Legendary Malayalam Filmmaker Shaji N Karun laid to rest

Veteran filmmaker Shaji N Karun, who passed away after his long battle with cancer, was cremated in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The mortal remains of the filmmaker, known for his cinematic gems, including 'Piravi', 'Swaham' and 'Vanaprastham', were initially kept for public viewing at Kalabhavan in the morning.

Culture Minister Saji Cherian and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy interim chairman Prem Kumar paid homage to Shaji. Prominent filmmakers and artists from the Malayalam film industry also honoured the veteran through social media posts.

Mohanlal, who acted in Shaji’s Vanaprastham, shared a heartfelt note in which he spoke about their association and described Shaji as “the one who brought Malayalam cinema to the pinnacle of fame.”

Adoor Gopalakrishnan spoke about the filmmaker's precision and filmmaking style, adding that he is someone who never compromised on his style and never inserted superfluous incidents just to attract the crowds.

Veteran star Mammootty, who collaborated with the filmmaker in Kutty Srank, also reflected on their association.

Shaji N Karun had the rare distinction of showcasing three of his films at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the only Indian director to do so.

His film Swaha competed in the Competition Section category in 1994. He was also the recipient of the Padma Shri and the J C Daniel award. He is survived by wife Anasuya Warrier and sons Anil and Appu.