• Renowned Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N. Karun passed away in Thiruvananthapuram on April 28. He was 73.

• One of the pioneers of new wave cinema in Malayalam, Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran was among the few filmmakers who took the legacy of Malayalam cinema to the international audience breaking all the barriers.

• Karun’s films have won seven national awards and as many Kerala State Awards.

• He was honoured with the J.C. Daniel Award for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema, the highest film honour instituted by the state government, a few weeks ago. 

• Karun graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune in 1974 with a gold medal in cinematography.

• He began his career as a cinematographer working with legendary filmmakers like G. Aravindan and K.G. George. 

• His directorial debut titled ‘Piravi’ (1988), which was inspired by a real-life story during the time of Emergency, was screened at nearly 70 international film festivals.

• Karun’s second directorial ‘Swaham’ (1994) was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. 

• His movie ‘Vanaprastham’ (1999) was also screened at Cannes. The Mohanlal-starrer, which revolves around the life of a Kathakali artist, was regarded as one of the best films in Indian cinema by many critics.

• His ‘Kutty Srank’ bagged the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2010.

• He is known for his pathbreaking films and distinctive style of movie making.

• He is a recipient of the Padma Shri and the French honour ‘Order of Arts and Letters’.

• Karun was the first chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. He also served as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).

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