Is there a formula to make a blockbuster pan-India film? Superstar Nagarjuna feels there is only one ingredient of success: Stay rooted to your native language, and the honesty will transcend language barriers. Nagarjuna, who has headlined some of the biggest Indian blockbusters over the decades, says the pan-India success of Telugu films like Pushpa and Baahubali, as well as Kannada actioner KGF, points to the fact that the Indian audience wants their heroes to be larger than life. Nagarjuna at WAVES 2025 At the WAVES Summit 2025, Nagarjuna said there is a reason why Allu Arjun's Pushpa franchise earned more in Hindi than Telugu, as the audience in the North was craving to see stars in a tentpole movie set-up, like the Sukumar directorial or Yash's blockbuster KGF series. "Both the Pushpa films made more money in the North than in Telugu. We have seen similar stories in Telugu before, like Pushpa, which has larger-than-life heroes. Whereas in the North—in Bihar, UP, and Punjab—they wanted to see their heroes like Pushpa Raj, Yash in KGF, or Baahubali. They wanted to see larger-than-life heroes. For Indian people and culture, just living day to day is difficult, and when they want to overcome the stress by watching films, they want to see magic on screen.” "That's what the larger-than-life stories are doing, without losing the fundamentals of Indian storytelling. They are not going away from that, which is why they have been successful. Rajamouli shot Baahubali frame to frame, thinking it is a Telugu film. He was very proud of his roots and language, and he shot it like a Telugu film, and people loved it across the world! If you are rooted to your storytelling, it will resonate," Nagarjuna said. Nagarjuna on what makes Indian films unique Nagarjuna was speaking on the panel discussion 'Pan-Indian cinema; myth or momentum?' and was joined by actors Anupam Kher, Khusbhu, and Karthi. The superstar said Indian films have their own, unique storytelling DNA, which one must be proud of. "You might say, 'A guy raises his fist and 20 people fall, it looks abnormal!' But if you like Marvel or DC films, Superman does the same thing, but they give the logic of them having 'super powers'. But we don't need those special powers! The common man, the ticket-paying audience, including me, wants to watch my heroes larger than life. When I see Prabhas, Allu Arjun, and others going on screen and doing what they do, I clap and whistle." The actor, who has two biggies lined up for release, including Kuberaa with Dhanush and Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie, said both the films have been "rooted" in their storytelling. Coolie, which is releasing in August, also stars Rajinikanth, Upendra, and Shruti Haasan among others. When asked how he handles the pressure of having a pan-India blockbuster with every film, Nagarjuna said, "I don't know about others, but first and foremost, I want my film to work in Telugu, and then organically it will work everywhere. I have Kuberaa with Dhanush as well as Lokesh's next Coolie, which has Rajini sir, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Shruti, it is a huge film. Lokesh made it thinking it is a Tamil film. So, if it works in your language, it will work everywhere."
02 May,2025 04:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe makers of director Prasanth Pandiyaraj's upcoming family entertainer 'Maaman', featuring Soori and Aishwarya Lekshmi in the lead, on Thursday released the trailer of the film. Soori, who shared the link to the trailer on his timeline on X, said, "The #Maaman trailer is here—perfect for a full-on family celebration! Don’t miss the fun! Directed by @p_santh. A @HeshamAWmusic Musical. Produced by @kumarkarupannan @larkstudios1" Ellam shivamayam 🙏 https://t.co/DqfT1GH3ni #MaamanTrailer #MaamanFromMay16 pic.twitter.com/PrRhkzTdkk — prasanth.P (@p_santh) May 1, 2025 He then went on to express his May Day wishes and thank audiences for their wishes and love for their film's trailer. The trailer opens with Soori coming and telling his pregnant sister that her unborn child had now developed ears and could listen to what people were speaking. From that time on, he says, "I will be the one to talk to him." He begins to tell the unborn child, "The first face you will see when you are born in this world is that of your uncle. From bathing you to ensuring that you are not bitten by ants and insects, I will be the one to take care of you." The trailer then goes onto show that Soori's family is a huge family with Rajkiran playing his dad and Aishwarya Lekshmi playing his wife. He goes on to tell the child that his uncle (referring to himself) would move mountains, if he asked and then lists all that he will do for the child. Life, the trailer shows, is a celebration for the child and his uncle (Soori) for a while. However, a fight breaks out between Soori's sister's family and his and the elders part ways. However, the uncle is unable to forget his love for his nephew... The film is scheduled to hit screens worldwide on May 16 this year. Apart from Soori, Jayaprakash, Rajkiran and Aishwarya Lekshmi, the film will also feature Bala Saravanan, Viji Chandrashekar, Baba Baskar, Nikhila Shankar and Master Prakeeth Shivan among others. Expectations for the film are high for a number of reasons. Firstly, the film is being directed by Prasanth Pandiyaraj, who is best known for having directed the popular hit series, ‘Vilangu’. Next, Soori has again teamed up with producer K Kumar, the man who produced the actor’s earlier superhit film ‘Garudan’ as well. