Thiruvananthapuram, April 28 — Legendary filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun, who carried Malayalam cinema to global audiences with his groundbreaking style, died Monday, according to industry sources. He was 73.
Shaji had been battling health complications for some time, sources said. His passing comes just days after he was honored with the J C Daniel Award — Kerala’s highest film accolade — for his lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema.
Malayalam film fraternity mourned the death of Shaji Neelakantan Karunakaran, widely known as Shaji N Karun, who is remembered for blending deep emotional narratives with visual artistry that transcended linguistic and cultural barriers.
“Shaji N Karun took Malayalam cinema to places it had never gone before,” said a senior official from the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
His debut feature, Piravi (1988), won international acclaim, screening at nearly 70 global film festivals.
His second film, Swaham (1994), was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Vanaprastham (1999), starring Mohanlal, was also selected for screening at Cannes, further cementing his reputation as a filmmaker of global stature.
Over a career spanning decades, Shaji’s films collected seven National Film Awards and an equal number of Kerala State Awards.
His Kutty Srank received the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2010.
Beyond filmmaking, Shaji N Karun also shaped Kerala’s film institutions.
He served as the founding chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and later chaired the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
A recipient of India’s Padma Shri and France’s Order of Arts and Letters, Karun’s contribution extended beyond cinema to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers and advocating for the cultural significance of regional cinema.
“We have lost a visionary who changed how the world views Malayalam films,” said a close associate. “His vision broke all barriers.”
