Shaji N. Karun (73).
Kerala: Acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun died after a prolonged illness in his residence, ‘Piravi’, in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. He was 73.
His death comes days after he was honoured with the J C Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour instituted by Kerala.
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Considered to be one of the pioneers of the new wave of Malayalam cinema back in the 70s, Karun worked as a cinematographer in classics including Aravindan’s Kanchana Sita (1977), Thampu (1978), Kummatty (1979), George’s Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983), Panchavadi Palam (1984), P Padmarajan’s Koodevide (1983), and Hariharan’s Nakhakshathangal (1986).
Shaji N. Karun is hailed as one of the most revered filmmakers in the country and outside. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune in 1974 with a gold medal in cinematography.
As a cinematographer, he frequently collaborated with icons like G. Aravindan, P. Padmarajan, KG. George, and MT Vasudevan Nair.
Making his directorial debut in 1988 with Piravi, Karun made his mark as a filmmaker to be remembered and celebrated. His debut won global acclaim including the Caméra d’Or – Mention d’honneur at the Cannes Film Festival and back in India, he won the National Award for Best Director.
Next came Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999), Kutty Srank (2009), and Swapaanam (2013). Notably, Mohanlal won his second national award for Best Actor for Vanaprastham.
His last directorial was the 2018 fantasy film Oolu starring Esther Anil and Shane Nigam in the lead.
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He chaired both the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy and the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC). While at KSFDC, Karun oversaw a government grant for women filmmakers that drew criticism after several directors accused him of poor and problematic treatment – raising questions about his subsequent appointment to lead the state’s film policy committee.
