Kamal | |
---|---|
Born | 28 November 1957 |
Occupation | Film director |
Years active | 1981–present |
Spouse | Saburabi |
Children | 2 |
Kamaluddin Mohammed Majeed, mononymously known as Kamal, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in the Malayalam cinema. He was the former chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Kamal made his directorial debut with the 1986 film Mizhineerppovukal . In a career spanning over three decades, Kamal has directed over forty films. His films have won various National Film Awards and Kerala State Film Awards, including for films such as Kakkothi Kaavile Appoppan Thaadikal (1988), Ulladakkam (1991), (1995), Niram (1999), Madhuranombarakkattu (2000), Meghamalhar (2001), Nammal (2002), Perumazhakkalam (2004), Karutha Pakshikal (2006), and Celluloid (2013).
Kamal was born on 28 November 1957 in Kodungallur, as the eldest son of the late K.M. Abdul Majeed and late Suleikhabi. He has two younger brothers. He is married to his first cousin, Saburabi. They have two children, Jenuse Mohamed and Hanna Shanu. Jenuse made his debut as a film director in 2015 with the Malayalam film 100 Days of Love . [3]
In April 2020, reports surfaced that an aspiring Mollywood actress had sent the director a legal notice on 26 April 2019, accusing him of sexually assaulting her after promising her a role in his film. Kamal said he suspected a former Chalachitra Academy employee to be behind the recent expose and termed the allegations baseless and intended to defame him. [4] [5]
He started his career by writing the film Thrasam , directed by Padiyan in 1981. He also worked as an associate director in the film.
His first film was Mizhineer Pookkal in 1986 and to date, he has directed more than 43 movies, among which are two non-Malayalam movies, one each in Tamil and Hindi. Apart from his role as a director, Kamal has held several administrative posts within the Malayalam film industry. He had previously acted as the general secretary of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA) and has been an executive member of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. He is currently the president of the Kerala Director's Union (FEFKA). [6]
His works include Unnikale Oru Katha Parayam, Kakkothikavile Appooppan Thadikal, Thoovalsparsham, Ghazal, Ulladakam, Ee Puzhayam Kadannu, Azhagiya Ravanan, Mazhayethum Munpe, Meghamalhar, Madhuranombarakaattu, Perumazhakkalam, Karutha Pakshikal, Khaddama and Celluloid. His interest in film-making led him to enroll at the Kalabharathi Film Institute in Thrissur.[ citation needed ]
Celluloid (2013) is the biopic of J.C Daniel, the father of Malayalam cinema. Smitha at the entertainment site, oneindia.com, stated that the film is one of the best films made in recent times from Indian cinema. [7]
Aami is a biopic of poet and author Kamala Surayya. [8]
Film | Director | Year |
---|---|---|
Celluloid | Himself | 2013 |
Year | Film | Director |
---|---|---|
1982 | Chillu | Lenin Rajendran |
1984 | Oru Kochu Swapnam | Vipin Das |
1985 | Aa Neram Alpadooram | Thampi Kannanthanam |
1985 | Avidathepole Ivideyum | K. S. Sethumadhavan |
1985 | Ayanam | Harikumar |
Year | Film | Director |
---|---|---|
1981 | Thrasam | Padiyan |
1985 | Aa Neram Alpadooram | Thampi Kannanthanam |
1986 | Sunil Vayassu 20 | K. S. Sethumadhavan |
1997 | Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu | Himself |
2001 | Meghamalhar | Himself |
2003 | Swapnakkoodu | Himself |
2006 | Karutha Pakshikal | Himself |
2008 | Minnaminnikoottam | Himself |
2013 | Celluloid | Himself |
Year | Film | Director |
---|---|---|
1980 | Kaavalmaadam | P. Chandrakumar |
1983 | Kadamba | P. N. Menon |
1984 | Aarorumariyathe | K. S. Sethumadhavan |
1987 | Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam | Himself |
1996 | Ee Puzhayum Kadannu | Himself |
2002 | Gramophone | Himself |
2003 | Swapnakkoodu | Himself |
2006 | Karutha Pakshikal | Himself |
2008 | Minnaminnikoottam | Himself |
2010 | Aagathan | Himself |
Kavya Madhavan is an Indian actress, who appeared predominantly in Malayalam films. She made her debut in 1991 as a child artist in Pookkalam Varavayi. Her debut role as one of the lead actresses was in Lal Jose's Chandranudikkunna Dikkil in 1999, when she was in the ninth grade. Its success established her status as one of the leading actress in the Malayalam industry during the 2000s. She has acted in over 75 movies. She has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress twice, for her performances in Perumazhakkalam (2004) and Khaddama (2010).
Sreenivasan is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, dubbing artist and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Sreenivasan has starred in over 225 films. Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such as Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984), Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam (1986), Gandhinagar 2nd Street (1986), Nadodikkattu (1987), Pattanapravesham (1988), Varavelpu (1989), Thalayana Manthram (1990), Sandesam (1991), Midhunam (1993), Mazhayethum Munpe (1995), Azhakiya Ravanan (1996), Oru Maravathoor Kanavu (1998), Udayananu Tharam (2005), Katha Parayumpol (2007), and Njan Prakashan (2018) among which the latter is one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. He has won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Screenplay, for Sandesam and Mazhayethum Munpe. He has received numerous accolades including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards South and six Kerala State Film Awards.
Perumazhakkalam is a 2004 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Kamal and written by T. A. Razzaq. It stars Kavya Madhavan, Dileep, Meera Jasmine, Vineeth, and Biju Menon. The film's music was composed by M. Jayachandran. The film was produced by Salim Padiyath through Rasikar Films and distributed by Valiyaveettil Movies.
