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{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name | | name = Shaji Kailas | ||
| image | | image = Shaji Kailas.jpg | ||
| caption | | caption = Shaji in 2022 | ||
| birth_date | | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|02|8}}<ref name="mangalam1">[http://www.mangalam.com/life-style/success/12537 ദി കിംഗ് മേക്കര്]. mangalam.com (1 December 2012). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.</ref> | ||
| birth_place | | birth_place = [[Trivandrum]], [[Kerala]], India | ||
| death_date | | death_date = | ||
| death_place | | death_place = | ||
| occupation | | occupation = {{hlist|[[Film director|Director]]|screenwriter|film producer}} | ||
| years_active | | years_active = 1989{{endash}}present | ||
| spouse | | spouse = {{marriage|[[Annie (actress)|Annie]]|1996}} | ||
| children | | children = 3 | ||
| parents | | parents = | ||
| website | | website = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Shaji Kailas''' (born 8 February 1965) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in [[Malayalam cinema]].<ref name="The Hindu Net Desk">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prithviraj-to-team-up-again-with-ajiths-janaa-director-shaji-kailas/article29689188.ece|title=Prithviraj to team up again with Ajith's 'Jana' director Shaji Kailas|author=The Hindu Net Desk|newspaper=The Hindu|date=15 October 2019|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> Shaji got a breakthrough | '''Shaji Kailas''' (born 8 February 1965) is an Indian [[film director]] and [[screenwriter]] known for his works in [[Malayalam cinema]].<ref name="The Hindu Net Desk">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prithviraj-to-team-up-again-with-ajiths-janaa-director-shaji-kailas/article29689188.ece|title=Prithviraj to team up again with Ajith's 'Jana' director Shaji Kailas|author=The Hindu Net Desk|newspaper=The Hindu|date=15 October 2019|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> Shaji got a breakthrough with the comedy film ''[[Dr. Pasupathy]]'' (1990).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2019/10/16/prithviraj-to-team-up-with-director-shaji-kailas.html|title=Prithviraj to team up with director Shaji Kailas, shares poster of 'Kaduva'|website=The Week}}</ref> | ||
He is best known for his [[action films]] with mainly focusing on [[political thriller]] and [[crime films|crime]] genres such as ''[[Thalastaanam]]'' (1992), ''[[Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans]]'' (1993), ''[[Ekalavyan (film)|Ekalavyan]]'' (1993), ''[[Mafia (1993 film)|Mafia]]'' (1993), ''[[Commissioner (film)|Commissioner]]'' (1994), ''[[The King (1995 film)|The King]]'' (1995), ''[[Aaraam Thampuran]]'' (1997), ''[[Narasimham (film)|Narasimham]]'' (2000), ''[[Valliettan]]'' (2000), ''[[Kaduva]]'' and ''[[Kaapa]]'' (2022).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/movies/shaji-kailas-is-back-after-6-years-news-malayalam-tkpoR4jeiighc.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016130208/https://www.sify.com/movies/shaji-kailas-is-back-after-6-years-news-malayalam-tkpoR4jeiighc.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 October 2019|title=Shaji Kailas is back after 6 years!|website=[[Sify]] }}</ref> | |||
==Early and personal life== | ==Early and personal life== | ||
Shaji was born to Shivaraman Nair who | Shaji was born to Shivaraman Nair who was an executive engineer in the [[Kerala Public Works Department]] and Janakiyamma on 8 February 1965.<ref name="mangalam1"/> | ||
He is married to actress [[Annie | He is married to former actress [[Annie (actress)|Annie]]. They currently reside at [[Thiruvananthapuram district|Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], [[India]] and have three sons Jagan, Sharon, and Rushin.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131229131702/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/article374931.ece Mrs Shaji Kailas speaks]. The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012.</ref> | ||
==Career== | ==Career== | ||
===1992–2000=== | === 1984–1991: Early career === | ||
