Shaji N. Karun
Born	Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran January 1, 1952 (1952-01-01) (age 57) Kollam, Kerala, India
Occupation	Film director, Cinematographer
Spouse(s)	Anasuya Warrier
Official website

Shaji Neelakantan Karun (Malayalam: ഷാജി എന്‍. കരുണ്‍; born 1 January 1952) is a National Award-winning Malayalam film director and cinematographer. His debut film Piravi won the Caméra d'Or - Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the Premiere Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the first academy for film and TV in India and was also the Executive Chairman of International Film Festival of Kerala from 1998 to 2001.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Career in film direction 3 Awards and milestones 3.1 As a cinematographer 3.2 As a director 4 Filmography as director 4.1 Feature films 4.2 Short films 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Biography

Shaji N. Karun was born on New Year's Day, 1952 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(Trivandrum), the capital of the state in 1963. He did his schooling in Palkulangara H.S. and took a Bachelor's degree from University College, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1971 he entered the Film 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 Year's Day 1975. After a brief stint in the south Indian city of Madras, he returned to Thiruvananthapuram in 1976 where he got an appointment 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. Then he continued working with notable directors like G. Aravindan, K. G. George and M. T. Vasudevan Nair as a cinematographer. His camera work, especially in the films of Aravindan from Kanchana Seeta to Chidambaram, for some defines the look of Kerala's New Wave Cinema.

[edit] Career in film direction

Shaji made his directorial debut with the Malayalam film Piravi ("The Birth", 1988), which won him the prestigious Caméra d'Or - Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. While Piravi was about the grief of a father who loses his son, Shaji's second film, Swaham (1994) continued with the theme of grief. Swaham was selected to the compete at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.^[1] Vaanaprastham ("The Final Dance", 1999) dealt with the identity crisis faced by an actor. Mohanlal played the lead role in this film. He directed the film Nishad, made in Hindi, which was completed in May 2002, and premiered in the Fukuoka International Film Festival held in September 2002 in Japan. He has also made around a dozen short films and documentaries. Besides making films, Shaji Karun has been active as a juror at many international film festivals and an active participant in governmental and academic arenas. He was the Premiere Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the first academy for film and TV in India and was also the Executive Chairman of International Film Festival of Kerala from 1998 to 2001. His latest film is A. K. G., a biopic on the life of legendary communist leader A. K. Gopalan. The film, distributed by Johny Sagarika was exhibited along with Thakarachenda, an art house film starring Srinivasan, so that both the films could be watched for a single ticket. He is currently filming a new feature film titled Kutty Shranku with Mammootty playing the lead role^[2]. The film is expected to be ready for theatrical release by April 2008.

[edit] Awards and milestones

[edit] As a cinematographer

• Eastman Kodak Award for the Excellence, Hawaii International Film Festival 1989
• National Film Award: Thampu (Circus Tent) (1979)
• Awards from the Government of Kerala: Kanchana Sita (1977), Estappan (1981), Onnumuthal Poojayam Vare (1986)

[edit] As a director

• Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1999)
• National Film Awards: Piravi (1989), Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999)
• Cannes Film Festival, nominated for Palme d'Or (Best Film): Swaham (1994)^[1]
• Cannes Film Festival, Caméra d'Or (Special Mention): Piravi (1989)^[3]
• London Film Festival, Outstanding Film : Piravi (1989)
• Locarno International Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize (Silver Leopard): Piravi (1989)

[edit] Filmography as director

[edit] Feature films

1. Piravi (1989)
2. Swaham (1994)
3. Vanaprastham (1998)
4. Nishad (2002)
5. Kutty Shranku (2008)
6. Suryamukhi (2008) (pre-production)
7. Kadal (2009) (announced)

[edit] Short films

1. Wild Life of Kerala 1979
2. Kerala Carnival 1980
3. Kannikal 1986
4. Sham's Vision 1996
5. Bhavam 1998
6. G. Aravindan 2000
7. Big Man & Small World 2002
8. AKG 2007

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Shaji N. Karun at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.shaji.info
• Shaji N. Karun @ SPICE
• Weblokam Profile