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 12:00 PM IST | Chennai | IANSSuperstar Allu Arjun on Thursday said the Indian cinema is growing from strength to strength and will soon have a serious impact on the "global box office". Speaking at the session "Talent Beyond Borders" at the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here, the "Pushpa" star said he wants to take Indian cinema to a global level by pushing boundaries. "With all due respect to every other film industry in the world, whether it is Hollywood films, Korean films, Iranian films, or Chinese films, everybody has had an impact on global box office. "We have such a big film industry and we've been there for so many decades. But we never had a serious impact on the global box office. I feel it's just about time... India is getting there. We, as a country, are growing and in the coming years, Indian film industry will make a global mark," Arjun said. The Telugu star, also known for movies such as "Arya", "Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo" and "Vedam", said the entertainment industry needed an initiative like the WAVES summit. "I'm very glad it's happening now. I've seen it in other fields, medical and other expos... many conventions. I was always expecting that it has to happen for entertainment industry and it's actually happening," he added. Arjun, whose last release "Pushpa 2: The Rise" broke many box office records, said the key to reaching a wider audience is by telling authentic stories. "Everything has a significant impact on me, everything is changing so fast in the world. K-Pop, K-dramas, Hollywood films, regional films, everything has got a significant impact. The only way to reach a global level is by telling local stories," he added. He said he was once a "regional actor" but that has changed after the success of "Pushpa" franchise. "At least everybody knows my face now... I used to work in Telugu films with quite a popularity in other states in the South but now, because of 'Pushpa' and the grace of the entire Indian audience, I've become more familiar. So it's a long journey, and I'm glad to have started this journey." What matters to him the most is that his movies should be unique, he added. "Every movie should not repeat itself. Unknowingly, we all have our own patterns. All of us have it. We all have our patterns, but consciously, we should try to remove those patterns and try to come up with something new every single time. "And in such a competitive world, you have to present the best to the audience at every given point. That inspiration to serve people has made me versatile. I think versatile is a byproduct." Arjun said that in today's world, an actor can't be limited to just acting. "You need to have multiple skill sets. You need to have a great script sense, technical sense. You need to understand markets and marketing. You need to understand distribution. "There are so many wonderful actors in this country from all over, in Hindi cinema, in Malayalam, in Tamil, in Canada, all over industries. To be successful, you need to have these seven-eight attributes," he added. Considered among the most prolific dancers, not just in Telugu cinema but across industries, Arjun said dance feels like "second nature". "It comes with a lot of ease... I've never trained for dance. I'm a natural dancer. Maybe now that age is catching up, I feel like training even more to have the skill sharpened," he added. The actor also opened up about the most fearful point in his life when he suffered an accident that required him to take a break for six months. "I was banking so much of my career on physical fitness and then that's when it struck me that physical strength, agility and all this will deteriorate by age and what grows with you is actually the artistic skills and the performance. "And ever since that, I started concentrating on giving my best performance, and by my 20th film, with all humility, I was the first Telugu actor to win a national award in 69 years. I thought that breaking my hand was like the biggest low of my life, but that, in fact, is the biggest gift of my life." His next film is with "Jawan" director Atlee. "I like his aspirations, I felt we are like minded at many levels. We hope to bring a very new visual spectacle film to Indian cinema. It will be an international presentation film with total Indian sensibilities," Arjun added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 May,2025 09:41 AM IST | Mumbai | PTINani's recently released film HIT: The 3rd Case is already roaring at the box office since the very first day of its release. The movie, which hit the theatres on May 1, closed its day one collection at around Rs 15.69 crore. The third instalment of the popular crime drama has defeated the second part by a huge margin. Directed by Sailesh Kolanu, the Telugu psychological thriller has found favour with audiences thanks to the strong buzz and its gripping story. As per a report in Moneycontrol, the movie