Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1

Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Dr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Adoor GopalakrishnanBorn Moutathu Gopalakrishnan Unnithan

July 3, 1941Pallickal, Adoor, Travancore, British India

Other names Adoor

Occupation Director, Screenwriter, Producer

Years active 1965 – present

Influenced Malayalam parallel cinema

Parents Madhavan Unnithan, Gauri Kunjamma

Website

[1]

Moutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan (born 3 July 1941) is an Indian film director, script writer, andproducer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of thefinest filmmakers of India.[2] Adoor's first film Swayamvaram (1972) pioneered the new wave cinema movement inKerala. Most of his films go to festivals around the world, and are released in Kerala. All the eleven films hedirected, from Swayamvaram to Oru Pennum Randaanum (2008), were screened at several international filmfestivals and won him several national and international awards. He won National Film Awards sixteen times, KeralaState Film Awards seventeen times and also won several international film awards. He won the prestigious BritishFilm Institute award for Elippathayam (1981). Adoor received the Padma Shri in 1984 and the Padma Vibhushan in2006. The Nation honoured Adoor for his valuable contributions to Indian cinema by awarding him the highestcinema award of India, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2004.[]

BiographyGopalakrishnan was born on 3 July 1941 in the village of Pallickal (Medayil Bungalow) near Adoor, present dayKerala, India as the son of Madhavan Unnithan and Mouttathu Gauri Kunjamma. He started his artistic life as anactor in amateur plays when he was 8. Later he shifted his base to writing and direction and wrote and directed a fewplays. After securing a degree in Economics, Political Science and Public Administration in 1961 from theGandhigram Rural Institute,[3] he worked as a Government officer near Dindigul in Tamil Nadu . In 1962, he left hisjob to study screenwriting and direction from the Pune Film Institute. He completed his course from there with ascholarship from the Government of India. With his classmates and friends, Adoor established Chithralekha FilmSociety and Chalachithra Sahakarana Sangham; the organization was the first film society in Kerala and it aimed atproduction, distribution and exhibition of films in the co-operative sector.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan 2

Adoor has scripted and directed eleven feature films and about thirty short films and documentaries. Notableamongst the non-feature films are those on Kerala’s performing arts.Adoor's debut film, the national award winning Swayamvaram (1972) was a milestone in Malayalam film history.The film was exhibited widely in various international film festivals including those held in Moscow, Melbourne,London and Paris. The films that followed namely Kodiyettam, Elippathayam, Mukhamukham, Anantaram,Mathilukal, Vidheyan and Kathapurushan lived up to the reputation of his first film and were well received by criticsat various film festivals and fetched him many awards. However, Mukhamukham was criticized in Kerala whileVidheyan was at the centre of a debate due to the differences in opinion between the writer of story of the filmSakhariya and Adoor.Adoor's later films are Nizhalkuthu, narrating the experiences of an executioner who comes to know that one of hissubjects was innocent, and Naalu Pennungal, a film adaptation of four short stories by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai.All his films have won national and international awards (National award for best film twice, best director five times,and best script two times. His films have also won his actors and technicians several national awards). Adoor’s thirdfeature, Elippathayam won him the coveted British Film Institute Award for 'the most original and imaginative film'of 1982. The International Film Critics Prize (FIPRESCI) has gone to him six times successively for Mukhamukham,Anantharam, Mathilukal, Vidheyan, Kathapurushan and Nizhalkkuthu. Winner of several international awards likethe UNICEF film prize (Venice), OCIC film prize (Amiens), INTERFILM Prize (Mannheim) etc., his films havebeen shown in Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, London, Rotterdam and every important festival around the world.In consideration of his contribution to Indian cinema, the nation honoured him with the title of Padma Shri(India'sfourth highest civilian award) in 1984 and Padma Vibhushan(India's second highest civilian award) in 2006.Adoor is settled in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala. His daughter Aswathi Dorje is an IPS officer (partof the Assam cadre, 2000 batch), currently acting as Deputy Commissioners of Police in Mumbai since June2010.[4][5]

Documentaries and 'New Cinema' movement

Adoor standing next to his portrait

Apart from nine feature films, he has over 30 short films anddocumentaries to his credit. The Helsinki Film Festival was the firstfilm festival to have a retrospective of his films. He has headed the juryat the National Film Awards and many international film festivals.

