Jayaraj

Infobox actor
name = Jayaraj


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birthname = Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair
birthdate = 1960 (age age|1960|1|1 )
birthplace = Kottayam, Kerala, India
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occupation = Director, Screenwriter, Producer
yearsactive = 1990 - present (age|1990|1|1 years)
spouse = Sabitha Jayaraj
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parents = Rajasekharan Nair
influences = Bharathan, Kurosawa, DeSica
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imdb_id = 0419687
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nationalfilmawards = 1998 - Best Director ("Kaliyattam")
2001 - Director of Best Film ("Shantham")
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awards = Kerala State Film Awards
1992 - Director of Second Best Film ("Kudumbasametham")
1996 - Best Director ("Deshadanam")
1997 - Director of Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value ("Kaliyattam")
1999 - Producer of Best Film ("Karunam")
1999 - Director of Best Fim ("Karunam")

Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair (born 1960) is a national award winning Malayalam film director who has marked his presence in commercial as well as art house films.

Biography

Jayaraj was born in 1960 to a middle class family in Kottayam, Kerala, India. He completed his Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication from College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram. During his stay at Thiruvananthapuram, he got the chance to attend various film festivals including the International Film Festival of Kerala and watch many world classics [ [http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/jayaraj.html cinemaofmalayalam.net: Profile] ] . Kurosawa's films and DeSica's Bicycle Thieves were some of such film and they influenced him immensesly [ [http://ia.rediff.com/movies/2005/dec/20jay.htm Rediff.com: profile] ] . After his studies in Thiruvananthapuram, he met noted director Bharathan who was a neighbor of his sister in Madras, Tamilnadu. Bharathan was impressed by Jayaraj and made him his assistant director for "Chilambu"(1986). Jayaraj then went on to be the assistant to Bharathan in 6 more films including the critically acclaimed "Oru Minnaminuginte Nurunguvettam"(1987) and "Vaishali"(1988). Jayaraj debuted as director with "Vidyarambham"(1988). His early career mainly produced commercially oriented films like "Aakasha Kottayile Sultan" (1991), "Johnnie Walker" (1992), "High Way" (1995), "Thumboli Kadappuram" (1995) and "Arabia" (1995). Notable films in his early career were "Kudumbasametham" (1992), "Paithrukam" (1993) and "Sopanam" (1993). "Paithrukam" was critically acclaimed, but was subject to criticism from various corners due to its conservative right-wing philosophy. "Deshadanam"(1997) was a milestone in his career. With the film, he was also considered as a serious film-maker by the critics. The film was followed by another critically acclaimed film, "Kaliyattam"(1997) which was a celluloid adaptation of Shakespere's Othello. It won him the National Film Award for Best Direction. In 1999 Jayaraj started his 9-film series project "Navarasa" with "Karunam",followed by "Shatham"(2000). "Shantham" won the National Film Award for Best Film. The third film in "Navarasa" series was "Bheebhatsa", a hindi film. A fourth film in the series "Adbutham" is planned and Jayaraj has set his aim to complete the shooting of the film in less than 10 hours. He reportedly said in an interview to Rediff.com when enquired about the time for shooting the film, that "In less than ten hours. It may end in five or even two hours. You never know." [ [http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/dec/12jayaraj.htm Rediff.com: Interview] ] .

Off late he has been doing both commercial and art films and is successful in both genres. While "Thilakkam"(2003) and 4 The People(2004) were huge commercial successes "Kannaki"(2002), "Makalkku"(2005) and "Daivanamathil"(2005) were critically acclaimed. A sequel to "4 The People" came in 2005, titled "By The People" which was a flop [ [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/05/09/stories/2005050900830100.htm The Hindu: Jayaraj comes with `By the People' now] ] . Despite that, Jayaraj is filming the third and sequel in the trilogy titled "Of The People", as of December 2007 [ [http://sify.com/movies/malayalam/fullstory.php?id=14546528 Sify.com: Jayaraj & People are back!] ] .

Jayaraj's wife Sabitha Jayaraj is a state award winning costume designer.

Awards

National Film Awards

*1998 - Best Director (Kaliyattam)
*2001 - Director of Best Film (Shantham)

Kerala State Film Awards

*1992 - Director of Second Best Film (Kudumbasametham)
*1996 - Best Director (Deshadanam)
*1997 - Director of Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value (Kaliyattam)
*1999 - Producer of Best Film (Karunam)
*1999 - Director of Best Fim (Karunam)

Filmography

*Gulmohar (2008)
*Of the People (2008)
*Anandabhairavi (2007)
*Sila Nerangalil (2008)
*Aanachandam (2006)
*Aswaroodan (2006)
*Daivanamathil (2005)
*By The People (2005)
*Makalkku (2005)
*Rain Rain Come Again (2004)
*4 the People (2004)
*Thilakkam (2003)
*Kannaki (2002)
*Karunam (2000) (as Jayaraaj Rajasekharan Nair)
*Shantam (2000)
*Sneham (1998)
*Thalolam (1998)
*Kaliyattam (1997) (as Jayaraaj Rajasekharan Nair)
*Desadanam (1997)
*Arabia (1995)
*High Way (1995)
*Thumboli Kadappuram] (1995)
*Paithrukam (1993)
*Sopanam (1993)
*Johnnie Walker (1992)
*Kudumbasametham (1992)
*Aakasha Kottayile Sultan (1991)
*Vidhyarambham (1990)

References

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0419687/ IMDb Profile]