In the year 1992 Shaji Kailas got his first real career break. His association with [[Renji Panicker]] brought out ''[[Thalastaanam]]'', with [[Suresh Gopi]] in the leading role. Revolved around student politics, ''Thalastaanam'' also marked the rebirth of Renji Panicker as a scriptwriter. This film also marked Suresh Gopi's first step to super stardom. The cinematography of the film was done by [[Ravi K. Chandran]]. This film also saw the rise of [[Narendra Prasad]], who later became one of the most acclaimed villains in the Malayalam industry. In the same year Shaji Kailas tried out a comedy flick, '' | Shaji Kailas started his film career as assistant director under renowned writer director [[Balu Kiriyath]] in 1984. Shaji Kailas' debut as a director was in 1989 with [[The News (film)|''The'' ''News'']], starring [[Suresh Gopi]] in the lead role. Scripted by [[Jagadish]], this investigative thriller was a hit at the box office. With the film, Shaji succeeded in gaining attention of film viewers. But his second release ''Sunday 7 PM'', came out in 1990 was a failure. Later in the same year, he directed ''[[Dr. Pasupathy]]'', a political satire, with [[Innocent (actor)|Innocent]] in a leading role. ''Dr. Pashupathi'', written by [[Renji Panicker]], ended up as one of the biggest grosser of the year. This film also marked the beginning of Shaji Kailas- Renji Panicker combo, which later went into making of several super hits. But, the success of ''Dr. Pashupathy'' was followed by ''[[Souhrudam]]'', a [[romantic comedy]] starring [[Mukesh (actor)|Mukesh]] and [[Sai Kumar (Malayalam actor)|Sai Kumar]] in the leading roles. His next film, ''[[Kilukkampetti]]'', with [[Jayaram]] in the lead role was hit. After this in 1992 he switched to action films with the blockbuster ''[[Thalastaanam]],'' which would go on to become his trademark genre. | ||
=== 1992–2000: Breakthrough === | |||
In the year 1992 Shaji Kailas got his first real career break. His association with [[Renji Panicker]] brought out ''[[Thalastaanam]]'', with [[Suresh Gopi]] in the leading role. Revolved around student politics, ''Thalastaanam'' also marked the rebirth of Renji Panicker as a scriptwriter. This film also marked Suresh Gopi's first step to super stardom. The cinematography of the film was done by [[Ravi K. Chandran]]. This film also saw the rise of [[Narendra Prasad]], who later became one of the most acclaimed villains in the Malayalam industry. In the same year Shaji Kailas tried out a comedy flick, ''Neelakurukkan'', which was above average grosser. But in the beginning of 1993 Shaji Kailas landed up again with another blockbuster, ''[[Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans]]''. In the same year, ''[[Ekalavyan (film)|Ekalavyan]]'' completed a run of 150 days in the theatres & played a crucial role in elevating lead actor Suresh Gopi to superstardom.<ref name="The Hindu Net Desk" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Narayanan|first=Nirmal|date=2018-07-25|title=Five Malayalam movies rejected by Mammootty which turned out to be blockbusters|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/five-malayalam-movies-rejected-by-mammootty-which-turned-out-be-blockbusters-776020|access-date=2021-08-23|website=www.ibtimes.co.in|language=en}}</ref> Again in the same year, the Shaji Kailas-[[Renji Panicker]]-[[Suresh Gopi]] team returned with ''[[Mafia (1993 film)|Mafia]]'', a gangster film completely shot in [[Bangalore]]. It was still known for its well-choreographed action sequences that pitted against an upcoming crime boss Ravishankar portrayed by Suresh Gopi against the ever-threatening Gowda brothers portrayed by [[Tiger Prabhakar]] and [[Babu Antony]].<ref name="The Hindu Net Desk" /> | |||