opened to grand occupancy in Telugu-speaking regions. Theatres across the state noticed major footfall. According to reports, occupancy for morning shows was 90.87%, afternoon shows surged to 92.37%, and evening shows maintained a strong 91.52%. While the first-day collection of the film franchise's second instalment was Rs 6.4 crore, the latest instalment showed a significant jump. Not only domestically, but the international market also welcomed the movie with open arms. The movie has managed to earn $415,000 through premiere shows, making it the second-highest grossing Telugu opener in the US for 2025, only behind Game Changer starring Ram Charan. About HIT: The 3rd Case The film features Srinidhi Shetty as Mrudula, Surya Srinivas as ASP Ravi, Adil Pala as SI Zubair Ahmed Khan, Rao Ramesh as DGP Nageswara Rao, Adarsh Balakrishna as Raghu, Brahmaji as R. Shinde, Ravi Mariya as Jairam, and Maganti Srinath as Abhilash. Aditya Bhatia from Adwise Movies presents the Hindi release of the film in North India, with Hindi distribution by Jai Viratra Entertainment Ltd. Directed by Dr. Sailesh Kolanu and produced by Prashanti Tipirneni under Wall Poster Cinema in association with Nani’s Unanimous Productions, HIT: The 3rd Case was released on May 1, 2025. Nani on violence in HIT: The 3rd Case Nani stated, “I don’t think HIT 3 should be put in the same bracket as Animal, Kill, or Marco. It follows a different grammar. Once you watch the film in full, everything will feel so natural that the violence won’t stand out. When the emotion is strong, the violence works. The best example is SS Rajamouli Sir. What might seem violent in the trailer will blend seamlessly in the film.”
02 May,2025 09:31 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe makers of director Gowtam Tinnanuri’s explosive entertainer, ‘Kingdom’, featuring actor Vijay Deverakonda in the lead, on Wednesday dropped a promo for the first single from the film titled 'Hridayam Lopala', which is scheduled to be released on Friday. Producer Naga Vamsi, who shared the link to the promo on his timeline on X, wrote, "They fake love to survive, but soon, it feels all too real. #HridayamLopala Promo out now. An @AnirudhOfficial Vibe. Full song out on May 2nd. #Kingdom." Actor Vijay Deverakonda, for his part, tweeted, "In the shadows of betrayal, In the pretence of a bond, there is tense attraction. From the world of #KingdomAn @anirudhofficial song that will become a non stop replayed favourite. #HridayamLopala " The song that has been picturised on Vijay Deverakonda and Bhagyashri Borse appears to be a sensuous romantic number. It may be recalled that the makers have already announced that the dubbing for the first half of the film has been completed. Sithara Entertainments, the production house producing the film, a fortnight ago had taken to social media platform X to make the announcement. It said, “#Kingdom dubbing is progressing at a rapid pace with the first half completed. The duo (referring to Vijay Deverakonda and director Gowtam Tinnanuri) is all geared up to deliver a theatrical feast on the big screens this May 30th.” The film has generated a lot of buzz ever since the makers released a gripping teaser. In the teaser, Vijay Deverakonda comes across as a character that resembles an unstoppable force—blazing with intensity and destined for greatness. The film, which was initially being referred to as VD12, has the tagline, ‘From the shadows of betrayal, shall rise a king.’ The teaser gives one the idea that the story of the film will revolve around the struggle of a section of people. Vijay Deverakonda, for his part, sports a six-pack and a really rugged look that is complete with cropped hair and a beard. The teaser also has a shot of the actor in what appears to be a prison. Written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film has music by Anirudh Ravichander and editing by Navin Nooli. It is being produced by Naga Vamsi S and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune 4 Cinemas Banners respectively. The film is to be presented by Srikara Studios. Well known costume designer Neeraja Kona will be in-charge of the costumes for this film, which will have its songs choreographed by Vijay Binni. The film, which is full of action sequences, has three stunt choreographers -- Yannick Ben, Chethan D’Souza, Real Satish –working on it. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 May,2025 01:21 PM IST | Chennai | IANSSuriya’s Retro, which hits the theatres today, has been eagerly awaited as it sees the Tamil actor collaborate with director Karthik Subbaraj. Even before its release, the actioner caught the attention of many, thanks to the one-take song, Kanimaa. Featuring Suriya, Pooja Hegde, and composer Santhosh Narayanan, the number sees them dancing in multiple locations, everyone matching step for step, beat for beat. Shooting for it was an exhilarating as well as a challenging process, reveals Suriya. “In the 15-minute song, we danced, fought, and so many events unfolded without a single cut,” he recalls. The team prepared for two weeks with choreographer M Sherif. Suriya points out that every artiste in the frame had to be not only prepared but also in sync with the rest. “In the song, we begin at ground level, move upstairs to a balcony, and then descend to a basement. What makes it unique is that it involves choreography and action. Everyone had to dance, fight, deliver dialogues; there was no room for error. It was like staging live theatre on film. The precision required was immense, and Karthik sir pushed us to do it all in one take.” Popular songs shot in one take: . Meri jaan (Gangubai Kathiawadi). Gallan goodiyaan (Dil Dhadakne Do). Raabta (Agent Vinod)
