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Mohanlal’s Cannes festival movie Vanaprastham's director Shaji N Karun passes away at 73
Mohanlal starrer Vanaprastham’s director, Shaji N. Karun, passes away at the age of 73.
Trigger: The article contains a mention of an individual’s death.
Mohanlal-starrer Vanaprastham's director, Shaji N. Karun, has sadly passed away at the age of 73. According to Mathrubhumi, the filmmaker had been battling cancer for quite some time.
The prolific filmmaker was known for his thought-provoking and sensitive subjects and was considered a milestone figure in the Malayalam cinema industry. The director and cinematographer had been admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram but was discharged two days ago.
While continuing his battle with cancer, Shaji N. Karun took his final breath at his residence in Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram. Born on January 1, 1952, in present-day Kollam to N. Karunakaran and Chandramati, his family moved to the state’s capital by 1963.
The filmmaker completed his schooling and later his undergraduate degree in Thiruvananthapuram before entering the Film and Television Institute of India in 1971. He earned a diploma in cinematography there.
Shaji made his directorial debut in 1988 with the Malayalam movie Piravi (meaning "Birth"), which won him the prestigious Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. His second film was selected to compete at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.
Later, Shaji N. Karun and Mohanlal collaborated for the first time on Vanaprastham: The Last Dance (Vanaprastham: La Dernière Danse in French). The Indo-French film, a psychological period drama, was bankrolled by writer-journalist Pierre Assouline along with Mohanlal.
The story, penned by Assouline, focused on the life of Kathakali artiste Kunjikuttan, an admirable and respected performer, but a member of a lower caste. His conflict with self-identity and his struggle to come to terms with the rejection and estrangement from his father drive him deep into resentment.
Exploring themes of acceptance and recognition, the movie portrays the man’s plight to find a place for himself, compelling him to delve into the darker corners of his mind.
With Mohanlal in the lead, the film also featured Suhasini Maniratnam, Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Kalamandalam Gopi, Venmani Haridas, and many others in key roles. Vanaprastham was screened at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival and went on to win multiple Kerala State Film Awards as well.
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