Shaji N Karun wins JC Daniel Award
The jury highlighted Karun's significant contributions that elevated Malayalam cinema to national and international acclaim.
The jury highlighted Karun's significant contributions that elevated Malayalam cinema to national and international acclaim.
The jury highlighted Karun's significant contributions that elevated Malayalam cinema to national and international acclaim.
Thiruvananthapuram: Filmmaker Shaji N Karun was awarded the 2023 J C Daniel Award in recognition of his lifetime contributions to Malayalam cinema, reported PTI. The award, regarded as the highest honour in Malayalam cinema and instituted by the state government, comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, and a statuette.
The jury, chaired by T V Chandran, highlighted Karun's significant contributions that elevated Malayalam cinema to national and international acclaim.
The panel also included singer K S Chithra, actor Vijayaraghavan, and state Chalachitra Academy secretary C Ajoy. Karun’s innovative approach brought a creative vibrancy to Malayalam's new-wave cinema, the jury noted.
Karun's debut feature, Piravi (1988), was showcased at nearly 70 international film festivals. His second film, Swaham (1994), earned a Palme d’Or nomination at the Cannes Film Festival, while his third, Vanaprastham (1999), was also featured at Cannes.
The filmmaker’s works have garnered seven National Film Awards and an equal number of Kerala State Awards, including the Best Feature Film honour for Kutty Srank in 2010.
Karun has also been decorated with the Padma Shri and the French "Order of Arts and Letters." The first chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, he currently serves as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).