara (1991) and Oridathu (1987). He died on 16 March 1991 in Trivandrum, Kerala, India.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Hariharan entered the Malayalam film industry in 1965, and has so far directed more than 60 films, many of which were highly successful both commercially and critically. His movies have mostly explored the complexities of social issues and human relationships, set in the backdrop of Kerala's rich cultural heritage. His films such as 'Valarthumrugangal', 'Panchagni, 'Nakhakshathangal', 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha', 'Sargam', 'Parinayam' and 'Ennu Swantham Janakikutty' have entered the Indian Panorama of International Film Festival. He has also been honored with a Diploma by the Pyongyan Film Festival of North Korea for 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha'. In 1993, 'Sargam' won him the State Award for the Best Director and also National Award for wholesome and popular entertainment. The film also received special honor at the Fukuoka and Swiss film festivals. His following film, 'Parinayam', won the National Award for social issues and took part in about 7 film festivals across the world. 'Ennu Swantham Janakikutty' was the inaugural film at the Korean film festival (2000), and it also took part in the London film festival(2000).
Apart from these recognitions he has also won the Filmfare and the prestigious Ramu Kariat Awards for his works on multiple occasions.
His latest film, 'Pazhassi Raja', is his most ambitious project yet. It is based on the life of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, the first revolter against the British East India Company. This historical epic, written by one of the most gifted writers of India, 'Jnanapeeth' M.T. Vasudevan Nair and produced by Gokulam Gopalan, will be released on the 15th of August.- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Sibi Malayil was born on 2 May 1956 in Alappuzha, Kerala, India. He is a director and assistant director, known for Bharatham (1991), Ente Veedu Appuvinteyum (2003) and August 1 (1988). He has been married to Bala Sibi since 1989.- Director
- Music Department
- Writer
Sathyan Anthikad was born on 3 January 1955 in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He is a director and writer, known for Njan Prakashan (2018), Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal (1999) and Thooval Kottaram (1996). He is married to Nimmi Sathyan.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Sreenivasan was born on 6 April 1956 in Kannur, Kerala, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Sandesham (1991), Vadakkunokkiyantram (1989) and Akkare Akkare Akkare (1990).- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Shaji Neelakantan Karun was born on new years day 1950 as the eldest son of Mr. N. Karunakaran and Mrs. Chandramati in Kollam district of the state of Kerala, India. The family moved to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state in 1963. He did his schooling in Palkkulangara H.S., and took a batchelor's degree from University College, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1971 he entered the Filim and Television Institute of India where he took his diploma in Cinematography. He won the President's medal on passing out in 1975. Got married to Anasuya Warrier, who incidentally was his neighbour in Trivandrum for quite some time again on New years day 1975. After a brief stint in the south Indian city of Madras, he returned to Thiruvananthapuram in 1976 where he got an appoinment as film officer in the newly formed state Film Development Corporation. His first son Anil was born on 19 June 1976. His association with the legendary malayalam film maker, G.Aravindan Began at this time and it led to Shaji defining a new outlook in cinematography in Malayalam cinema. His second son Appu was born on 6 June 1981. He made his first major carrer shift in 1988 wher he directed his first feature, Piravi, which received much critical acclaim worldwide. In 1994 he completed his second film Swaham.