Shaji N Karun a portrait of pain solitude and art
Known for his reticence and subdued voice,
Shaji N Karun
often spoke of the unsaid and inexplicable pain, loneliness and human crisis through his films.
'It's the human crisis that I tried to dwell deep into, and I always tried to find an expression for the same through my craft,'' Shaji told me during our last meeting in Dec.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
As a young child, Shaji was fascinated by the visuals of
Ashamudi Lake
on the banks of which his grandparents lived. His family moved to
when he was in the seventh standard. He was enamoured of the quaint town and its architecture.
He used to join his neighbour-turned brother-in-law Krishna Warrier during his mountain expeditions and clicked catchy black-and-white photographs that impressed relatives and friends back home.
Had he not become a cinematographer, Shaji would have ended up as a medical practitioner. When he left for an interview at Pune film institute, his admission to Thiruvananthapuram medical college was already confirmed. 'I was too homesick.
It was a long journey to Pune. Homesickness overpowered me during my first long journey, alone. I wanted to get rejected as much as I wanted to study cinematography. But the darkness inside the film hall turned out to be the best company for the homesick youth,'' Shaji said sitting at his small officeat KSFDC during an afternoon ahead of the last IFFK.
He passed with flying colours.
Many used to wonder how a reticent filmmaker G Aravindan and more reticent cinematographer Shaji communicated with each other.
Those who watched them work used to say there was something happening between the two, but others could not decipher it. 'Our communication was a continuous process. We both had an idea of the scenes well before we started shooting. Formal communication was thus not much necessary,'' Shaji once said.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
It was a three-year suspension from KSFDC that came as a blessing in disguise for Shaji. During that period, Shaji moved out of Aravindan's shadow and worked with other directors. An astute craftsman, Shaji was known for his knack to extract the best out of actors.
On the sets of
Vanaprastham
, when Suhasini said she was unable to go blank as demanded by Shaji, he asked her what she studied in college. She said physics and Shaji asked her to just wait for the moment when the proton and electron of an atom were to meet, so that she can go blank.
Shaji never got due recognition in the state. When his debut film Piravi got national and international awards, including at the Cannes, the film was adjudged only as the second-best film. He told me the govt must have chosen him for the
JC Daniel Award
out of guilt.—
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
6 hours ago
- NDTV
Janhvi Kapoor's Balmain Red Mini Dress Leaves The Little Black Dress Behind
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Janhvi Kapoor wore a red mini dress from Balmain's Spring/Summer 2025 collection. The dress featured off-shoulder, peplum design, and Swarovski embroidery accents. The outfit paid homage to African culture with mosaic accents of a human face. There are actresses, and then there is Janhvi Kapoor. From traditional ceremonies to high-profile functions, everywhere she goes, fashion follows. Recently, the Param Sundari star stepped out for an event, painting the town red with her feminine-chic sartorial avatar. Also Read: Janhvi Kapoor's YSL Moment Is The Ultimate Ladylike Finale For Cannes 2025 Janhvi Kapoor played muse to French luxury label Balmain as she leaned on a red mini dress from the brand's Spring/Summer 2025 collection. But the structured silhouette was far from just an ordinary mini dress. The off-shoulder details dipped into a scooped neckline, offering a hint of boldness. The peplum design around the waist contributed to the dramatic spin. Those bulged projections only enhanced Janhvi's hourglass figure. The mini dress was Balmain's ode to African culture, as was clear from the mosaic accents featuring a human body's face, nose and lips. Woven with Swarovski embroidery, the unique ribbed notes covering the ensemble were simply a true work of art. Minimally elegant, the outfit was the right pick for a dinner date or a glamorous night out with friends. And Janhvi, like always, carried it off like it was a cake walk. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor) Janhvi Kapoor resorted to understated jewellery that allowed the designer number to take the spotlight. She opted for a pair of golden studs and identical statement rings on both hands. She gave a necklace or bracelets a miss, walking on the less-is-more route. Janhvi Kapoor's clear skin served as the perfect canvas for her makeup to truly shine. She chose a luminous and dewy base that befitted her complexion. Cherry-tinted blush on the cheeks matched the colour of her dress, while glossy peach-hued lips added a fresh, youthful glow. Janhvi Kapoor rocked uber-cool black sunglasses, emanating a boss-ladylike aura. When she was not wearing those, her eye game had us impressed. The 28-year-old smudged kohl around the inner corners, expressing her love for smoky eyes. Wispy, mascara-coated lashes and well-groomed eyebrows rounded off her glam. On a final note, Janhvi Kapoor left her silky brown hair open as the curtain bangs framed her face wonderfully. Jnahvi Kapoor's little red Balmain dress gets a sartorial thumbs up.
