Renowned filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun passed away, after a prolonged illness, on Monday, April 28. He was 73 years old. Known for making several critically acclaimed and award winning films including Piravi (1989), Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999), and Kutty Srank (2009), Shaji N Karun had also held coveted positions such as the chairperson of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy as well as the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.
He was among the pioneers of the new wave of Malayalam cinema in the 70s, finishing a course in cinematography at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, and working alongside the likes of G Aravindan, KG George, and MT Vasudevan Nair. He first made his mark behind the camera — notably working in classic films such as Aravindan's Kanchana Sita (1977), Thampu (1978), Kummatty (1979), George's Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983), Panchavadi Palam (1984), P Padmarajan's Koodevide (1983), Hariharan's Nakhakshathangal (1986), and regarding histhers — before stepping into the director's chair himself.
He forayed into filmmaking with Piravi in 1989, a film that touched upon the controversial Rajan case who had famously disappeared in police custody during the Emergency. Shaji's film looked at the incident through the eyes of the hurt old father Eachara Warrier (portrayed affectedly by Premji) who went through a battle for justice for years.
The film won recognition at the Cannes Festival that year and back in India won Karun the National Award for Best Director. He made a habit of winning awards for his films afterward -- Swaham and Vanaprastham bringing him Kerala State awards for best director. Most recently he won the Kerala government's JC Daniel Award for Lifetime Achievement.
His last film was made in 2018, featuring young actors Shane Nigam and Esther Anil in a fantasy called Oolu.
Towards his last years, Shaji N Karun was involved in a controversy surrounding the Kerala government project to fund female filmmakers. Several women filmmakers alleged poor and problematic treatment from Karun, who had supervised the project in his capacity as chairman of the KSFDC. Due to the allegations, there was some criticism regarding his appointment as the chair to the state government's film policy committee to frame a new policy for the industry.