Veteran Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, more popularly known as Shaji N Karun, passed away on April 28, 2025, at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was 73. Karun has some remarkable achievements to his credit, including his debut film Piravi (1988) that was awarded the Caméra d’Or – Mention d’honneur at Cannes International Film Festival 1989 in France. The filmmaker was also honoured with the National Film Award for Best Director for Piravi, among 30 other awards including at Cannes. His following films Swaham (1994) and Vanaprastham (1999) were also selected for the Cannes Film Festival official sections. Director Shafi Dies at 56: All You Need To Know About the Malayalam Filmmaker.
Shaji N Karun Awards
Shaji N Karun won three National Film Awards in his career for Best Feature Film, including for Piravi, Vanaprastham and Kutty Srank. Being the founding chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and serving as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation and the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham president in 2018, Karun was active in promoting Kerala’s culture and arts. Shaji N Karun also served as the executive chairman of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), one of the prestigious film festivals of India, from 1998 to 2001.
The filmmaker was also the recipient of at least seven Kerala State Film Awards. In 2023, Karun was honoured with the the JC Daniel Award, Kerala’s highest film award for lifetime achievement, for his contribution to cinema. Shaji N Karun Chosen for J C Daniel Award.
Shaji N Karun is survived by his wife, Anasuya Warrier, and sons, Anil and Appu.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2025 06:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