01 May,2025 07:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuTelugu star Nani, who is busy promoting Hit: The Third Case, weighed in on Salman Khan’s recent remark about South fans. Around the release of Sikandar, the Bollywood superstar claimed that Hindi films, despite the biggest actors, don’t get much reception down south. Nani asserted that movie buffs in the south have grown up watching Hindi movies, whereas the popularity of regional movies is a recent phenomenon. Nani on Salman Khan’s comment In an interview with DNA, Nani shared, “Hindi cinema is original, South cinema came later. The love that South cinema is receiving now is a recent phenomenon. But the love that Bollywood has received in the South has been there for decades. If you ask anyone there, ‘What is your favourite Hindi film?’, they’ll have childhood memories of Amitabh Bachchan. They will talk about so many films. So we always watched (Hindi) films. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Dil Toh Pagal Hai were blockbusters in Hyderabad and other southern states. Everyone is now lapping South, but Hindi cinema is always lapped up across the country.” What Salman Khan said about South fans Salman claimed, “When my film is released there, it will not get the numbers because their fan following is very strong. I’ll be on the street, and they will say, ‘Bhai, Bhai’, but they will not go to the theatres. We’ve accepted them (south stars) here, and their films do well because we go and see them, like those of Rajinikanth garu, Chiranjeevi garu, Suriya, or Ram Charan. But their fans do not go and see our films.” Reacting to Khan’s comment, Nani stated, “Nahi-nahi, waha nahi chale? Bina chale kaise superstar ban gaye? 100 per cent chalti hai, and we all love him. We all watched so many films of Salman. Movies like Hum Aapke Hain Kaun have cultural importance there. Didi Tera Dewar Deewana and other songs we used to play at our wedding.” Meanwhile, HIT: The Third Case sees Nani in the role of SP Arjun Sarkaar, as he graduates from his cameo in the second part of the franchise to a full-fledged lead role. It is set to release in cinemas on May 1.
29 April,2025 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Vijay Deverakonda attended a press meet on Sunday for Suriya’s film Retro in Hyderabad. At the event, the Liger star recalled feeling enraged after watching Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, specifically the brutality shown at the hands of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, played by Akshaye Khanna. Vijay shared that if he could go back in time, he’d surely give the ruthless ruler 2-3 tight slaps. Vijay Deverakonda felt enraged after watching Chhaava When Suma, the host of the event, asked Vijay if he wanted to go back in time to meet someone, the actor replied, “I want to meet the British and give them two tight slaps. I recently watched Chhaava, and it enraged me. I’d probably take the opportunity to give Aurangzeb two to three tight slaps also. I want to meet so many others like that, just to hit them. Right now, it’s all I can think of.” "I feel like beating Aurangzeb...If I get a chance to go back in time,I would like to meet Aurangzeb and beat him up.What Aurangzeb did to India can never be forgotten"~Vijay DeverakondaNo Bollywoodiya has the courage to say thisLove you VD 🫶 pic.twitter.com/btUKKwkvRW — Sunanda Roy 👑 (@SaffronSunanda) April 27, 2025 Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava narrates the inspiring life story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. It depicts the courageous Maratha ruler's legendary reign, beginning with his coronation in 1681. The film was released in cinemas on February 14 and quickly gained momentum at the box office. Suriya, Karthik Subbaraj's Retro to release on May 1 Retro boasts a stellar cast, including Pooja Hegde, Jayaram, Joju George, Karunakaran, Nassar, and Prakash Raj. Shriya Saran is also making a special cameo. The teaser opens in the picturesque ghats of Varanasi, showing a beautiful moment between Suriya and Pooja Hegde's characters. In the scene, Pooja ties a sacred thread on Suriya's wrist as he pledges to leave behind a violent past and embrace love. Vijay Deverakonda’s work front Vijay Deverakonda is currently making waves with his upcoming film Kingdom (Samrajya). The teaser has been released, presenting the actor in a never-before-seen avatar. In Gowtam Tinnanuri's directorial, he radiates sheer ruggedness, power, and untamed energy. He is an unstoppable force, blazing with intensity and destined for greatness. Written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film has music by Anirudh Ravichander. It is being produced by Naga Vamsi S and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune 4 Cinemas Banners, respectively. The film is to be presented by Srikara Studios.
