Kesavan Venugopal, better known by his stage name Nedumudi Venu, was an Indian actor and screenwriter from Kerala, who predominantly worked in Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 500 films, primarily in Malayalam and also in Tamil in a career spanning nearly five decades. He wrote screenplays and directed one film. Nedumudi Venu won three National Film Awards and six Kerala State Film Awards for his various performances.
Navya Nair is an Indian actress who has appeared predominantly in Malayalam cinema along with a few Kannada and Tamil language films.
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.
T. V. Chandran is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, predominantly working in Malayalam cinema. Born in a Malayali family in Telicherry, Chandran worked as a Reserve Bank of India employee before entering into the film industry. He started his film career as an assistant director to P. A. Backer. He also acted the lead role in Backer's highly acclaimed political drama Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol (1975). He made his directorial debut with the unreleased feature Krishnan Kutty (1981), and followed this with the Tamil film Hemavin Kadhalargal (1985). Chandran came into prominence after Alicinte Anveshanam (1989), which was nominated for the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival. This was followed with Ponthan Mada (1993), his most famous film to-date. Chandran is most known for his art-house films which have references to history and undertones of politics and feminism. He is also known for his trilogy on 2002 Gujarat riots, consisting of Kathavasheshan (2004), Vilapangalkappuram (2008) and Bhoomiyude Avakashikal (2012). Other highly acclaimed films include Mangamma (1997), Dany (2001) and Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam (2003).
Bharatham is a 1991 Indian Malayalam-language musical drama film written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil. It stars Mohanlal, Urvashi, Nedumudi Venu, Lakshmi, and Murali. The film was produced by Mohanlal through his production house Pranavam Arts. The film features original songs composed by Raveendran and a background score by Johnson. Bharatham is interpreted as a modern-day adaptation of the Ramayana from Bharatha's perspective. How, in the absence of his elder brother, Gopinathan takes the responsibility of the family and hides his griefs is the core of the story.
Thazhathupurakkal Karunakara Panicker Rajeev Kumar is a National Award-winning Indian director of Malayalam films, from Trivandrum. He is the winner of five Kerala State Film Awards for Best Film, Director, Story Writer & Script Writer, a show director, theatre actor and percussionist (Mridangam). He is a founding member and leader of the musical band Blue Birds in 1980 and Super Mimics, a comedy show in 1979. He is also the Kerala University winner of Mono Act in the University Youth Festivals 1980–1982 and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy winner for Mono Act 1979–1982.
Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback is a 1983 Malayalam-language film by K. G. George. The film was controversial because of the protagonist's similarities to the actress Shoba, whose suicide was highly publicized. In his biography, even though KG George admits that his inspiration to make the movie was indeed the suicide of Shobha, he says that more importantly it was his long-time dream to make a cinema about 'cinema', which had never been tried before in the Malayalam industry at the time.
Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam is a 1987 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Bharathan, written by John Paul and produced by M. G. Gopinath and Babu Thiruvalla. The film stars Nedumudi Venu, Sharada and Parvathy in lead roles, while Devan, Innocent and Sankaradi play supporting roles. The film is about an elderly teacher couple, who bring up a girl with devotion — only to lose her as well as her son.
Arimpara is a 2003 Indian drama film directed by Murali Nair. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. It won the John Abraham Award for Best Malayalam Film in 2003.
Nandanam is a 2002 Indian Malayalam-language romantic film written, co-produced, and directed by Ranjith. Loosely adapted from M. T. Vasudevan Nair's Neelathamara, it stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Revathi, Navya Nair, Aravind Akash, Siddique, and Sai Kumar in main roles. K. J. Yesudas and Sudheesh makes a Cameo Appearance. The film won four Kerala State Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards South. The film also marks the debut of Prithiviraj Sukumaran.