Apart from his films, Adoor's major contribution towards introducing anew cinema culture in Kerala was the constitution of the first FilmSociety in Kerala, "Chitralekha Film Society". He also took active partin the constitution of "Chitralekha," Kerala's first Film Co-operativeSociety for film production. These movements triggered a fresh waveof films, called "art films," by directors like G Aravindan, PA Becker,KG George, Pavithran, and Raveendran. At a time this movement wasso strong that even popular cinema synthesised with art cinema tocreate a new genre of films.Bharat Gopi starred as hero 4 times in hisventures.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan 3

Style and trademarksAdoor has been known as a director who completely dictates every fine detail of his films. On the performance ofactors in his movies, he stated that - "It is not the artist's job to do the detailing. I do not want different interpretationsof roles that may clash with each other. It has to be absolutely unified." He normally does not encourage his crew toread the script or even the stories. The actors are told at the time of shooting about the role and the scenes beforeconducting several rehearsals. According to Adoor "[i]n movies, the actor is not performing to the audience like thestage actor. Here they are acting for me. I am the audience and I will decide whether it is correct or not, enough ornot." [6]

Awards and milestonesSome of the awards Gopalakrishnan has won for his films include:• 2010 - Honorary Doctorate [D.Litt] from University of Kerala• 2006 - Padma Vibhushan — Second highest civilian award from Government of India [7]

• 2004 - Dadasaheb Phalke Award — Lifetime Achievement Award in Film awarded by the Government of India[]

• 1984 - Padma Shri — Fourth highest civilian award from Government of India [8]

• 1984 - Legion of Honour — French order, the highest decoration in France• National Film Awards — Various categories for Swayamvaram, Kodiyettam, Elippathayam, Mukhamukham,

Anantaram, Mathilukal, Vidheyan, Kathapurushan, Nizhalkkuthu and Naalu Pennungal• Kerala State Film Awards: — Various categories for Kodiyettam, Elippathayam, Mukhamukham, Anantaram,

Vidheyan and Oru Pennum Randaanum• International Film Critics Prize (FIPRESCI) — won consecutively for six feature films (Mukhamukham,

Anantaram, Mathilukal, Vidheyan, Kathapurushan and Nizhalkkuthu)[]

• London Film Festival — Sutherland Trophy — in 1982 for Elippathayam• British Film Institute Award — Most Original Imaginative Film of 1982 — Elippathayam• Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French Government (2003)[9]

• Lifetime achievement award at Cairo International Film Festival.National Film Awards (Detailed):

• 1973 - Best Film - Swayamvaram• 1995 - Best Film - Kathapurushan

• 1973 - Best Director - Swayamvaram• 1985 - Best Director - Mukhamukham• 1988 - Best Director - Anantharam• 1990 - Best Director - Mathilukal• 2008 - Best Director - Naalu Pennungal

• 1978 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Kodiyettam• 1982 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Elippathayam• 1985 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Mukhamukham• 1990 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Mathilukal• 1994 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Vidheyan• 2003 - Best Feature Film in Malayalam - Nizhalkkuthu

• 1985 - Best Screenplay - Mukhamukham• 1988 - Best Screenplay - Anantharam

• 1984 - Best Book on Cinema - Cinemayude Lokam

Kerala State Film Awards (Detailed):

Adoor Gopalakrishnan 4

• 1977 - Best Film - Kodiyettam• 1981 - Best Film - Elippathayam• 1984 - Best Film - Mukhamukham• 1993 - Best Film - Vidheyan• 2008 - Best Film - Oru Pennum Randaanum

• 1977 - Best Director - Kodiyettam• 1984 - Best Director - Mukhamukham• 1987 - Best Director - Anantharam• 1993 - Best Director - Vidheyan• 2008 - Best Director - Oru Pennum Randaanum

• 1977 - Best Story - Kodiyettam• 1993 - Best Screen Play - Vidheyan• 2008 - Best Screen Play - Oru Pennum Randaanum

• 1982 - Best Documentary Film - Krishnanattam• 1999 - Best Documentary Film - Kalamandalam Gopi• 2005 - Best Short Film - Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair• 2004 - Best Book on Cinema - CinemanubhavamA retrospective of his films was conducted in• Kolkata, by Seagull Foundation for the Arts and Nandan, 2009.[10]

