Ramu Kariat
Encyclopedia
Ramu Kariat (1927–1979) was a Malayali
India
n film director
for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s. He directed many acclaimed films in Malayalam. His noted films include Neelakkuyil (1954), Minnaminungu (1957), Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961), Moodupadam (1963) and the National Award
winning Chemmeen
(1965).
group. He debuted in films by co-directing Thiramala
(1953) with Vimal Kumar/P.R.S Pillai and the path-breaking film Neelakkuyil in 1954 along with P. Bhaskaran
. Neelakuyil was written by Uroob
and starred Sathyan
and Miss Kumari
was a major commercial success. It was also the first Malayalam film to shoot outdoors
, though the number of scenes shot outdoors was very less. This film is considered as the first mature film in Malayalam due to the professional approach it had in direction, script, performances and music. Ramu Kariat's co-director of the film P. Bhaskaran
and cameraman A. Vincent
went on to have illustrious careers themselves.
After Neelakkuyil, he directed Minnaminungu (1957), another noted film. His next film was the film version of veteran playwright Thoppil Bhasi's highly successful play Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961). After directing another noted film Moodupadam (1963), he went on to direct Chemmeen
(1965). Chemmeen is considered as the turning point in Malayalam cinema. The film, an adaptation of Thakazhi Sivashankara Pillai's novel in the same name was the first Malayalam film to win the National Film Award for Best Film
. The tragic love story starring Madhu
, Sathyan
and Sheela
went on to become major commercial success as well.
He directed about 13 films in his career
Malayali
Malayali is the term used to refer to the native speakers of Malayalam, originating from the Indian state of Kerala...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s. He directed many acclaimed films in Malayalam. His noted films include Neelakkuyil (1954), Minnaminungu (1957), Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961), Moodupadam (1963) and the National Award
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
winning Chemmeen
Chemmeen
Chemmeen is a 1965 Malayalam romantic drama film based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by S. L...
(1965).
Career
He started his career through the Kerala People's Arts Club (K.P.A.C.), a leftist theatreTheatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group. He debuted in films by co-directing Thiramala
Thiramala
Thiramala is a 1953 Malayalam film directed by Vimal Kumar and P.R.S. Pillai, starring Sathyan and Kumari Thangam. Acclaimed Director Ramu Kariat was an assistant director in this film. The film has a significant place in the history of Malayalam cinema.-Plot:The film was based on a short story...
(1953) with Vimal Kumar/P.R.S Pillai and the path-breaking film Neelakkuyil in 1954 along with P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
. Neelakuyil was written by Uroob
Uroob
Uroob was a famous Malayalam writer from Kerala state, South India. He along with writers like Basheer, Thakazhi, Kesavadev, and Pottekkatt formed the progressive writers in Malayalam during the twentieth century. Uroob is a recipient of Kendra Sahithya Academy Award for his novel Sundarikalum...
and starred Sathyan
Sathyaneshan Nadar
Manuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...
and Miss Kumari
Miss Kumari
-Early life:Miss Kumari, whose real name was Thresiamma, was born on 1 June 1932 at Bharananganam in Kottayam District, in the Kerala state of India.-Malayalam cinema:...
was a major commercial success. It was also the first Malayalam film to shoot outdoors
Location shooting
Location shooting is the practice of filming in an actual setting rather than on a sound stage or back lot. In filmmaking a location is any place where a film crew will be filming actors and recording their dialog. A location where dialog is not recorded may be considered as a second unit...
, though the number of scenes shot outdoors was very less. This film is considered as the first mature film in Malayalam due to the professional approach it had in direction, script, performances and music. Ramu Kariat's co-director of the film P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
and cameraman A. Vincent
A. Vincent
Aloysius Vincent born June 14, 1928 in Calicut, Kerala, India is an Indian cinematographer of Hindi movies and director of Malayalam movies. Since the mid 1960s he has directed some 30 movies...
went on to have illustrious careers themselves.
After Neelakkuyil, he directed Minnaminungu (1957), another noted film. His next film was the film version of veteran playwright Thoppil Bhasi's highly successful play Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961). After directing another noted film Moodupadam (1963), he went on to direct Chemmeen
Chemmeen
Chemmeen is a 1965 Malayalam romantic drama film based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by S. L...
(1965). Chemmeen is considered as the turning point in Malayalam cinema. The film, an adaptation of Thakazhi Sivashankara Pillai's novel in the same name was the first Malayalam film to win the National Film Award for Best Film
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
. The tragic love story starring Madhu
Madhu (actor)
Madhavan Nair , commonly known by his stage name Madhu is an actor in Malayalam cinema. He was a prominent lead actor during the 60s and 70s. He has also directed and produced films, and at one time he owned Uma film studio.-Early life:...
, Sathyan
Sathyaneshan Nadar
Manuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...
and Sheela
Sheela
Sheela ), is a Malayalam film actress from India. She, along with Prem Nazir, holds the world record for acting in the largest number of films together as heroine and hero. In 2005 she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Malayalam film Akale. She has also...
went on to become major commercial success as well.
He directed about 13 films in his career
Filmography
- Ammuvinde Aattinkutti (1978)
- Kondagali (1978)
- Dweepu (1976)
- NelluNellu (1974 film)Nellu is a 1974 Malayalam film directed by Ramu Kariat based on the award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala. The film is about the tribal people of the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. It stars Prem Nazir and Jayabharathi in the lead roles...
(1974) - Maya (1972)
- Abhayam (1970)
- Ezhu Rathrikal (1968)
- ChemmeenChemmeenChemmeen is a 1965 Malayalam romantic drama film based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by S. L...
(1965) - MoodupadamMoodupadamMoodupadam is a 1963 Malayalam language film directed by Ramu Kariat and scripted by K. T. Muhammed based on S. K. Pottekkatt's novel of the same name. Sathyan and Ambika play the lead roles. It is a social film about the relationship between three major religious faiths in Kerala, Hindu, Muslim...
(1963) - Mudiyanaya PuthranMudiyanaya PuthranMudiyanaya Puthran is a 1961 Malayalam language film directed by Ramu Kariat. It stars Sathyan, Ambika, Kottayam Chellappan, P. J. Antony, Miss Kumari and Adoor Bhasi. It was the film adaptation of the popular stage play written by Thoppil Bhasi in 1957. The film was shot at Vijaya and Vauhini...
(1961) - Minnaminungu (1957)
- Bharata Natyam (1956)
- NeelakkuyilNeelakuyil (film)Neelakuyil is a 1954 Malayalam realistic film directed by P. Bhaskaran and Ramu Kariat. It is a melodrama and was based on a story written by Uroob. Screenplay and dialogues are written by Uroob along with P. Bhaskaran. Neelakuyil tells the story of the love affair of a Dalit girl and an educated,...
(1954)