Daya is a 1998 Indian Malayalam period film written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, directed by Venu, and starring Manju Warrier in the lead titular role. The storyline of the film is loosely adapted from the story of Zumurrud in the One Thousand and One Nights: the plot is somewhat different. Vishal Bhardwaj scored the music of the film. It was the directorial debut of cinematographer Venu. He won the awards for best debut director at the National Film Awards and Kerala State Film Awards.
Banaras is a 2009 Indian Malayalam-language masala film directed by Nemom Pushparaj, starring Vineeth, Kavya Madhavan and Navya Nair in lead roles. Sanjay Padiyoor was the production controller.
Margam is an Indian film co-written, directed and produced by Rajiv Vijay Raghavan under the banner of Image commune. The film is an adaptation of Pithrutharppanam, the famous story by M. Sukumaran. Margam won seven major Kerala State Film Awards from the government of Kerala and one National Film Award from the government of India in 2003. One of the rarest Malayalam films that received wider critical acclaim at international level, Margam was exhibited at 16 international film festivals and won six international awards in categories including best film and scripting. The script was co-written by Rajiv Vijay Raghavan, Anvar Ali and Dr. S P Ramesh. Cinematography was by Venu and the roles performed by Nedumudi Venu and Meera Krishna were also widely appreciated.
Thampu is a 1978 Indian Malayalam-language film written and directed by Govindan Aravindan. Bharath Gopi, Nedumudi Venu, V. K. Sreeraman, Jalaja and the artistes of the Great Chitra Circus form the cast. The film deals with the roving street circus of Kerala. It is shot in black and white in a direct documentary mode.
Gramam is an Indian bilingual film written, directed and produced by actor-producer Mohan Sharma. It was simultaneously made in Malayalam and Tamil languages under the titles Gramam and Namma Gramam, respectively. It stars Nishan, Samvrutha, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari Nair, Mohan Sharma, Y. G. Mahendraa, Nalini and Fathima Babu. The film, which was well received by critics upon its screening at various film festivals, won two National Film Awards and two Kerala State Film Awards among other laurels. Gramam is the first part of a trilogy on the Palakkad Brahmin community. Set between 1937 and 1947, the film is about a child widow and how she fights societal conventions. The second and third parts of the trilogy will be respectively set between 1947-1962 and 1962–1975. The film got released in Kerala on 10 August 2012. Sukumari received the National award for Best Supporting actress in 2010 for her sensitive portrayal.
Mosayile Kuthira Meenukal is a 2014 Indian Malayalam-language adventure film directed by Ajith Pillai. Produced by Niyas Ismail under the banner of Frames Inevitable, it stars Asif Ali and Sunny Wayne along with Swathi Reddy and Janani Iyer as the female leads while pivotal supporting roles are played by Joju George, Nedumudi Venu, Nishanth Sagar and Yassar. Cinematography was by Abinandhan Ramanujam and music was composed by Prashant Pillai. Major parts of the film were shot in the islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman besides the different locations in Kerala.
P. Venu, was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south India. His work in Malayalam cinema was significant and most influential, covering all themes and genres over a career spanning more than 40 years. His most recognized film C.I.D. Nazir, in 1971, revolutionized movie-making in the investigative genre in Malayalam cinema. Following this film's commercial and critical success, he came up with two more in the series - Taxi Car in 1972 and Prethangalude Thazhvara in 1973, as the first investigative sequels in Malayalam cinema. His last film, Parinamam, in 2003 won an honour for the Malayalam cinema on the global stage by winning the Best Screenplay Award at the Ashdod International Film Festival in Israel. In 2005 he was bestowed with the Kala Prathiba, by the Kerala Film Critics Association for his immense contribution to Malayalam cinema. He was also an active member of MACTA. He published his book titled Udyogastha Muthal in 2010, reminiscing his life as a filmmaker and his experiences in the film industry.
Parinamam is a 2003 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu, starring Nedumudi Venu, Madampu Kunjukuttan and Kaviyoor Ponnamma in the lead roles.
