Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Proud moment for Malayalam cinema

Shyamaprasad, Ousepachan and V.K. Joseph .

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The announcement of the 55th national film awards turned out to be a proud moment for Malayalam cinema. When Malayalam cinema bagged the awards for the best director, regional film, best critic, music director and makeup man, it became a rare recognition for meaningful experiments in themes, music and also serious studies on world cinema.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan who had won the award five times, while sharing his excitement, felt that the industry was treating him like an outsider. Chalachitra Academy chairman V.K. Joseph, who was adjudged as the best critic, considers the award as a recognition for the evolution of cinema criticism like literary criticism too. He bagged the award comprising Suvarna Kamalam and Rs.75,000 for a series of eight articles on different aspects of cinema.

This included an introduction to women directors, study on space for ideology as well as impressions of different nationalities in world cinema. His book on ‘Cinema and Ideology’ had won the State award for the best book on cinema in 1997.

A passionate observer of world cinema, Mr. Joseph feels that criticism is gradually developing as an integral part of the medium. The priority attached by the Central government itself is a great recognition that would help the branch grow and develop on its own like film-making itself.

Film societies that were on the course of extinction are now on a revival mode. Literature on cinema as well as popular screenplays in print are also in great demand, he says.

The emergence of Ousepachan as the best music director in the national scenario for the songs in ‘Ore Kadal’ almost unopposed, recognition for Pattanam Rasheed for best makeup man for his expertise in ‘Paradesi’ too have lent additional glory to Malayalam cinema. Shyamaprasad won the award for his ‘Ore Kadal’, which was adjudged the best Malayalam feature film.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Third round of allotment today
Cooperation Minister flays RBI curbs
739 super-numerary posts created
DD news revamped
Congress stages State-wide dharna
SSA Kerala chief passes away
Putting to use a flexible medium for show
Eight more test positive for H1N1
Cleaning drive by Corporation
Visits temple
Jacob slams Menon panel report
Receives ‘Teachers’ Award’
Onam Week celebrations end on high note
TBGRI gets overall award
Proud moment for Malayalam cinema
FTA: fishworkers to launch stir
Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu