New Age Malayalam Filmmakers
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- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Lijo Jose Pellissery is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for his nonlinear storylines and unconventional approach to directing films.
Pellissery earned his Master's degree in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore, before venturing into the film industry.
He began his career as an assistant to ad filmmaker Manoj Pillai and proceeded to make short films.
In 2010, he debuted as a feature film director with Nayakan (2010). He followed it up with City of God (2011), using the hyperlink cinema format as the narrative structure. He went on to direct films like Amen (2013), Angamaly Diaries (2017), R.I.P. (2018), Jallikattu (2019), Churuli (2021), and Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2022).
Pellissery has won several awards. He was the recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director, and he also won the Silver Peacock Award for Best Director for two of his movies, R.I.P. (2018) and Jallikattu (2019).- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Dileesh Pothan is a path-breaking Indian director, producer and actor from Malayalam cinema. Pothan began his career as an associate director on the 2010 film 9 KK Road, and went on to be an assistant director with producer-director Aashiq Abu for five films. He also made his acting debut with a scene in Aashiq Abu's 2011 film Salt N' Pepper. He has since acted in 44 films till date. Dileesh Potha's directorial debut was the exceptional 2016 comedy-drama film Maheshinte Prathikaaram, starring Fahadh Faasil. The movie received the Best Feature Film in Malayalam Award at the 64th National Film Awards, and set a new bar for story telling in Malayalam cinema. Pothan also won the Best Director Award at the 64th Filmfare Awards South. His second film as director was Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017), again starring Fahad Fasil. This film was once again a major critical and commercial hit, and won the Best Feature Film in Malayalam Award at the 65th National Film Awards. His third and most recent movie, Joji, also starring Fahadh Faasil, released to glowing reviews nationally on Amazon Prime in April 2021. Dileesh successfully ventured into producing with the block-buster 2019 cult film, 'Kumbalangi Nights' and is producing 'Thankam' starring himself, Fahad Faasil and Joju George.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Anjali is a leading Indian film director and screenwriter. She completed her post-graduate degree from London Film School with honors in editing, producing, and directing film; her graduation film Black Nor White premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and received the BFI award for Best Short Film. Anjali made her writing and directorial debut with the feature Manjadikuru (Lucky Red Seeds), a coming of age drama set in 1979, for which she received the FIPRESCI award for Best Malayalam Film and Best Indian Debut. Anjali has also written the critically and commercially acclaimed Ustad Hotel, for which she received the National Film Award for Best Screenplay - Dialogues. Her next feature film, Bangalore Days, revolving around the life of three Malayali cousins, emerged as a cult classic. Anjali's feature film Koode, showcasing issues of caste, migration, and child sexual harassment while dealing with themes of loss and solace, released to wide critical and commercial success in India and internationally. Having worked on projects in India, the Middle East, and the UK, Anjali's films provide a nuanced insight into the migrant experience and cross cultural interactions and she has received multiple National and State awards for her work in cinema. Her recent film Wonder Women delicately makes us aware of the beliefs, confusion, and questions regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Anjali is also one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), an organization that focuses on gender equality in the Malayalam film industry. She started a production company, Little Films India, in 2006 where she leads content and production affairs. Anjali is currently developing her next feature film and an anthology for a leading production house.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Aashiq Abu is an Indian film director, producer and actor. He was born in Kochi, Keala in the year 1978 to C.M. Abu and Jameela Abu. Aashiq Abu did his graduation from Maharajas College, Ernakulam, where he was an active member for student union for consecutive years. He married Malayalam actress Rima Kallingal in the year 2013. Aashiq Abu was working as an assistant to director Kamal for few years and later in the year 2009 he came up with his first movie "Daddy Cool". His movies "Salt N' Pepper" (2011), "22 female Kottayam" (2012) are his best known films and later remade to other languages. Aashiq Abu has also done few Ad films. In the year 2013 he started a media production house named "OPM".- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Mahesh Narayanan (born 2 May 1982) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, editor and cinematographer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He made his directorial debut with the much-acclaimed film Take Off (2017) which bagged National and State awards and participated in film festivals across the world. He has been working as a film editor since 2006 and films such as Rathrimazha, Kanyaka Talkies, Traffic, Vishwaroopam are his notable works as a film editor. Malik(2021) is his second feature film and he has also directed the critically acclaimed C U Soon(2020) which was well received in the OTT platform just like Malik. He continues work as a film editor in various Indian languages along with his new projects as a writer-director.- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Sanal Kumar Sasidharan is an Indian film director known for his distinctive and thought-provoking work in the Malayalam film industry. Born in Perumkadavila, Kerala, he initially pursued a career in law before transitioning to filmmaking.