In 1994 ''[[Commissioner (film)|Commissioner]]'', (again with [[Suresh Gopi]] in title role) broke several box office records and went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year. In 1995, he collaborated with [[Mammootty]] for the first time in ''[[The King (1995 film)|The King]]'' which was the highest grossing Malayalam film at the time and ran successfully for 200 days in several centers. A turning point in his career, the success of the film made him one of the most commercially successful and sought after directors in Malayalam film industry. In the next year, in 1997 Shaji Kailas again joined with Ranjith for a low-budget action film titled ''[[Asuravamsam]]'', with [[Manoj K. Jayan]], [[Siddique (actor)|Siddique]] and [[Biju Menon]] in leading roles. This film was criticized by many for its gory violence. He also done some cinematography for action sequences of the film. ''[[Asuravamsam]]'' was also an average grosser. In the same year, he again joined with [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]] to make ''[[Aaram Thamburan]]'', a turning point in his film career. In this film, he joined with [[Mohanlal]] for the first time. This film was the highest-grossing Malayalam film at the time and was able to complete 250 days in theatres. Then came ''[[The Truth (1998 film)|The Truth]]'', in 1998, with [[Mammooty]] in the lead role. It was an investigative thriller. In 1999, he directed ''[[F. I. R. (1999 film)|F. I. R]]'', another action flick with his friend [[Suresh Gopi]] as the lead actor scripted by [[Dennis Joseph]]. ''F. I. R'' emerged one of the top grossers of the year''.'' | |||
In | === 2000–2012: Commercial stardom, decline and hiatus === | ||
In 2000, he directed two films. ''[[Narasimham (film)|Narasimham]]'', released in the first weeks of the year, with [[Mohanlal]] in the lead came ''[[Thandavam]]'', though evoked one of the biggest initial pulls in the history of Malayalam cinema, ''Thandavam'' failed at the box office. He took a break for one year. It was at this time, Shaji again tried out his luck in Tamil with ''[[Jana (film)|Jana]]'' in (2004). | |||
In the year 2004 Shaji Kailas made a comeback in Malayalam with ''[[Natturajavu]]''. With [[Mohanlal]] in lead role and, scripted by [[T. A. Shahid]], ''Natturajavu'' was a commercial success ''[[Chinthamani Kolacase]]'', a vigilante action thriller with [[Suresh Gopi]] in leading role and ''[[Baba Kalyani (film)|Baba Kalyani]]'' with [[Mohanlal]] released. Both were hits at the box office. However, his first film with [[Dileep (actor)|Dileep]], ''[[The Don (2006 film)|The Don]]'', turned into a huge flop in 2006. The next film, But things again got lost in the same year itself. His first film with [[Dileep]], ''[[The Don (2006 film)|The Don]]'', turned into a huge flop. The next film [[Baba Kalyani]], starring [[Mohanlal]], was an average hit. But then came a series of flops. ''[[Time (2007 film)|Time]]'' (2007), ''Alibhai'' (2007), ''[[Sound of Boot]]'' (2008), all bombed. Alibhai, was a big budget film with all leading stars in a row appeasing, but still bombed at box office. Even hard core [[Mohanlal]] fans couldn't digest the film. Then came [[Red Chillies (film)|Red Chillies]]s in 2009, it was a moderate success at box-office. In January 2010, Shaji Kailas directed [[Drona 2010]], which received mixed reviews. Beginning of 2011 showcased his attempt to reclaim his position within Malayalam industry with the sequel of yesteryear mega hit ''[[August 1 (film)|August 1]]'', ''[[August 15 (2011 film)|August 15]]'' which garnered heavy negative reviews from critics and audiences alike and was finally declared as another flop by Shaji Kailas. His next movie was with [[Mammotty]] and [[Suresh Gopi]] named ''[[The King and the Commissioner]]'' the movie was the next part of the yesteryear films ''[[The King (1995 film)|The King]]'' and ''[[Commissioner (film)|Commissioner]]''. This movie was a hit in the box office but this movie also received a good amount of positive reviews from both the critic and the audiences. | |||
In | |||
=== 2022: Resurgence === | |||
On 16 October 2019, it was announced that Shaji Kailas would be marking his re-entry in films after his hiatus with ''[[Kaduva]]'', starring [[Prithviraj Sukumaran]] and [[Vivek Oberoi]] in the lead roles. ''Kaduva'' was released on 7 July 2022 to mixed-to-positive reviews from the critics. The film grossed around ₹50 crores and became a commercial success. He again directed Prithviraj for the third time in ''[[Kaapa]]'', the same year, co-starring [[Asif Ali (actor)|Asif Ali]] in the lead role. Upon release, ''Kaapa'' received mixed reviews from the critics and became an average grosser. His next directorial, ''[[Alone (2022 film)|Alone]]'' (2023), starring [[Mohanlal]], was released to mixed reviews and turned out to be a box-office failure.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Mohanlal starrer 'Alone' finishes its shoot in just 18 days! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/mohanlal-starrer-alone-finishes-its-shoot-in-just-18-days/articleshow/87223483.cms |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==Filmography== | ==Filmography== | ||
