Lal Jose
| Lal Jose | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 January 1966 Valapad, Kerala, India |
| Residence | Ottapalam, Kerala, India |
| Other names | Lalu |
| Occupation | Film director, producer, distributor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse(s) | Leena |
| Children | Irene, Catherine |
| Parent(s) | Jose, Lilly |
Lal Jose is an Indian film director and producer best known for his Malayalam films.
Lal Jose started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal. Lal Jose worked on a slew of Kamal's films during the 1990s. His directional debut was the film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu (1998). His popular films include Chandranudikkunna Dikhil (1999), Meesa Madhavan (2002), Classmates (2006), Arabikkatha (2007), Neelathaamara (2009), Diamond Necklace (2012), Ayalum Njanum Thammil (2012), Immanuel (2013), and Vikramadithyan (2014).[1]
Lal Jose won the Filmfare Award for Best Director twice for his films Meesa Madhavan and Ayalum Njanum Thammil. He also won the Kerala State Award for Best Director for Ayalum Njanum Thammil. His films Classmates and Ayalum Njanum Thammil have won the Kerala State Award for Best Popular Film. He has frequently collaborated with screenwriters Babu Janardhanan, Ranjan Pramod, Benny P. Nayarambalam, James Albert, Iqbal Kuttippuram and M. Sindhuraj.
Biography
Born in Valapad in Thrissur, Kerala to Jose and Lilly, Lal Jose did his schooling at NSS KPT School and NSS College Ottapalam. He is married to Leena. The couple have two daughters, Irine and Catherine.[2] After completing his degree, he left for Chennai, with an aim of getting into movies. He got into the world of cinema by assisting noted director Kamal. He worked with Kamal in 16 films, from Pradheshika Varthakkal to Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu. He worked as associate director to prominent filmmakers like Thampy Kannamthanam, Lohithadas, Harikumar, Vinayan, K. K. Haridas, and Nizar.[3]
In 1998, he made his debut as an independent director with Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, which starred Mammootty and was scripted by Sreenivasan.[4] Producer Siyad Koker asked Lal Jose to direct a film for him. The huge success Oru Maravathoor Kanavu earned him a positive reputation.[5] The photography and narration style was appreciated by many critics. His next venture was Chandranudikkunna Dikhil in 2000, with Dileep as hero, which did well at the box office. In 2001, Lal Jose directed Randaam Bhavam starring Suresh Gopi. Even though was critically appreciated, this film was hit at the box office. In later years, it was widely acclaimed later as one of the best action films of the 2000s.
In 2002 Lal Jose, teaming up with screenwriter Ranjan Pramod, who had earlier scripted Randaam Bhavam, came up with Meesa Madhavan, which was a milestone in his career along with that of Dileep. Meesa Madhavan was a huge hit and established Dileep as a new superstar.[6] But his next film Pattalam, starring Mammootty, make average in 2003. Rasikan, released in 2005 was a super hit. But Lal Jose proved his critics wrong in the same year with Chanthupottu, starring Dileep. The huge box-office success of Chanthupottu took Lal Jose's career to new heights.[7] Dileep's performance in this film was highly appreciated. In 2006, Lal Jose brought out Achanurangatha Veedu, a low-budget film, which failed to bring audiences to the movie halls, though it won critical appreciation.[8]
Lal Jose created a mania in Kerala in 2006 with Classmates, which broke all the collection records in the Malayalam cinema industry. Released without much publicity, with no big stars, it became the highest grossing film in Malayalam, until its record was broken by Twenty:20 two years later.[9] In 2007, he did Arabikkatha, with Sreenivasan in a leading role. Arabikkatha was critically and commercially a big hit.[10][11] His next movie Mulla, starring Dileep, got a good partnership Lal Jose or Dileep. In 2009, Lal Jose directed Neelathamara, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was a remake of the 30-year-old movie with the same name.[12] It was accepted well by the critics and the masses. He directed a story with Mammootty as lead in Kerala Cafe in 2010. He then directed the hit film Elsamma Enna Aankutty without multistars. In 2011, he became a judge on a reality show on Surya TV called Vivel Active Fair Big Break, where the winner would be the heroine in his next movie.
Spanish Masala starring Dileep released in early 2012 was not a commercial success. But he came back strongly with Diamond Necklace starring Fahadh Faasil, Samvrutha Sunil, Gauthami Nair, Anusree (who won the Vivel Active Fair Big Break), Sreenivasan and Rohini. This was the debut film of his production house LJ Films and was well received by the critics and film-goers alike. His next film, Ayalum Njanum Thammil starred Prithviraj Sukumaran, Pratap Pothen, Narain, Samvrutha Sunil, Rima Kallingal and Remya Nambeesan. It was very well received by critics and won the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Director for that year; it did well at the box office, too. He teamed up with Mammooty again for Immanuel. Fahadh Faasil, Salim Kumar, Reenu Mathews and Sukumari co-starred in the film which released in April 2013 Which was A huge success In Boxoffice And Completed 100 day in theaters.
Most of his films have music composed by Vidyasagar, except for a couple of low-budget ventures.
Lal Jose has now been the project director of "Celebrate Keralam", a platform for creative and skilled professionals including documentary makers, photographers, writers, journalists, film makers, musicians, actors and art lovers to put their hands and minds together to fulfill their passion and give something back to their cherished homeland Keralam.
Trivia
- Starting from Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Dileep, Biju Menon, Indrajith, Samvritha and Sukumari are regular faces in most of his films.