Sasidharan gained widespread recognition for his debut feature film, "Oraalppokkam" (2014), which garnered critical acclaim for its unique narrative style and exploration of existential themes. However, it was his subsequent film, "S Durga" (2017), that brought him international acclaim. The film won the Hivos Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, solidifying Sasidharan's position as a filmmaker with a distinct voice.
Known for his commitment to exploring societal issues and pushing cinematic boundaries, Sasidharan continued to make waves with films like "Sexy Durga" (2017) and "Chola" (2019). His films often challenge conventional storytelling norms, offering audiences a fresh perspective on contemporary issues.
Beyond filmmaking, Sasidharan has been an influential figure in advocating for the independent film movement in India. His dedication to storytelling and his willingness to address societal complexities have made him a notable figure in the world of cinema- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Producer
Anwar Rasheed was born on 19 March 1976 in Kerala, India. He is an assistant director and director, known for Ustad Hotel (2012), Bangalore Days (2014) and Kerala Cafe (2009).- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Alphonse Puthren is a film director, producer, and writer from India. He is primarily known for his work in the Malayali film industry and is renowned for his unique style of storytelling. He has been involved in directing, producing, acting, editing, and ad filmmaking.
He completed his elementary and secondary education at Amrita Vidyalayam in Perumbavoor, Kerala, and transferred to MES College Marampally in Aluva to pursue his BCA degree. He then enrolled for a filmmaking diploma from S. A. E. College in Chennai, after which he started working on short films and music videos.
Puthren's 2013 film, Neram (2013), which was his debut as a director and writer, received critical acclaim; he won the 2014 Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Editor. He followed it up with the blockbuster hit Premam (2015) in 2015, for which he won the 2016 Asianet Film Award for Best Director.
After a seven-year hiatus, Puthren returned with his film Gold (2022) in 2022, featuring prominent actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Nayanthara. Some of his other notable works include Time Bara Vait (2015) and Run (2016).
His upcoming film, Paattu, stars Nayanthara and Fahadh Faasil. The film will be produced by UGM Entertainment, and the cinematography will be done by Anend C. Chandran, who has worked with Puthren on his previous films.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Soubin Shahir has become an imminent part of the Malayalam Film Industry. In the recent past, Soubin has played an array of challenging characters and he seems to be hungry for more. His first full lead role was in the film Sudani from Nigeria (2018) for which he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Zakariya is a director in Malayalam film Industry, from Valanchery in Malappuram district of Kerala, India. He had also worked as assistant director and also owns award-winning short films to his credit.He started off making short films and documentaries in his standard XI and won several prestige awards including Kerala State Chalachithra Academy.His short films are widely screened in various film festivals in India and abroad.
He is a postgraduate in Mass Communication and Journalism and worked as an assistant professor in MBL media School at Calicut.He started his career as an Assistant Director in an Advertising production house, TVC Factory, Cochin, Kerala.- Music Department
- Writer
- Producer
He started his career by directing the music album Native Bapa (2012) in which actor Mamukkoya played the lead. He worked as assistant director in feature films 5 Sundarikal (2013) and Last Supper (2014). His first movie as a director was KL 10 Patthu (2015).In 2016, He returned with Funeral of a Native Son, a sequel to Native Bappa. Muhsin co-wrote the movie Sudani from Nigeria with director Zakariya Mohammed in 2018. The movie received five Kerala State Film Awards including the one for Best Screenplay. His next release was Virus, directed by Aashiq Abu. The movie was set against the backdrop of the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. Muhsin co-wrote the screenplay with the duo Suhas and Sharafu. His 2020 release is Halal Love Story, second feature by Zakariya Mohammed after Sudani from Nigeria. Zakariya and Muhsin again joined to write the script and also credited as co-producers of the movie.
Muhsin is the writer of upcoming movie Thallumaala . He will also serve as co-director in upcoming period movie Vaariyamkunnan, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran.
He is also a lyricist, and has penned a few songs in movies such as Thamaasha, Virus and Halal Love Story.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Khalid Rahman was born on 19 February 1986 in Kochi, Kerala, India. He is a director and writer, known for Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016), Unda (2019) and Love (2020).- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Basil Joseph is an Indian film director and actor in Malayalam films. He received his secondary education at St. Joseph's English Higher Secondary School in Sultan Bathery, where he demonstrated his versatility as a student by actively participating in sports, choir, and drama.
