Shaji N Karun obit: Visual master, with poetic storytelling

He was born on January 1, 1952, in Kollam, Kerala, to N Karunakaran and Chandramati Shaji.

Shaji is survived by his wife, Anasuya, sons Anil and Appu.

His contributions to Indian cinema, marked by poetic storytelling and visual mastery, remain unparalleled, with films like Piravi (1988), Swaham (1994), and Vanaprastham (1999) cementing his place among the greats.

Shaji’s early years were spent in Thiruvananthapuram, where his family moved in 1963. He attended Palkkulangara High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from University College, Thiruvananthapuram. His passion for cinema led him to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, where he graduated with a diploma in cinematography in 1975, receiving the President’s Gold Medal.

Redefining aesthetics

His career began as a cinematographer, working on nearly 40 films, most notably with legendary Malayalam director G Aravindan. Shaji’s work behind the camera, characterided by a deep sensitivity to light and composition, redefined visual aesthetics in Malayalam cinema. His collaboration with Aravindan produced pathbreaking films that blended poetry, music, and art.

In 1976, he joined the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) as a film officer, a role that grounded him in the industry’s institutional framework. His cinematography earned him the Eastman Kodak Award for Excellence in 1990 and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France in 1999.

Piravi, a global sensation

Shaji transitioned to directing with Piravi (1988), a heartrending tale of a father’s grief over his missing son who was believed to be forcefully disappeared by the state machinary, set in the backdrop of the Emergency period. The film was a global sensation, screened at nearly 70 international festivals and winning 31 awards, including the Caméra d’Or – Mention d’honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, the Charlie Chaplin Award at Edinburgh, and the Silver Leopard at Locarno.

It also secured the National Film Award for Best Director and the President of India’s Gold Medal for Best Film.

Piravi announced Shaji as a filmmaker of profound emotional depth, often compared to Satyajit Ray by Cannes director Gilles Jacob.

Blend of spirituality and humanism

His second film, Swaham (1994), continued his exploration of grief and was selected for the Palme d’Or competition at Cannes, a rare feat for an Indian film.

Vanaprastham (1999), starring Mohanlal, tackled an actor’s identity crisis and was screened at Cannes, further solidifying Shaji’s international stature. His later works, including Kutty Srank (2010), with Mammootty, which won the National Award for Best Feature Film, and Swapaanam (2013), premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival, showcased his ability to weave complex human stories.

Shaji directed only seven feature films, citing funding challenges for his selective output, but each carried his signature blend of spirituality and humanism.

Beyond features, Shaji made around a dozen short films and documentaries, including A Voyage with KG Subramanyan (2024), which explored the life of the artist KG Subramanyan. His short films earned him a Gold Medal from the President of India in 1996.

His final project, announced in 2022, was a multi-lingual biopic on Amrita Sher-Gil, envisioned as an Indo-French-US collaboration, though it remained incomplete at his passing.

Beyond filmmaking

Shaji’s influence extended beyond filmmaking.

As the founding chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy in 1998, he established India’s first film and television academy. He also served as executive chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) from 1998 to 2001, elevating it to a FIAPF-recognised competitive festival.

At the time of his death, he was chairman of the KSFDC, overseeing initiatives like a government-backed OTT platform and a center for visual media, including gaming. He also led the committee drafting Kerala’s film policy.

Shaji won many accolades as well. He bagged seven National Film Awards, seven Kerala State Film Awards, the Padma Shri, and the JC Daniel Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2023, Kerala’s highest cinematic honor. Internationally, he received Lifetime Achievement Awards from festivals in Jaipur (2020), Innsbruck (2014), and Colombo (2024).

Cinematic legacy

A frequent juror at global film festivals, he championed cinema as a medium of cultural and spiritual expression.

His films, rooted in Kerala’s cultural ethos yet universal in appeal, remain timeless studies of human resilience and longing.