Malayalam cinema mourns Shaji Kumar, cinematographer of Mohanlal-starrers Pulimurugan and Athimanoharam

KOCHI: Renowned cinematographer Shaji Kumar has passed away at a private hospital in Kochi following a heart attack. He was 57. Shaji fell ill while shooting a Dileep-starrer in Alappuzha and was admitted to the hospital two days ago, where he collapsed and died around midnight on Monday.

Over a career spanning more than 50 hit films, Shaji left an indelible mark on Malayalam cinema with blockbusters like Pulimurugan, Naran, Odiyan, and Thudarum. His recent work included Athimanoharam and the Suresh Gopi-starrer Ottakomban. Tragically, his passing comes just weeks before the release of Athimanoharam—directed by Tharun Moorthy and starring Mohanlal—which hits theaters next month.

Shaji began his journey assisting veteran cinematographer Vipin Mohan before debuting as an independent cinematographer with the 2001 film Uthaman. He went on to collaborate with acclaimed directors like Joshiy, Shaji Kailas, V.M. Vinu, M. Padmakumar, Vysakh, and Tharun Moorthy. While primarily known for his work in Malayalam cinema, he also ventured into Tamil and Hindi films, earning wide critical acclaim for his visual craft in the 2011 Tamil epic Ponnar Shankar.