Lifetime Contribution to Malayalam Cinema: Shaji N Karun chosen for JC Daniel Award 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Director Shaji N. Karun has been chosen for the 2023 JC Daniel Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Malayalam Film Industry. The JC Daniel Award is the state government's highest film award and carries a cash prize of five lakh rupees, a citation and a sculpture. The awardee was selected by a committee comprising 2022 JC Daniel Award winner and director TV Chandran as chairman, singer KS Chitra and actor Vijayaraghavan as members and film academy secretary C Ajoy as member secretary.

The jury judged that Shaji N Karun is a director who marked Malayalam cinema at the national and international levels. The jury noted that Shaji, a cinematographer of around 40 films, has infused creative energy into Malayalam's new wave of cinema as G Aravindan's cameraman. The Jury opined that Shaji N Karun, who has won prestigious accolades for Malayalam cinema at the international level with films like 'Piravi', which was screened at 70 film festivals and won 31 awards, 'Swaham', which was nominated for Pamdor at the Cannes Film Festival, and 'Vanaprastham', which was screened in the official category at Cannes, is the most deserving of the Kerala government's highest film award.

Born in Kollam district in 1952, Shaji N Karun graduated from Thiruvananthapuram University College and in 1974 he obtained his diploma in cinematography from Pune Film Institute. During the formation of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation in 1975, he played a key role in its planning. In 1976, he joined KSFDC as Film Officer. He has done the cinematography of Aravindan films like Kanchana Sita, Thampu, Kummatty, Esthappan, Pokkuveyil, Chidambaram and Oridathu and won the National Award for Best Cinematography and three State Awards. His first directorial venture was 'Piravi' directed in 1988. With Piravi, Swaham and Vanaprastham, he became one of the rare directors in world cinema to have three consecutive films selected in the official category of the Cannes Film Festival.

Other notable films include Kutty Srank, The Voiding Soul (Swapaanam), Nishad and Oolu. He has already won seven national awards and seven state awards. He has also received the Padma Shri and 'The Order of Arts and Letters', an international recognition of the French government for his contribution to the field of arts and culture.

He was the first chairman of the Kerala State Film Academy formed in 1998. It was during his chairmanship that the competition section of IFFK was started and the festival was approved by FIAF. He is currently serving as the Chairman of KSFDC.