• The Slovenian International Film Festival, 2009.[11]

• The Munich Film museum, 2009.[12]

• The French Cinematheque,Paris, 1999.[13]

Posts heldAdoor also worked in several respected posts in the film fraternity. He was a member of Sivaramakarath committeeformed by the Government of India for framing a national film policy. He was a national film award committeemember in 1974. He was a member of jury in Venice, Singapore, Hawaii and Delhi international film festivals. Hewas the chairman of International Film Festival of Kerala in 1999. He headed the National Film DevelopmentCorporation in the years 1980–1983. He was the director of Pune Film and Television Institute. In the years1975–1977, he was a member of the advisory board for National Film Archives, Pune.

Filmography

Year Title Duration Category Cast Awards

1965 A Great Day 20 mins Short fiction

1966 A Day at Kovalam 30 mins Documentary

1967 The Myth 50Seconds

Short fiction Merit Certificate, Expo-67, Montreal

1968 Danger at YourDoor-step

20 mins Documentary

1968 And Man created 8 mins Documentary

1968 Manntharikal (Grains ofSand)

20 mins Documentary

1969 Towards National STD 20 mins Documentary

Adoor Gopalakrishnan 5

1969 A Mission of Love 30 mins Documentary

1966 Your Food 60 mins Documentary

1970 Pratisandhi (The impasse) 55 mins Docu-drama

1971 Romance of Rubber 30 mins Documentary

1972 Swayamvaram (One’sOwn Choice)

125 mins Feature film Madhu, Sharada, Bharath Gopi,Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, K.P. A. C. Lalitha

National Awards for Best Film, BestDirector, Best Actress and BestCinematographer. Entered into the 8thMoscow International Film Festival.[]

1973 Kilimanooril OruDasalakshadhipati (AMillionaire is Born)

20 mins Documentary

1974 Guru Chengannur 17 mins Documentary

1975 Past in Perspective 20 mins Documentary

1976 Idukki 60 mins Documentary

1977 Kodiyettam (Ascent) 128 mins Feature film Bharath Gopi, K. P. A. C. Lalitha,Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair,Adoor Bhavani, Aziz

National Awards for Best Feature Film inMalayalam and Best Actor

1978 Four Shorts on FamilyPlanning

16 mins Documentary

1979 Yakshagana 20 mins Documentary

1980 Chola Heritage 20 mins Documentary

1981 Elippathayam (Rat-Trap) 121 mins Feature film Karamana Janardanan Nair,Sharada, Jalaja, Rajam K. Nair,Soman

Sutherland Trophy at 1982 London FilmFestivalNational Awards for Best Feature Film inMalayalam and Best Audiography

1982 Krishnanattam 20 mins Documentary

1984 Mukhamukham (Face toFace)

107 mins Feature film Ganga, Balan K. Nair, KaramanaJanardanan Nair, KaviyoorPonnamma, Ashokan, K. P. A. C.Lalitha

FIPRESCI Prize, New Delhi, NationalAwards for Best Director, Best Screenplayand Best Audiography

1985 Eau/Ganga(Ganges-Water)

140 mins Grand Prize,Cinema du reel,Paris

1987 Anantaram (Monologue) 125 mins Feature film Mammootty, Ashokan, Shobana,Balan K. Nair, Bahadoor

FIPRESCI Prize, Karlovy Vary. Nationalawards for best director, best screenplay, andbest audiography

1990 Mathilukal (The Walls) 117 mins Feature film Mammootty, Murali, Thilakan, K.P. A. C. Lalitha (Voice),Karamana Janardanan Nair

FIPRESCI prize, Venice, UNICEF FilmPrize, Venice, OCIC Prize, Amiens. NationalAward for best director, best actor, bestregional film and best audiography

1993 Vidheyan (The Servile) 112 mins Feature film Mammootty, Tanvi Azmi, M.R.Gopakumar, Sabitha Anand

Feature FIPRESCI and Special Jury Prize,Singapore. Interfilm Jury Prize, Mannheim.Netpac prize, Rotterdam. National Award forbest actor and best regional film

1995 Kathapurushan (The Manof the Story)

107 mins Feature film Viswanathan, Mini Nair,Narendra Prasad, AranmulaPonnamma, Urmila Unni