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Pattth Movie Review: A delightfully breezy mockumentary about songs, stories and memories
If you've followed Jithin Issac Thomas for a while, you'll know his films usually come with a heavy dose of discomfort. Attention Please, Pra. Thoo. Mu. and Rekha were dark, unsettling and steeped in emotional unease. So when Pattth rolls in like a cool breeze on a lazy Sunday, you may find yourself checking twice to see if it is from the same filmmaker. It is, just in a much lighter, groovier mood. Premiered at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in 2024, Pattth is, quite simply, a mockumentary about two people trying to track down the origins of a song. That's it. But what makes this little film pop is how it refuses to be weighed down by its own premise. It sets out on a quest and keeps tripping into detours, side stories, accidental truths and a whole lot of delightful people who all swear the song belongs to them. In a world where tracks go viral, get chopped into reels, and bounce across continents without anyone knowing where they came from, this feels timely, cheeky and oddly touching. Director: Jithin Issac Thomas Cast: Ashik Safiya Aboobakker, Gauthami Lekshmi Gopan Pattth's vibe is clear from the get-go. It is not here to flex intellectual muscle. It is here to wander, wonder and maybe hum along. Gauthami Lekshmi Gopan plays Anupama, a curious documentary filmmaker with a genuine fascination for where the tune began. Alongside her is Ashik Safiya Aboobakker's Unni, who is more laidback, slightly chaotic and always a beat behind but just as invested in the journey. Together, they make for an excellent screen duo, their banter feeling less like scripted lines and more like a couple genuinely figuring things out over breakfast and badly brewed coffee. One of the neat little tricks Jithin pulls is with the way the film looks. The documentary interviews are shot in a 4:3 vignette frame, giving them a vintage, almost archival feel. In contrast, the scenes featuring Anupama and Unni are clean and more contemporary. It's a clever way to separate myth from reality without shouting about it.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Mouni Roy Steps Into Her Noir Era In A Dramatic Black Gown
Fresh off the Cannes red carpet, Mouni Roy is making fashion waves (again). Whether it's a big event or a themed photoshoot, the Bhootni actor knows how to top the sartorial charts. On another page of her fashion diaries, Mouni Roy embraced the 'noir' aesthetic. She slipped into a breathtaking gown from the shelves of designer label Alpana Neeraj. Her OOTD featured a black corseted top with a sweetheart neckline. The strapless wonder was a fitted masterpiece that hugged Mouni in all the right places. Silver sequinned geometric patterns adorned the bodice and looked beautiful. Sparkly, bejewelled elements added the right amount of pizzazz to the outfit. The floor-skimming netted skirt in a brilliant black shade deserves all the attention. The sheer fabric offered a risque twist, but Mouni carried it elegantly. Tiny sequins dominating the flowy skirt twinkled like bright stars, befitting of a star like Mouni. Thanks to her stylist Rishika Devnani, the 39-year-old looked no less than a princess in the fit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) Mouni Roy let her outfit steal the limelight as she opted for zero accessories. To be honest, we loved how she balanced drama and subtlety so gracefully. Roy's flawless skin served as the perfect canvas for her makeup. She went with a matte base and added some rosy blush and soft contour. Going for nude lips was simply the right move as she went heavy on the eyes. An intense interplay of eyeliner and kohl, coupled with mascara-coated fluttery lashes, contributed to the fierce smokey effect. She sealed her glamorous avatar with a messy bun, leaving two strands of hair open as they framed her face beautifully. Roy's sartorial outings are truly meant for the books. Do you agree?