===Director=== | ===Director=== | ||
{{Pending films key}} | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 49: | Line 54: | ||
!Notes | !Notes | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1989 || ''[[News (1989 film)|News]]''|| Malayalam | | 1989 || ''[[The News (1989 film)|The News]]''|| rowspan="20" | Malayalam | ||
|Also story writer | |Also story writer | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1990 || ''Sunday 7 PM'' | | rowspan="2" |1990 || ''Sunday 7 PM'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Dr. Pasupathy]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1991 || ''[[Souhrudam]]'' | | rowspan="2" |1991 || ''[[Souhrudam]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Kilukkampetti]]'' | |||
|Also story writer | |Also story writer | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1992 || ''[[Thalasthanam]]'' | | rowspan="2" |1992 || ''[[Thalasthanam]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Neelakurukkan]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1993 || ''[[Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans]]'' | | rowspan="3" |1993 || ''[[Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Ekalavyan (film)|Ekalavyan]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Mafia (1993 film)|Mafia]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1994 || ''[[Commissioner (film)|Commissioner]]'' | | rowspan="2" |1994 || ''[[Commissioner (film)|Commissioner]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Rudraksham]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1995 || ''[[The King (1995 film)|The King]]'' | | 1995 || ''[[The King (1995 film)|The King]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1996 || ''[[Mahathma]]'' | | 1996 || ''[[Mahathma]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1997 || ''[[Asuravamsam]]'' | | rowspan="2" |1997 || ''[[Asuravamsam]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Aaram Thamburan]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1998 || ''[[The Truth (1998 film)|The Truth]]'' | | 1998 || ''[[The Truth (1998 film)|The Truth]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1999 || ''[[F.I.R (1999 film)|F.I.R]]'' | | 1999 || ''[[F.I.R (1999 film)|F.I.R]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2000 || ''[[Narasimham (film)|Narasimham]]'' | | rowspan="2" |2000 || ''[[Narasimham (film)|Narasimham]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Valliettan]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 112: | Line 117: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2002 || ''[[Shivam (2002 film)|Shivam]]''|| Malayalam | | rowspan="2" |2002 || ''[[Shivam (2002 film)|Shivam]]''|| rowspan="2" | Malayalam | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Thandavam]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 121: | Line 126: | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2004 || ''[[Jana (film)| | | rowspan="2" |2004 || ''[[Jana (film)|Jana]]'' || Tamil | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Natturajavu]]''|| rowspan="8" | Malayalam | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2005 || ''The Tiger'' || | | 2005 || ''[[The Tiger (2005 film)|The Tiger]]'' || | ||
|- | |||
| rowspan="3" |2006 || ''[[Chinthamani Kolacase]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[The Don (2006 film)|The Don]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Baba Kalyani (film)|Baba Kalyani]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | rowspan="2" |2007 || ''[[Time (2007 film)|Time]]'' | ||
| 2007 || ''[[Time (2007 film)|Time]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Alibhai]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2008 || ''[[Sound of Boot]]'' | | rowspan="2" |2008 || ''[[Sound of Boot]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Ellam Avan Seyal]]'' || Tamil | |||