29 April,2025 01:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThere's great news for the fans of the 'Baahubali' franchise as the makers have decided to re-release the first part. Producer Shobu Yarlagadda, whose firm Arka Media produced the popular blockbuster directed by SS Rajamouli, took to Instagram to make the announcement. Baahubali- The Beginning set for an epic re-release "And on this special day, I am thrilled to inform you all that we are planning an Indian and international re-release of @BaahubaliMovie in October this year. It won't just be a re-release, it will be a year of celebration for our beloved fans! Expect nostalgia, new reveals, and a few epic surprises along the way. Stay tuned! #ReliveTheEpic! #BaahubaliReturns," Shobu wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arka MediaWorks (@arkamediaworks_official) The film will be re-released in October; however, the exact release date in October is yet to be finalised. The film starred Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamanna Bhatia and Ramya Krishnan in prominent roles. The big-budget period film was over three years in the making, and a massive set was created at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. The film will be completing 10 years of release in July this year. The movie was awarded the 'National Award for the Best Feature film', in the year 2016 and director Rajamouli received the 'Filmfare Best Director-Telugu Award'. After waiting for two years, the makers released 'Baahubali: The Conclusion' in 2017, which was also a major hit. About SS Rajamouli's next with Mahesh Babu After the success of Baahubali, filmmaker SS Rajamouli went on to make RRR, which received global acclaim. The Junior NTR and Ram Charan-starrer also won an Oscar for its music. The film was screened in multiple countries and won several global honours. Now, Rajamouli is working on a film with actor Mahesh Babu, tentatively being referred to as SSMB29. A considerable portion of the film, which is being made on a lavish budget, was shot at Odisha. The film, apart from Mahesh Babu, features Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran among others. The film, an action adventure with some amount of history and mythology, is expected to be released in 2027
29 April,2025 09:05 AM IST | Hyderabad (Telangana) | mid-day online correspondentDays after the Pahalgam terror attack, Tamil superstar Actor Ajith condemned it and expressed his sadness over the matter and the lives that were lost. The attack resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, in the scenic Baisaran Valley of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. Ajith Kumar reacts to Pahalgam terror attack Ajith expressed his hope that such incidents would not recur and urged people to learn to empathise with one another. "My heart goes out to all the families, and I hope and pray that such things don't happen. I'm sure the government is doing the best that they can. Let's just keep our fingers crossed and pray that somewhere over a period of time, we all learn to empathise with one another and then keep all our differences aside and live as a peaceful society," Ajith told ANI. The 'Vedalam' actor also paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of the armed forces, who work tirelessly to protect the nation. "I met a lot of people from the armed forces today (Monday). I want to let them all know that we salute them for their sacrifices. They work very hard so that we are able to sleep peacefully. My heart goes out to them, and I wish them and their families a beautiful life. They're working so tirelessly to safeguard our borders, and I think at least in their honour we should, within our country, learn to respect each other and respect every religion, every caste and let's not fight at least within ourselves in india. Let us be one peaceful society," said Ajith as he urged peace and unity in the country. About the Pahalgam terror attack On April 22, a deadly terror attack on the tourists claimed around 26 lives in the Baisaran Valley of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir region. The terrorists reportedly segregated the tourists based on their faith and shot them dead after finding out their religion. The terrorist outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF is an off-shoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba and came into existence following the historic abrogation of Article 370 in the valley. In the wake of the incident, the Central government has decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari check post. The Central government has also revoked all categories of visas issued to Pakistani citizens, except long-term visas, diplomatic and official visas, with immediate effect from April 27. (with inputs from ANI)