During his time at the College of Engineering in Trivandrum, Joseph continued to develop his diverse interests through involvement in extracurricular activities and participation in competitions. After graduation, he began a successful career at Infosys, a leading software company.
While working at Infosys, Joseph made his first zero-budget short film, Priyamvadha Katharayano, a quirky love story, and was noticed by Mollywood (The Malayalam Film industry). He was only 22 then.
His passion for cinema led him to quit his job at Infosys and pursue a career as a full-time filmmaker and actor.
Joseph's style of filmmaking was heavily influenced by Tamil films, and he was inspired by notable directors like Karthik Subbaraj, Nalan Kumarasamy, and Balaji Mohan. He was also a patron of Western films and watched movies by Steven Spielberg, Charlie Chaplin, Guy Ritchie, etc.
Joseph started as an assistant director for Thira in 2013, and his first film as a director was Kunjiramayanam (2015) in 2015. The sports drama, Godha (2017), followed in 2017. His next directorial venture in 2021, Minnal Murali (2021), was about India's first-ever rural superhero in the Malayalam industry. Joseph received the best director award for Minnal Murali at the 2022 Asian Academy Awards. It was also the third Indian film to make it to the top 10 list of most-watched films globally in the non-English film category on Netflix.
The year 2022 marked a turning point in Basil Joseph's career, as he became a top actor with the release of the dramedy film, Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022). This film provided him with the big break he had been seeking and tackled a relevant social issue with a unique blend of humor and storytelling. The film was a hit among Malayali audiences and managed to win over others, despite the language barrier. It was later dubbed in Hindi for release on an OTT platform. Despite its small budget of Rs 5 crore, the film generated impressive returns, estimated to be around Rs 40 crore initially, in Kerala and the GCC.
"Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey" is a satirical take on gender stereotypes and focuses on the story of a married woman who fights back against her physically abusive husband. The film sheds light on the issue of domestic violence and the impact it has on the lives of those affected.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Martin Prakkat was born in India. He is known for Charlie (2015), Nayattu (2021) and Best Actor (2010).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Jeo Baby is known for The Great Indian Kitchen (2021), The Little God (2018) and Freedom Fight (2022).- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Jeethu Joseph is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He has also worked in a few Tamil and Bollywood films. Jeethu made his directional debut with the 2007 police procedural film Detective and later went on to direct five successful films: the family drama Mummy & Me (2010), the comedy My Boss (2012), the thriller Memories (2013), the family-thriller Drishyam (2013), the revenge-drama Oozham (2016) and the action-thriller Aadhi (2018). Jeethu gained popularity after the release of Drishyam, which became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever. Jeethu made his Tamil debut with Papanasam (2015), Thambi (2019) and Hindi with The Body (2019).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Rosshan Andrrews was born on 6 January 1975 in Kerala, India. He is a director and writer, known for Kayamkulam Kochunni (2018), 36 Vayadhinile (2015) and The Pirates of Diego Garcia. He is married to Ancy Joseph.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Jude Anthany Joseph was born on 25 April 1983 in Kochi, Kerala, India. He is an actor and director, known for 2018 (2023), Ohm Shanthi Oshaana (2014) and Minnal Murali (2021). He is married to Diyana Ann James.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Abrid Shine is an Indian film director, screenwriter and fashion photographer in the Malayalam film industry.He made his directorial debut in 2014 with the film 1983, which won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director.Later in 2016 ,Action hero Biju was released where he was one of the producer along with Nivin Pauly.t was co-written by Muhammad Shafeeq and Abrid Shine.The film was a blockbuster success at the box office.His third movie to hit the theatre was Kalidas Jayaram starer "Poomaram which won a lot of critics appreciation and got selected to Indian panorama and his fourth movie was The Kung Fu Master ,a martial art based movie in which he was the director writer ,screenplay writer and action choreographer.His upcoming movie is Mahaveeryar having an ensemble cast that includes Nivin Pauly,Asif Ali,Lal ,Shanvi Srivastava Siddique,Lalu Alex and so on.- Writer
- Director
An MBA in marketing by educational qualification, Manu Warrier forayed into film-making with two short films while still working in USA. Having shifted base to India in 2005, Manu has since worked with new age directors including Owais Hussain and Anurag Kashyap to develop projects from story to screenplay. His most recent writing assignment was contributing for Kashyap's recently concluded YUDH - a TV series with Amitabh Bachchan. Besides writing, Coffee Bloom was his full-length feature debut as director which released on march 6th 2015. Kuruthi, which has Prithviraj Sukumaran and Roshan Mathew in the leads, produced by Supriya Menon under the banner of Prithviraj Productions will be his Malayalam debut.