Malayalam filmmaker and script writer Ranjith will be the next chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Singer M G Sreekumar will be the new chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.
The decision to appoint the senior artistes to the top posts were approved by the state cabinet in its last meeting, sources said. Appointment orders will be issued in the coming days. The cabinet approved the selection for the appointments after the CPM, the main ruling party, agreed with the names.
Ranjith will replace filmmaker Kamal while Sreekumar will replace veteran actor KPAC Lalitha.
Ranjith who entered the Malayalam film industry as a scriptwriter has evolved to be a director, producer and actor in a career spanning over three decades. He is known for writing popular films like Devasuram, Aaraam Thampuran and Narasimham and also directing critically acclaimed films like Pranchiyettan and the Saint and Kaiyoppu.
His film Spirit had won the National Award for the Best Film on Social Issues in 2012. Indian Rupee and Thirakatha, directed by him, won the National Award for the Best Feature Film in Malayalam in 2011 and 2008 respectively. He has won numerous other awards including the Kerala State Film Awards for best film thrice.
A known supporter of the CPM, he had campaigned actively for the party in the assembly elections early this year.
M G Sreekumar, a two-time national award winning-singer, has sung more than 35,000 songs in several languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. He has composed music for several films and also a well-known television presenter and reality show judge.