- He appeared in cameo roles in Azhakiya Ravanan, Rock & Roll, Best Actor, Ohm Shanthi Oshaana and Oru Muthassi Gadha.
Awards
- 2006: Best Popular Film – Classmates
- 2005: Best Second movie – Achanurangatha Veedu
- 2012: Best Director- Ayalum Njanum Thammil
- 2012: Best Popular Film- Ayalum Njanum Thammil
- 2013: Best Director for Ayalum Njanum Thammil
- 2013: Nominated—Best Film for Diamond Necklace
- Asianet Film Awards
- 2007: Best Director Award for Arabikkatha
- Ramu Karyat Awards
- 2010: Best Director Award for Elsamma Enna Aankutty
- 2013 – Asiavision Awards – Artistic Movie – Ayalum Njanum Thammil[13]
Filmography
As director
As second unit or assistant director
- Meenathil Thalikettu (1998) (story and associate director)
- Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu (1997) (assistant director)
- Manasam (1997) (assistant director)
- Udyana Palakan (1996) (associate director)
- Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) (assistant director)
- Maanthrikam (1995) (assistant director)
- Vadhu Doctoranu (1994) (assistant director)
- Bhoomi Geetham (1993) (assistant director)
- Champakulam Thachan (1992) (assistant director)
- Ennodishtam Koodamo (1992) (assistant director)
- Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) (assistant director)
- Ulladakkam (1991) (assistant director)
- Pradeshika Varthakal (1989) (assistant director)
Story
- Meenathil Thalikettu (1998)
As producer
- Diamond Necklace (2012)
- Vikramadhithyan (2014)
- Nee-Na (2015)
As distributor
- Thattathin Marayathu (2012)
- Theevram (2012)
- Neram (2013)
- Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum (2013)
- Thira (2013)
- 1983 (2014)
- Homely meals (2014)
- KL.10 Pathu (2015)
- Action Hero Biju (2016)
- Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2016)
- Lens (2016)
- Aanandam (2016)
- Veeram (2017)
As actor
- Bhoomi Geetham (1993)as Journalist
- Azhakiya Ravanan (1996) as Assistant Director
- Rock & Roll(2007) as Himself
- Best Actor (2010) as Himself
- Ohm Shanthi Oshaana (2014) as Jacob Tharakan
- Oru Muthassi Gadha (2016)
Recurring collaborators
Lal Jose is noted for his particular association with certain actors or techinicans in his films. Music composer VidyaSagar has worked on 12 films out of Lal Jose's total 19 feature-length films. Sukumari had acted on 12 films, whereas Salim Kumar in 9 and Biju Menon in 8 and Indrajith, Jagathy Sreekumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu were appeared on 7 films.
| Films | Dileep | Biju Menon | Indrajith | Samvrutha Sunil | Jagathy Sreekumar | Nedumudi Venu | Sukumari | Sreenivasan | Salim Kumar | Kunchako Boban | Vidyasagar | Suraj Venjaramoodu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oru Maravathoor Kanavu (1998) |  | | | | | |||||||
| Chandranudikkunna Dikhil (1999) | | | | | ||||||||
| Randaam Bhavam (2001) | | | | | ||||||||
| Meesa Madhavan (2002) | | | | | | | ||||||
| Pattalam (2003) | | | | | | | ||||||
| Rasikan (2004) | | | | | | | | | ||||
| Chanthupottu (2005) | | | | | | | ||||||
| Achanurangatha Veedu (2006) | | | | | ||||||||
| Classmates (2006) | | | | | ||||||||
| Arabikkatha (2007) | | | | | | | | |||||
| Mulla (2008) | | | | | | | ||||||
| Kerala Cafe (Puram Kazchakal) (2009) | | |||||||||||
| Neelathaamara (2009) | | | ||||||||||
| Elsamma Enna Aankutty (2010) | | | | | | |||||||
| Spanish Masala (2012) | | | | | ||||||||
| Diamond Necklace (2012) | | | | | ||||||||
| Ayalum Njanum Thammil (2012) | | | | |||||||||
| Immanuel (2013) | | | | |||||||||
| Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum(2013) | | | | |||||||||
| Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal(2013) | | |
References
- ↑ നീലത്താമരയുടെ നിറവില് , Interview – Mathrubhumi Movies. Mathrubhumi.com (2010-03-13). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
- ↑ ലാല് ജോസും ജീവിതവും തമ്മില്. mangalam.com (2013-01-10). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
- ↑ Manorama Online. Manorama Online. Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
- ↑ "Lal Jose teams with Mammootty and Sreenivasan". Oneindia.in. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ "Lal Jose – Biography". Metromatinee. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- ↑ "Meesa mints money". The Hindu. 25 July 2002. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ Sreedhar Pillai. (9 December 2009). Whither the heroine?. The Hindu. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ Vijay George. (6 January 2006). "Reflection of society". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ Sreedhar Pillai (29 September 2009). "'Classmates,' a trendsetter". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ "Arabikatha takes the cake". The Hindu. 15 July 2007. Retrieved 6 March 2008.
- ↑ "'Arabikatha' turns out to be a success tale". The Hindu. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 6 March 2008.
- ↑ P. M. (Undated). "‘Neelathamara' megahit again". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ Mammotty, Kavya Madhavan bag Asiavision awards – Emirates 24|7. Emirates247.com (2013-11-05). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
External links
- Lal Jose at the Internet Movie Database