Suresh Gopi is an Indian actor, playback singer, television presenter and politician who is currently serving as the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Minister of Tourism since June 2024. He was elected as a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha in the 2024 general election from Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, becoming the first BJP MP from Kerala, marking the party’s first-ever victory in a Lok Sabha election in the state. He is also serving as the President of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute from September 2023.
Koloth Thattarath Sukumaran, popularly known as Sukumar Azhikode was an Indian academic, orator, critic and writer of Malayalam literature, known for his contributions to Malayalam language and insights on Indian philosophy. He was a scholar in Sanskrit, Malayalam, and English languages and his work, Tatvamasi, published in 1984, is a notable work for its detailed interpretation of Indian philosophy, Vedas and Upanishads. He was a recipient of several honours including Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award and Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2007, which he refused citing the award was a discrimination.
Nadan is a 2013 Malayalam drama film directed by Kamal and written by S. Suresh Babu. Jayaram and Remya Nambeeshan play the lead roles, while the rest of the cast are former theatre artists that include K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Joy Mathew, P. Balachandran, Hareesh Peradi and Sasi Kalinga. It was produced by Anilkumar Ambalakkara under the banner of Ambalakkara Global Films. Nadan features some famous scenes from the famous Kerala People's Arts Club dramas Ningalenne Communistakki and Mudiyanaya Puthran.
Sreekumaran Thampi is an Indian lyricist, music director, director, producer and screenwriter in Malayalam cinema. He also writes poetry and is a recipient of the Vallathol Award. In 2017, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.
Muraleedharan Pillai, popularly known as Murali was an Indian film, stage and television actor and author. He mainly appeared in Malayalam films and a few Tamil films. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Appa Mestry, a communist freedom fighter and professional weaver in the 2002 film Neythukaran. He was known for his powerful portrayal of character roles, lead roles and negative roles, widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Malayalam cinema.
Sanusha Santhosh is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema. She started her career as a child artist to leading actress and supporting character roles. She also appears in some Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films too.
Ochira Velukutty (1905–1954) was an Indian dramatist in the early days of Malayalam theatre. The Malayalam theatre began as an offshoot of Tamil theatre. In South Kerala, the monotony of the sangeetha natakam was broken in 1930 by the play Karuna, an adaptation of Kumaran Asan's famous poetic piece. The adaptation was done by Brahmavrathan and the actors Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar and Ochira Velukutty. This adaptation constituted a radical breakthrough in the 'sangeetha nataka' tradition and its implications were far reaching. It became part of the social reformist movement being led by the precepts of Sree Narayana Guru. It made history, having been staged more than 7,000 times over seven years. The heroine of the story, Vasavadatha, was played by Velukutty and secured him a place in the history of Malayalam theatre.
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar was a Malayalam theatre actor, singer, and author. He is known for his contributions to Malayalam sangeetha natakam. Along with Ochira Velukutty, he was responsible for breaking the monotony of musical operas with their 1930 play Karuna, an adaptation of Kumaran Asan's famous poetic piece. He is the brother of actor Alleppey Vincent.
Pooja Vijay, better known by her stage name Swasika, is an Indian actress and television presenter. She predominantly appears in supporting roles in Malayalam films and television series, in addition to few Tamil films. She is well known of her characters in Vasanthi (2021), Kumari (2022), Vivekanandan Viralanu (2024) and Lubber Pandhu (2024).
Prabha Varma is a poet, lyricist, journalist and television presenter known for his works in Malayalam cinema. He has published ten collections of poems, three novels in verse, six books on the contemporary socio-political milieu and literature, six collections of essays in criticism, a study on media, a travelogue and a novel in English.
Baiju Santhosh Kumar is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam films. He began his acting career in 1981, as a child artist in the film Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla. Since then he has acted in more than 300 films.
Ezhacherry Ramachandran is a Malayalam poet, lyricist and journalist. He has penned lyrics for several Malayalam movies and albums. In 2020, he won the Vayalar Award.
Sathish Kalathil is an Indian film and documentary director and producer in Malayalam. His experimental works are well known and appropriately discussed in Malayalam Cinema industry and his debut movie Jalachhayam (2010) was well discussed according to its experimental approach. His first film was Veenavaadanam (2008), an experimental documentary about art (painting). In 2012, he directed Laloorinu Parayanullathu, a socially committed documentary film about municipal solid waste and Jnana Saradhi in 2012, a historical documentary film about the first communal school of Kerala, Namboodiri Vidyalayam. He is also a story writer, poet and lyricist in Malayalam.
Mazhayathu is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language coming of age family drama film written and directed by Suveeran. Produced under the banner Spellbound Films Inc., the film features an ensemble cast consisting of Nikesh Ram, Aparna Gopinath, Nandhana Varma, Shanthi Krishna, Manoj K Jayan, Sunil Sukhada, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Nandhu, Sivaji Guruvayoor, Sreeya Remesh, and Reshmi Boban.
Bonsai is a 2018 Indian Malayalam film written and directed by debutant Santhosh Peringeth. After his critically acclaimed short film Kotti and some other short films Santhosh came up with the film Bonsai. The film stars Manoj K Jayan, Lena, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Ajin Shaji and Anagha Janaki in the lead roles. Bonsai deals with social themes including education, social class and social mobility. The central character of the film is a school going Dalit boy who desires to own a bicycle to go to the far away school. The film was released on 23 February 2018 in Malayalam and produced by Suresh KP under the banner Essar Films.
Divorce is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language film written and directed by Mini IG which is about the process of Divorce deconstructing dynamics of families through social, psychological and economic aspects starring Chandhunadh, Santhosh Keezhattoor, P. Sreekumar, Shibla Fara etc. It is one of the first Malayalam movie selected by Government of Kerala for funding through Kerala State Film Development Corporation for uplifting works of women directors. It is declared tax free by Govt. of Kerala. The movie got censor certificate in 2020 and was previewed in Kalabhavan theatre in 2021.
Karivellur Murali is a Malayalam language poet and playwright from Kerala, India. He has won many awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship.
Within Seconds is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film directed by Vijesh P. Vijayan. The film stars Indrans in the lead role, alongside Sudheer Karamana, Alencier Ley Lopez, Siddique, Thalaivasal Vijay, Sarayu Mohan and Santhosh Keezhattoor in supporting cast.
Kannur Squad is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film directed by Roby Varghese Raj in his directorial debut and written by Muhammed Shafi and Rony David Raj. The film stars Mammootty alongside Azees Nedumangad, Rony David Raj, Shabareesh Varma, Kishore and Vijayaraghavan. It was produced by Mammootty under the banner of Mammootty Kampany and was based on the real story of a team of police officers who were part of the Kannur Squad, a crime investigation unit, formed by former Kannur SP S. Sreejith IPS.
Davinchi Santhosh is a Malayalam film child actor. His debut was in French Viplavam directed by K.B.Maju. His character in the movie Lonappante Mamodeesa was noticed. He received Kerala State Film Award and Kerala State Television Award for Best Child Actor.
