Legendary Malayalam Filmmaker And Cinematographer Shaji N Karun Passes Away At 73

Legendary Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, popularly known as Shaji N Karun, breathed his last on Monday, April 28, in Thiruvananthapuram, industry sources said, as reported by PTI. He was 73.

He had been unwell and was battling health issues.

Shaji N Karun was known for his pathbreaking films and distinctive style of film making.

Karun's demise comes days after he was honoured with the J C Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour by the state government.

He was an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. Karun started his cinematic journey as a cinematographer, collaborating with filmmaker G Aravindan.

Karun made his directorial debut in 1988, with Piravi, which made him famous internationally. The film was screened at over 70 international and national festivals, and it bagged 31 awards including the prestigious Charlie Chaplin Award at Edinburgh, and the Silver Leopard at Locarno.

Swaham, Vanaprastham, Kutty Srank, and Olu, are some of his notable works.

He clinched seven national awards and Kerala State Awards. His Kutty Srank received the national award for Best Feature Film in 2010.

Swaham was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Vanaprastham was also selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

He also played a huge role in shaping Kerala's film culture. He was the founding chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and former executive chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). Karun advocated independent cinema and cultural dialogues.

The eminent filmmaker was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2010, and in 2000, he was conferred with the French honour Chevalier des Arts et Lettres.