Nammal (transl. Us) is a 2002 Indian Malayalam romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kamal and written by Kalavoor Ravikumar. The film stars Jishnu and Sidharth Bharathan. It was the debut film of Sidharth Bharathan, Renuka, and Bhavana. The music was composed by Mohan Sithara. The film was shot in Government Engineering College, Thrissur and Holy Trinity School, Kanjikode.
Vidhu Prathap is an Indian playback singer. He has sung many songs in over 600 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu languages.
Lal Jose is an Indian director, actor, producer, and distributor who works in the Malayalam film industry. He started his career as an Assistant director in the Malayalam cinema. His directorial debut was with the 1998 film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu.
Salim Kumar is an Indian actor, comedian, director and writer in Malayalam cinema. Mostly known for his comic and comedy roles, Salim Kumar is considered one of the best and most prominent comedians in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Karutha Pakshikal is a 2006 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film written and directed by Kamal. It stars Mammootty, Meena, and Padmapriya.
Mohan Sithara is an Indian music composer. He received the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Music Director (2009) for the songs in Priyanandan's Soofi Paranja Kadha. Since 1986 he has been an active musician in the Malayalam film industry. His work mixes Western, Classical and folk styles. He has worked with lyricists and poets like O. N. V Kurup, V. Madhusoodanan Nair, Yusufali Kechery, Sreekumaran Thampi, Rajeev Alunkal, Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, S. Ramesan Nair, Vinayan, Bharanikkavu Sivakumar, Anil Panachooran, Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma, Gireesh Puthenchery, and Bichu Thirumala. Many prominent singers have sung his songs, including K. J. Yesudas, P. Jayachandran, M. G. Sreekumar, K. S. Chithra, Sujatha Mohan, Madhu Balakrishnan, G. Venugopal, Shreya Ghoshal, Vidhu Prathap, Afsal, Manjari, Jyotsna Radhakrishnan and Biju Narayanan.
Madhusoodanan Jayachandran Nair is an Indian composer, singer, and musician. He has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director a record number of nine times. In 2005, he also won the state award for best male singer. In 2015, he won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the film Ennu Ninte Moideen. He has composed music for 126 films.
Mazhayethum Munpe is a 1995 Malayalam romantic drama film directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mammootty, Shobhana and Annie and in the lead roles. The plot is centered upon a college professor named Nandakumar, his fiancée Uma Maheshwari, and his student Shruthi. The film was a commercial success. Annie won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance as Shruthi. In 2005, this movie was remade in Hindi by the same director as Zameer: The Fire Within starring Ajay Devgan, Ameesha Patel and Mahima Chaudhry.
Ulladakkam (transl. Content) is 1991 Indian Malayalam-language psychological thriller film directed by Kamal and written by P. Balachandran from a story by Cheriyan Kalpakavadi. It stars Mohanlal, Shobana and Amala Akkineni. The film, produced by Suresh Balaje features a soundtrack composed by Ouseppachan. The plot follows a psychiatrist, Dr. Sunny (Mohanlal) and one of his patients, Reshma (Amala), who gets obsessed with him romantically, but Sunny is already engaged with Annie (Shobana). The film explores the phenomenon of transference.
Khaddama (transl. Housemaid) is a 2011 Indian Malayalam-language survival drama film co-written and directed by Kamal. It stars Kavya Madhavan in the lead role and was produced by P. V. Pradeep under the banner of Anitha Productions. Cinematography is by Manoj Pillai and the film was edited by K. Rajagopal. The film features songs composed by Bennet Veetraag and the background music is by M. Jayachandran.
K. Madhu is an Indian film director and producer who works predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. He made his debut with Malarum Kiliyum and has directed over 30 feature films in various languages.
Meghamalhar is a 2001 Indian Malayalam-language romance film written and directed by Kamal from a story by Iqbal Kuttippuram. It stars Biju Menon and Samyuktha Varma in the lead roles while Poornima Mohan, Sreenath, Shivaji, Siddique, and Raghavan play supporting roles. The film was jointly produced by M. V. Shreyams Kumar for Mathrubhumi and Asianet. It won two Kerala State Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards South. The movie was reported to be inspired by the 1945 British movie Brief Encounter.
Celluloid is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language biographical drama film co-produced, written, and directed by Kamal, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Sreenivasan, Mamta Mohandas, and Chandni in the lead roles. The film is a biopic based on the life story of J.C. Daniel, the father of Malayalam cinema, the making of his film Vigathakumaran, and the story of Vigathakumaran's heroine P. K. Rosie. The film is particularly based on Life of J. C. Daniel, a biography of J. C. Daniel written by Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan. The filming started in November 2012, and the online posters were done by a 16-year-old boy, Aswin, which went viral on social media. It was released in February 2013. The film opened with positive reviews and received seven Kerala State Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Actor (Prithviraj). The movie received many awards and much appreciation with the support of All Lights Film Services (ALFS), a leading film festival consultancy. The film was a blockbuster at the box office.
Malavika Nair is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Malayalam films. She has appeared in more than 20 films, mostly as a child artist and is a two time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist, in 2006 and 2012.
Dileep is an Indian actor, playback singer, and producer who predominantly works in the Malayalam films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam films.
Aami is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language biographical film based on the life of poet-author Kamala Das. It is written and directed by Kamal and stars Manju Warrier as Kamala Surayya, along with Murali Gopy, Tovino Thomas, Anoop Menon, and Anand Bal. The film was released on 9 February 2018. It won two Kerala State Film Awards.
The 34th Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, honouring the best Malayalam films released in 2010, were announced in February 2011.