K. G. George

K. G. George
K. G. George
Born	1946 Thiruvalla, Travancore (now India)
Occupation(s)	Director, screenwriter
Years active	1975–1998
Spouse	Selma George
Children	Arun, Thara
Relatives	Pappukutty Bhagavathar (father-in-law) Mohan Jose (brother-in-law)

Kulakkatil Geevarghese George (born 1946) is an Indian film director who work in Malayalam film. George is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of Kerala who modernised the Malayalam cinema in the 1970s. He is noted for deep psychological analysis and character study of human mind in his films. Almost all his flms were critically acclaimed. He is the founder-chairman of MACTA, and continues to be an executive member. He was the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.

Early life

After his diploma from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, K G George started his film career as the assistant to director Ramu Kariat. He made his directorial debut with Swapnadanam (1975) and became a strong presence of the new cinema movement that became active during the early 1970s. The Film Institute may have exposed him to the magic of cinema, but his stint as assistant to the legendary Ramu Kariat in the celebrated 'Nellu' must have instilled in him that quality to jell cinematic norms with commercial elements. He was given the tag of a 'via media director' together with Padmarajan, Bharathan and Mohan, which was a big compliment in the 1980s when most of his movies were hits.

Film career

His debut movie Swapnadanam was a commercial success while maintaining its artistic quality. It was a marital psychodrama, Swapnadanam rejected all the usual song-dance numbers of popular cinema, yet succeeded in reaching the common mass. Later he turned to the middle-stream cinema and produced some of the best works of Malayalam cinema, which became highly popular with the masses. It was a commercial success as well as critically acclaimed and won several awards. Swapnadanam won the Kerala State Film Award for best film. His another movie released in 1980, Kolangal smithereens the common romantic concept about an interior village of Kerala filled with virtues and happiness. Here a village is shown in the clutches of wildfire of jealousy. Yavanika stands out as one of the most commercially successful, yet artistically superior films of the 1980s. In the form of a detective thriller, Yavanika explores backstage drama of a travelling drama troop. It won the Kerala State Film Award for best film. K. G. George uses the cinema within cinema technique for this film. With hints to the real life incident of suicide of popular actress Shobha, Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback became controversial even before its release. He used a new narrative technique Adaminte Variyellu, by telling the story of unhappy marital lives and oppressions suffered by three urban women. Based on short story by Veloor Krishnankutty, George's Panchavadi Palam is a satirical comedy with intentionally exaggerated story line and caricature-like characters. It works almost as a political cartoon. Irakal is an in-depth exploration of the psychology of violence. A ruthless rubber baron, Mathukutty, disregards the prevailing moral standards and spawns criminal sons as well as a sexually wayward daughter, Annie. His son, Baby is a psychotic strangler using a nylon wire and is eventually shot dead by his repentant father.

George's last movie was released in 1998, Elavamkodu Desam, a period movie released when mimicry movies ruled the roost. "The audience somehow did not relate to this movie," he says sadly. In between his first film Swapnadanam and Elavamkodu Desam, he created milestones in Malayalam cinema. Mr. George was shocked by the change in attitude by filmstar Mammootty, whom he had introduced to films, during the course of directing his last ever film Elavamkodu Desam, a reason he gives for having left film-making. Seven of his movies were screened at different international festivals.

He released his memoir Flashback Enteyum Cinemayudeyum in 2012.

Filmography

• Elavamkodu Desam (1998)
• Oru Yaathrayude Anthyam (1991) (TV)
• Ee Kannikoodi (1990)
• Mattoral (1988)
• Kathakku Pinnil (1987)
• Irakal (1986)
• Panchavadi Palam (1984)
• Adaminte Variyellu (1983)
• Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983)
• Yavanika (1982)
• Kolangal (1981)
• Mela (1980)
• Ulkatal (1979)
• Ini Aval Urangatte (1978)
• Mannu (1978)
• Ona Pudava (1978)
• Rapadikalude Gatha (1978)
• Vyamoham (1977)
• Swapnadanam (1975)

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1975 – Best Film – Swapnadanam
• 1975 – Best Screen Play – Swapnadanam
• 1978 – Kerala State Film Award for Best film with popular appeal and aesthetic value – Rappadikalude Gatha
• 1982 – Best Film – Yavanika
• 1982 – Best Story – Yavanika
• 1983 – Second Best Film – Adaminte Variyellu
• 1983 – Best Story – Adaminte Variyellu
• 1985 – Second Best Film – Irakal
• 1985 – Best Story – Irakal
• 2015 - Master's award of Film employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA)
• 2015 - Indywood Golden Frame Award for Life time achievement (ALIIFF)

External links

• K.G. George at IMDb
• 'Cinema of Malayalam' profile