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New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
50 years of friendship: Director T V Chandran shares memories of Shaji N Karun
It feels as though a friendship of 50 years has come to an end. Seeing My first memory of him goes back to the stunning visuals he captured for Thampu, a film that remains one of my all-time favourites even today. After the shoot, Aravindan, John Abraham, Chandralekha, Sadananda Menon, and I gathered in Madras. We were all mesmerised by the visuals Shaji had captured. That is where our friendship began. In fact, it never felt like we didn't collaborate, because most of my cinematographers -- Sunny Joseph, Madhu Ambattu, and others -- came from what I often call Shaji's school of training. Whenever Shaji arrived on set, it was nothing short of a celebration. His candid camera work was astonishing. In Thampu , he captured several breathtaking moments. One that has stayed with me is a shot of a child from the circus troupe smoking a 'beedi'. It was a raw, unguarded moment caught with such authenticity that it still moves me. Shaji had an extraordinary gift for absorbing the essence of a moment without losing its naturality. We have a long history of spending time together, often at Aravindan's place, bonded by our shared admiration for his work. I was also part of the post-production team for Thampu . The memory of going through those 40,000 rushes still feels alive. Our early days at the Calcutta Film Festival in 1990 are a trove of memories too. I was there with Alicinte Anweshanam and Shaji with Piravi , both of us featured in the Indian Panorama section. Both of us were beginners then and our bond grew stronger. Later, in Mumbai, we spent nearly a week together. Over the years, we served on many committees together, the last one being in 2023 when we were part of the search committee for the chairman of the K R Narayanan Institute. We spent about a month and a half together during that time. One of the moments I cherish most was being able to suggest Shaji's name for the J C Daniel Award to the chief minister. He was so happy about it and had mentioned it to me.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shaji N Karun, master of cinematic realism, dead
Ace filmmaker Shaji N Karun , whose craft of cinematic realism earned global acclaim, passed away at his residence 'Piravi' in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. He was 73. Shaji had been battling cancer for some time. He had received the JC Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema on April 16. He was later admitted to a private hospital and was brought home two days ago. The cremation will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. He is survived by wife Anasuya Warrier and sons Appu Karun and Karun Anil. A recipient of Padma Shri and French honour ' Order of Arts and Letters ', Shaji was the chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation. Born in 1952, Shaji started his career as a cameraman and he wielded the camera only for legendary filmmaker G Aravindan for a long time. He won the national award for best cinematographer for 'Thampu' in 1979. Shaji also worked with directors KG George, Hariharan and MT Vasudevan Nair before emerging as a director with 'Piravi' (1988), which received several national and international accolades. His films 'Swaham' (1994) and 'Vanaprastham' (1999) also earned national and international recognition. Shaji was instrumental in the development of KSFDC and Kerala Chalachitra Academy as major institutions of repute. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo "Throughout his career, Shaji consistently upheld the principles of realism in his films... He approached cinema as a fundamentally visual art form, believing that images, more than words, should carry the weight of storytelling," cinematographer Santhosh Sivan said.
NDTV
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Legendary Malayalam Filmmaker Shaji N Karun Dies At 73
Thiruvananthapuram: Legendary Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun, known for his pathbreaking films and distinctive style of movie making, died here on Monday, industry sources said. He was 73. Shaji N Karun had been unwell for some time and was battling health issues, they said. The death of the eminent filmmaker comes days after he was honoured with the J C Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour instituted by the state government, at a function here. One of the pioneers of new wave cinema in Malayalam, Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, popularly known as Shaji N Karun, was among the few filmmakers who took the legacy of Malayalam cinema to the international audience breaking all the barriers. His debut film, 'Piravi' (1988), was screened at nearly 70 international film festivals, while his second film, 'Swaham' (1994), was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His 'Vanaprastham' (1999) was also screened at Cannes. Shaji N Karun's films have won seven national awards and as many Kerala State Awards. His 'Kutty Srank' bagged the national award for Best Feature Film in 2010. A recipient of the Padma Shri and the French honour "Order of Arts and Letters," Karun was the premiere chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. He also served as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Eminent Malayalam filmmaker Shaji N Karun dies at 73
Legendary Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun, known for his pathbreaking films and distinctive style of movie making, died here on Monday, industry sources said. He was 73. Karun had been unwell for some time and was battling health issues, they said. The demise of the eminent filmmaker comes days after he was honoured with the J C Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour instituted by the state government, at a function here. One of the pioneers of new wave cinema in Malayalam, Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, popularly known as Shaji N Karun, was among the few filmmakers who took the legacy of Malayalam cinema to the international audience breaking all the barriers. His debut film, Piravi (1988), was screened at nearly 70 international film festivals, while his second film, Swaham (1994), was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His Vanaprastham (1999) was also screened at Cannes. Karun's films have won seven national awards and as many Kerala State Awards. His Kutty Srank bagged the national award for Best Feature Film in 2010. A recipient of the Padma Shri and the French honour Order of Arts and Letters, Karun was the premiere chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. He also served as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC). Film and Television Institute of India posted their heartfelt condolences on X (formerly Twitter) as they wrote, "The Film and Television Institute of India, Pune deeply mourns the passing away of our distinguished alumnus, Shri Shaji N Karun. A master storyteller and a pioneer of Malayalam cinema, his work enriched Indian filmmaking. Our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor expressed his grief and told PTI, "I am truly shocked and saddened by this news. Shaji N Karun was one of the greats, no question about it. If you were to name half a dozen of the great Indian directors, he would be one of them. He had such extraordinary success. You remember his first movie, Piravi, when he was just in his mid 30's, was not only a national award winner, but got special mention in Cannes, had global recognition, he went on to make many other fine films, but what is striking that he was the master of depiction of grief, heartbreak, pain, and today he leaves us like almost like a scene in one of his films, in leaving us with a moment of desolation, and loss... I extend my condolences to his family."
Deccan Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
Eminent Malayalam filmmaker Shaji N Karun dies at 73
The demise of the eminent filmmaker comes days after he was honoured with the J C Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour instituted by the state government, at a function here.
