Shaji Neelakantan Karun is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film Piravi (1988) 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 the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) from 1998 to 2001. He is best known for his award-winning films Piravi (1988), Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999) and Kutty Srank (2009). He won the National Award for Best Director for his debut film Piravi. He also won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Director for his films Swaham and Vanaprastham. Currently, he is the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation.
Kunchacko Boban is an Indian actor and film producer. He is referred to as Chackochan, and is called "chocolate boy", because of his romeo roles. He works in the Malayalam film industry and has acted in more than 100 films in more than two decades. He is a member of the Kunchacko family. Kunchacko's debut was as a child in the film Dhanya (1981) produced by his father Boban Kunchacko.
Niram is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film directed by Kamal and written inspired by Sathrughnan, a story by Iqbal Kuttippuram. Niram marks the fourth and final collaboration of the leading pair, Kunchacko and Shalini of the late 90s. It was also Shalini's last Malayalam film, before retiring from the industry. The film revolves around the relationship of two teenagers - Aby and Sona (Shalini), who are best friends since childhood and they often hangout together. The film's music was composed by Vidyasagar. Niram was a blockbuster at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of the year, grossing over ₹5 crore. The film was remade in Telugu as Nuvve Kavali (2000), Tamil as Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001) with Director Kamal, and actresses Shalini, Jomol and Kovai Sarala reprising their roles, in Kannada as Ninagagi (2002), and in Hindi as Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003). The film was rereleased on 16 September 1999.
Mazhavillu (transl. Rainbow) is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language romantic thriller film directed by Dinesh Baboo. It is a remake of director's own 1997 Kannada movie Amruthavarshini. It stars Kunchacko Boban, Preeti Jhangiani and Vineeth in the lead roles, with Lalu Alex, Chithra, and Praveena in other pivotal roles.
Ee Snehatheerathu or Saamam is a 2004 Indian Malayalam film directed by Kaviyoor Sivaprasad and written by Ramakrishnan, starring Kunchacko Boban, Umashankari Sumithra, Lal, Nedumudi Venu and Jagathy Sreekumar. Kunchacko Boban won the Special Jury Award at the Kerala State Film Awards for this movie.
How Old Are You? is a 2014 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film directed by Rosshan Andrrews, written by Bobby Sanjay and produced by Listin Stephen. It stars Kunchacko Boban, Manju Warrier, Kaniha, Lalu Alex and Amritha Anil. This film marks the return of Manju Warrier after a 15-year sabbatical break from the industry. The film was released on 17 May 2014. It received positive reviews from critics and was a major commercial success of the year at the box office. The movie was remade in Tamil as 36 Vayadhinile with Jyothika.
Alencier Ley Lopez is an Indian film and theatre actor, who appears in Malayalam films. Lopez made his debut in the 1998 film Daya; and he worked in films like Annayum Rasoolum (2013), Njan Steve Lopez (2013), and Maheshinte Prathikaaram (2016).
Take Off is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language survival thriller film, based on the ordeal of Indian nurses in the city of Tikrit, Iraq, in 2014. The film is the directorial debut of editor Mahesh Narayan, starring Parvathy Thiruvothu, Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil and Divya Prabha. It is written by Mahesh Narayan and P. V. Shajikumar. The film was shot in various parts of Dubai and Kerala.
Mahesh Narayanan is an Indian film director, screenwriter, editor and cinematographer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema, he has also worked in Tamil and Hindi films. He is a recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director (2017) and Kerala State Film Award for Best Director (2022).
Thamaasha (transl. Joke) is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language film written and directed by Ashraf Hamza and produced by Sameer Thahir, Shyju Khalid, Lijo Jose Pellissery and Chemban Vinod Jose.The film stars Vinay Forrt, Chinnu Chandhini, Divya Prabha and Grace Antony. The music was composed by Rex Vijayan and Shahabaz Aman. The film released in theaters on 5 June 2019. The movie is an official remake of the 2017 Kannada movie Ondu Motteya Kathe.
Kunchacko Boban is an Indian actor, producer and businessman who works in Malayalam films and has acted in more than 100 films over the period of more than two decades and has received several awards including the Kerala State Film Awards. He started acting at the age of 5 in the Fazil directed drama Dhanya as a child artist in a small role and it was produced by his father Boban Kunchacko. He debuted as an adult leading role in Fazil's 1997 romantic drama Aniyathipravu which became one of the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year, establishing him as a bankable actor in the industry.
Nizhal is a 2021 Malayalam-language mystery thriller film directed by Appu N. Bhattathiri in his debut and written by S. Sanjeev. It stars Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara. It also features Izin Hash, Rony David, Saiju Kurup and Divya Prabha in supporting roles. Appu N. Bhattathiri with Arunlal S. P. edited the film while Deepak D. Menon handled the cinematography. Sooraj S. Kurup composed the original songs and background score. The film is produced by Anto Joseph Film Company and Melange Film House in association with Tentpole Movies. Boban plays the role of a first-class Judicial Magistrate.
Bheemante Vazhi is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film directed by Ashraf Hamza and written by Chemban Vinod Jose. It stars Kunchacko Boban and Megha Thomas, with Jose, Jinu Joseph, Naseer Sankranthi, Divya M Nair and Chinnu Chandni in supporting roles. Vishnu Vijay composed the original songs and background score. Chemban Vinod Jose produced the film under Chembosky Motion Pictures in association with Rima Kallingal-Aashiq Abu's OPM Cinemas. The film received generally negative reviews from critics.
Nna Thaan Case Kodu is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language satire film written and directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval, produced by Santhosh T. Kuruvilla and co-produced by Kunchacko Boban Productions and Udaya Pictures. The film stars Kunchacko Boban and Gayathrie Shankar. The music was composed by Dawn Vincent. The story revolves around Kozhummal Rajeevan, a reformed thief's fight for justice when an innocent act to defend himself places him in loggerheads with the high and mighty of society.
Ariyippu is a 2022 Indian drama film written and directed by Mahesh Narayanan. The film is produced by Shebin Backer, under the banner of Shebin Backer Productions, Kunchacko Boban under the banner of Kunchacko Boban Productions and Mahesh Narayanan himself under the Moving Narratives banner. It features Kunchacko Boban, Divya Prabha, Danish Husain, Loveleen Mishra, and Faizal Malik in pivotal roles. The film premiered in the Concorso internazionale of the 75th Locarno Film Festival on 4 August 2022, where it was nominated for Golden Leopard. The film had a worldwide release on Netflix on 16 December 2022.
Faisal Malik is an Indian actor, best known for his role of Prahladcha "Prahlad" Pandey in Amazon Prime Video's Panchayat, Fraud saiyan, Black Widows and Anurgag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2. He will be next seen in Ariyippu which has been directed by Mahesh Narayanan, this will be his Malayalam debut. He has acted in various upcoming web-series such as CA Topper Tribhuvan Mishra.
Ashraf Hamza is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Malayalam cinema. Hailing from Ponnani, Malappuram, he debuted with 2019 Malayalam movie Thamaasha. His second directorial feature was Bheemante Vazhi (2021). He was the co-writer of 2022 movie Thallumaala.
The 46th Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, honouring the best Malayalam films released in 2022, were announced in May 2023.
Deva Nandha is an Indian child actress who appears in the Malayalam Cinema. She is best known for portraying Kallu in Malikappuram (2022), Sarah in Thottappan (2019), Anna Theresa in My Santa (2019), Catherine in Simon Daniel (2022) and Cloudin in Neymar (2023).
All We Imagine as Light is an upcoming 2024 film directed by Payal Kapadia.It stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon in lead roles.
