Jayaraj
Biography
Jayaraj, born Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair on 4 August 1960 in Kottayam, Kerala, is an acclaimed Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works primarily in Malayalam cinema.
He began his career as an assistant to legendary filmmaker Bharathan, working on films including Chilambu (1986), Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam (1987) and Vaishali (1988). He made his directorial debut with Vidyarambham (1990).
Some of his notable films include Kudumbasametham (1992), Paithrukam (1993), Desadanam (1996), Kaliyattam (1997), Karunam (2000), Shantham (2001), Thilakkam (2003), Daivanamathil (2005), Aanachandam (2006), Loudspeaker (2009), Ottaal (2015) and Bhayanakam (2018).
Jayaraj received the National Film Award for Best Direction for Kaliyattam. His film Shantham won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, while Ottaal received the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation.
His film Ottaal (2015), based on Anton Chekhov's short story Vanka, received widespread acclaim and made history at the International Film Festival of Kerala by sweeping the festival's major awards.
Jayaraj is regarded as one of the distinctive filmmakers in Malayalam cinema, successfully moving between commercial cinema, literary adaptations and socially conscious art films. His long career has earned him numerous National and Kerala State Film Awards.
