Jayaraj

Born in Kottayam, Kerala, Jayaraj did his engineering at Trivandrum. Inspired by films shown in film festivals at Trivandrum he moved into cinema as the assistant for director Bharathan. He made his directorial debut with Johnny Walker, a commercial venture. Latter he made critically acclaimed films like Deshadanam, Kaliyattam, Karunam and Shantham. Bheebhalsa made in Hindi is the third film in the proposed 'navarasa' series.

Selected Filmography:

Kaliyattam - 1997
(The Play of God)

Kaliyattam is an adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello' seen through the local traditional theatrical art of Kaliyattam, in which the actor takes on a divine dimension, according to the traditional concept of the theyyam - the diving artistic for played by certain communities of Kerala - as soon as he wears his mask and his headgear.

Perumalayan, is one of theyyam artist, who wins the love of beautiful Thamara, daughter of a land owner, despite his pockmarked face. The married couple moves to the green mountains of Kerala, where their love is destroyed by intrigues. Thamara is suffocated in her sleep by her mislead husband.

Direction & Screenplay: Jayaraj
Cast: Suresh Gopi, Manju Warrier, Lal, Bijumenon, Bindu Panicker
Cinematography: M J Radhakrishnan
Music: Gautam Mukherjee

Karunam - 1999
(Pathos)

Karunam is the first among the proposed nine films based on 'navarasas' by Jayaraj.

Chakochan and Chechamma, an old couple lives a lonely life, their children being abroad. A youth in the neighborhood is the only person who gives them a company. Life becomes more miserable for them as their children put them in an old age home. Chakochan dies there and a lonely Chechamma walks into nothingness.

Karunam won the 'Golden Peacock' award at the International Film Festival of India (2000) and the State award for best film.

Direction: Jayaraj
Screenplay: Maadambu Kunjikuttan
Cast: Vaavachan, Ealiamma, Biju Menon
Cinematography: M J Radhakrishnan
Editing: Sreekar Prasad
Music: Sunni Stephan

Shantham - 2001
(Tranquil)

Second film of Jayaraj's proposed 'navarasa' series.

Two young men, who grow up side by side in the same village, sharing the simple joys of everyday life, are slowly drawn into rival political movements that demand their loyalty and obedience. Finally, one of them is commanded to kill the other in the name of the cause. The gruesome killing takes the toll of both their families and the mothers of both the murdered boy and the murderer arrive at the Thirunavaya temple, on the banks of the river, Bharatha Puzha, where the bereaved gather to perform funeral rites, seeking solace in their grief.

Direction: Jayaraj
Screenplay: Maadambu Kunjikuttan
Cast: I M Vijayan, K P A C Lalitha, Seema Biswas
Cinematography: Ravi Varman
Editing: N P Sathish
Music: Kaithapram

Makalkku - 2004
(To My Daughter)

An insane woman, who is found wandering along the streets with a newborn baby in her bundle, is taken to a mental asylum, where she undergoes treatment. She is totally unaware of the fact that she was pregnant and has given birth to a baby girl. Dr.Varier, who treats the woman, takes care of the child at the hospital. The baby grows up in a cradle hung up by the nurse, in front of the cell where her mother is locked up.

The child is names Manasi and grows up at the mental hospital as everybody’s favourite. As she turns four, it is time for her to leave the mental hospital, as the law prohibits keeping normal children above four years there.

Direction & Screenplay: Jayaraj
Cast: Shobhana, Suresh Gopi, Raihana
Cinematography: M J Radhakrishnan
Music: Ramesh Narayanan

Daivanamathil - 2005
(In the name of God)

Daivanamathil looks at terrorism from a personal and emotional angle: the transition of the central character Anwar, a progressive and educated young man, into ‘jehadi’, following the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

But for more than the story of Anwar, the film recounts the story of his broad-minded young wife with secular credentials, who devotes herself in her own firm way to re-examination of India’s Independence struggle and the part played by Muslim leaders in forging a secular nation. She does this quietly and assiduously in the hope that her work will help contain the extremist menace.

Direction: Jayaraj
Screenplay: Aryadan Shoukat
Cast: Bhavana, Prithviraj, Cochin Haneefa
Cinematography: Sunny Joseph

Adbhutham - 2006
(Wonder)

Chandrashekhara Warrier is on a life support system in a hospital in the US. Except for his right arm, his whole body is paralysed. He had come to the US twenty years back in search of fortune. A near fatal car crash has bought an end to the search. He is now face to face with death. Pull the plug, and Warrier is a dead man. His parents and fiancé fly in from Kerala. They are heart-broken. The big question on their minds now is: Should he continue living on the life support system? Or is euthanasia (mercy killing) the answer? Or is there a third alternative - a miracle? This is the story of Adbhutham, which in Malayalam means miracle.

Setting a record in the Indian film industry, Jayaraj has completed the shooting of the film in two hours and fourteen minutes - which in itself is a miracle.

Direction: Jayaraj
Screenplay: Madampu
Cast: Suresh Gopi, KPAC Lalitha, Nedumparam Gopi, Christopher, Mamtha
Cinematogrphy: S Kumar
Editing: Sreekar Prasad
Music: Issac Thomas Kottukapally

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