29 April,2025 08:36 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAce filmmaker Shaji N. Karun passed away at his home in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. He was ailing for a while after being diagnosed with cancer. Karun was a cinematographer, producer and director all moulded into one, which eventually made him the highly respected elder film statesman from Kerala. The 73-year-old acclaimed cinematographer was later known for his directorial skills, which won him both national and international awards. He has cranked the camera for 40 films, which include towering directors like G. Aravindan, K.G. George, and M.T. Vasudevan Nair, to name a few. Later, he began directing, and of the seven films he directed, three of them won national awards and not to mention international awards too. Mammootty and Mohanlal remember Shaji N Karun Both the big Ms of Malayalam cinema owe it to Karun for giving them one of their most memorable characters. Mohanlal shared a heartfelt tribute on social media,“The one who brought Malayalam cinema to the pinnacle of world cinema, the one whom every Malayali embraced with pride, Shaji N Karun sir has left us". Mohanlal recalled his collaborations with Shaji N Karun in films like Neram Pularumbol, Panchagni, and Onnamoothal Poojyam Vare, where his roles were brief but significant. Shaji served as the cinematographer for all three films and later directed Vanaprastham, a milestone in Mohanlal’s career. "A filmmaker who made us truly experience what it means to 'compose poetry with the camera'," Mohanlal said recalling them visiting Cannes with their film Vanaprastham. Mohanlal’s performance in 'Vanaprastham' earned him both the National Film Award and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in 1999. The film remains a defining moment for both actor and director. Mammootty also paid his respects on social media, sharing a photo of Shaji N Karun along with the message, "Heartfelt tributes to dear Shaji."Mammootty had collaborated with Shaji in 'Kutty Srank', a film that went on to win the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2010. Tributes pour in for Shaji N Karun Condolences have started pouring in from several quarters. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was among the first to pay a heartfelt tribute. He wrote on X, "A defining era in Indian Cinema comes to an end with the passing of Shaji N. Karun. His remarkable contributions as a cinematographer, filmmaker, and policymaker refined and enriched our cinematic culture, elevating our cinema to the global stage. A creative voice who remained steadfast in his progressive convictions, Shaji N. Karun leaves behind a glorious legacy. Heartfelt tributes." A defining era in Indian Cinema comes to an end with the passing of Shaji N. Karun. His remarkable contributions as a cinematographer, filmmaker, and policymaker refined and enriched our cinematic culture, elevating our cinema to the global stage. A creative voice who remained… pic.twitter.com/QC4Fvb5eGl — Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) April 28, 2025 He was also an able administrator, as he was the first chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and was the live wire during the now popular International Film Festival of Kerala. Karun was presently the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation. Today, we bid farewell to Shaji N. Karun, a pioneer, a dreamer, and a mentor — The first Chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, and the guiding spirit of IFFK.Your journey from ‘Piravi’ to the stars will forever illuminate our hearts. pic.twitter.com/3IdEOXscLi — International Film Festival of Kerala (@iffklive) April 28, 2025 We are deeply saddened by the passing away of cinematographer, filmmaker and longtime guide of the NFDC-National Film Archive of India, #ShajiKarun. With an extraordinary filmography as a cinematographer and filmmaker, he began his filmmaking journey as a student of FTII pic.twitter.com/HTFgpe3TVO — NFDC-National Film Archive of India (@NFAIOfficial) April 28, 2025 About Shaji N Karun Though born in Kollam, he was settled in the state capital city. After his graduation, he joined the prestigious Pune Film Institute in 1971 to learn cinematography. In his long career, he has bagged seven national awards, which include three best film awards (Piravi, Vanaprasatham and Kutty Srank). It was in 1977 that he won the first of the eight Kerala State Film Awards for the best cinematographer in the film ‘Kanchana Sita’. In 1979, Karun won his first national award for camera work in the black and white film ‘Thampu’. He was also decorated with the Padma Shri for his contribution to films. At the Cannes Film Festival in 1989, Shaji’s film ‘Piravi’, which he produced and directed, won a Special Mention, and in 1994, he did one shade better when his film ‘Swaham’ won the best film award. His films have also bagged honours at the London Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival and several others. Incidentally, it was just earlier this month that he was presented the most prestigious J.C. Daniel Award for his outstanding contribution to Malayalam films. Shaji N. Karun is survived by his wife and two sons, and he will be given a state funeral to be held here on Tuesday. (with inputs from IANS)
29 April,2025 08:12 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