FIPRESCI Prize, National award for the bestfilm

1995 Kalamandalam Gopi 43 mins Documentary

Adoor Gopalakrishnan 6

2001 Koodiyattam 180 mins Documentary

2002 Nizhalkkuthu (ShadowKill)

90 mins Feature film Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Sukumari,Murali, Nedumudi Venu, JagathySreekumar, Narain

FIPRESCI, Mumbai. National award for bestregional film

2005 KalamandalamRamankutty Nair

73 mins Documentary

2007 Dance of the Enchantress 72 mins Documentary

2007 Naalu Pennungal (FourWomen)

105 mins Feature film Nandita Das, Kavya Madhavan,Geetu Mohandas, Padmapriya,Manju Pillai, Murali, Mukesh,Manoj K. Jayan

National Award for best director

2008 Oru Pennum Randaanum(A Climate for Crime)

115 mins Feature film Nedumudi Venu, Manoj K.Jayan, Jagadish, Vijayaraghavan,Indrans, Ravi Vallathol, Praveena

Kerala State award for best director 2009

References[1] http:/ / www. adoorgopalakrishnan. com[2] "Adoor Gopalakrishnan's 'Naalu Pennungal'" (http:/ / print. dailymirror. lk/ news/ provincial-news/ 46619. html). Daily Mirror. 10 June 2011.

Retrieved 5 July 2011.

External links• Official website of Adoor (http:/ / www. adoorgopalakrishnan. com/ profile. htm)• Official Website of Information and Public Relation Department of Kerala (http:/ / www. prd. kerala. gov. in/

stateawares. htm)• Adoor Gopalakrishnan (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ name/ nm0329715/ ) at the Internet Movie Database• Adoor's oeuvre on Rediff (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ movies/ 2003/ may/ 06intro. htm)• Collection of photos of Adoor (http:/ / indulekha. com/ moviegallery/ 2006/ 03/ adoor-gopalakrishnan. html)• Profile of Adoor on Weblokam (http:/ / www. weblokam. com/ cinema/ profiles/ adoor. htm)• Profile at 'Cinema of Malayalam' (http:/ / www. cinemaofmalayalam. net/ adoor. html)• 'The Road to Modern Times', Naalu Pennungal and the cinema of Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mint Lounge 8

September 2007, by Arjun Razdan (http:/ / staging. livemint. com/ articles/ 2007/ 09/ 08000758/The-road-to-modern-times. html)

Article Sources and Contributors 7

Article Sources and ContributorsAdoor Gopalakrishnan  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=547062044  Contributors: Aarem, Aicarian09, Ajaykuyiloor, Akhilm1009, Anandks007, Anoopan, Anoopkn,Anupkc, Archier, Arfaz, Az29, Badagnani, Bart Versieck, Bayankaran, Bender235, Commander Keane, Cookie90, Courcelles, D6, Devilatheaven, Dharmadhyaksha, Ekabhishek, Esowteric,Eximius.vkm, FLOPPANA, Farhan rish, Finemann, Fotokannan, Gobeshock Gobochondro Gyanotirtho, GoingBatty, Good Olfactory, Gurubrahma, Gy32111, Hashway, Huaiwei, Irarum, Jagged85, Janu86, Jaseerabubakar, Jasinskibolak, Jishnu.C, John of Reading, JustAGal, Khoenr, Koavf, Kuntan, Kwamikagami, LongLive01191980, Lugnuts, MER-C, Madvirgin, Malo, Manu rocks,Mgt3151, Michael Bednarek, MichiMallu, Mifter, Misconfig, Mwanner, N2badshuttle, Ohconfucius, PC78, Phil Boswell, R'n'B, Rajmohanmr, Riyazusman, Roland zh, Saj2009, Salih, Saraths,Sfan00 IMG, Sgnair, Shshshsh, Sinusam, SpacemanSpiff, Sujithnairv, Sumalsn, Sundar, Supten, Swapnatom, Tintin1107, VASANTH S.N., Vensatry, Vicitracitta, Vivvt, Waacstats, Will231982,Woohookitty, XrieJetInfo, 81 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Adoorgopalakrishnan.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Adoorgopalakrishnan.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:User:FotokannanFile:Adoor gopalakrishnan.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Adoor_gopalakrishnan.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Contributors: ARTEST4ECHO, Bayankaran, Eknuf, Pibwl, Roland zh, Sitacuisses, Sreejithk2000

LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/