|Remake of ''[[Chinthamani Kolacase]] '' | | Remake of ''[[Chinthamani Kolacase]] '' | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2009 || ''[[Red Chillies (film)|Red Chillies]]'' || Malayalam | | rowspan="2" |2009 || ''[[Red Chillies (film)|Red Chillies]]'' || rowspan="8" | Malayalam | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Kerala Cafe]]'' | |||
|[[Anthology film]] ; segment Lalitham Hiranmayam | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2010 ||''[[ | | rowspan="1" |2010 ||''[[Dhrona 2010]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2011 ||''[[August 15 (2011 film)|August 15]]'' | | 2011 || ''[[August 15 (2011 film)|August 15]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2012 ||''[[The King and the Commissioner]]'' | | rowspan=3 | 2012 ||''[[The King and the Commissioner]]'' | ||
| Crossover spiritual sequel to ''The King'' and ''Commissioner'' | | Crossover spiritual sequel to ''The King'' (1995) and ''Commissioner'' (1994) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Simhasanam (2012 film)|Simhasanam]]'' || | |||
| | |- | ||
| ''[[Madirasi]]'' || | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | |2013 | ||
|''[[Ginger (2013 film)|Ginger]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 2015 ||''[[En Vazhi Thani Vazhi (2015 film)|En Vazhi Thani Vazhi]]'' || rowspan="2" | Tamil | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 2017 || ''[[Vaigai Express (film)|Vaigai Express]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | rowspan="2" |2022 ||''[[Kaduva]]''|| rowspan="6" | Malayalam | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Kaapa]]'' | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 2023 || ''[[Alone (2022 film)|Alone]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 2024 || ''[[Hunt (2024 film)|Hunt]]'' ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Features |first=C. E. |date=2024-07-15 |title=Bhavana-Shaji Kailas film Hunt gets a release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2024/Jul/15/bhavana-shaji-kailas-film-hunt-gets-a-release-date |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> | ||
| | |- | ||
| 2026 || {{pending film| Varavu}} || <ref>{{Cite web |last=Features |first=C. E. |date=2024-07-15 |title=Joju George and Shaji Kailas team up for mass action entertainer Varavu|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Aug/17/joju-george-and-shaji-kailas-team-up-for-mass-action-entertainer-varavu |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| TBA || {{pending film| Pink Police}} || | |||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
===Other credits=== | ===Other credits=== | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|1984 || ''[[Onnum Mindatha Bharya]] '' || rowspan="6" | [[Assistant director]] || | |||
|- | |- | ||
|1984 || ''[[Thathamme Poocha Poocha]]'' || | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | | rowspan="2" |1985 || ''[[Naayakan]]'' || | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Pattabhishekam (1985 film)|Pattabhishekam]]'' || | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | | rowspan="2" |1986 || ''[[Geetham]]'' || | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Snehamulla Simham]]'' || | |||
|- | |- | ||
|1988 || ''[[Padamudra (film)|Padamudra]]'' || Associate director || | |1988 || ''[[Padamudra (film)|Padamudra]]'' || Associate director || | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1989 || ''[[News (1989 film)|News]]'' || Story writer || Also director | |1989 || ''[[News (1989 film)|News]]'' || rowspan="2" | Story writer || rowspan="2" | Also director | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1991 || ''[[Kilukkampetti]]'' | |1991 || ''[[Kilukkampetti]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1999 || ''[[Ustaad (1999 film)|Ustaad]]'' || Co-producer || | |1999 || ''[[Ustaad (1999 film)|Ustaad]]'' || Co-producer || | ||
|- | |- | ||
|2006 || ''[[Baba Kalyani (film)|Baba Kalyani]]'' || | |2006 || ''[[Baba Kalyani (film)|Baba Kalyani]]'' || || rowspan="2" | Also director | ||
|- | |- | ||
|2012 || ''Simhasanam'' || Story writer | |2012 || ''[[Simhasanam (2012 film)|Simhasanam]]'' || Story writer | ||
|- | |- | ||
|2019 || ''Jananayakan'' || Judge || [[Reality TV]] show on [[Amrita TV]] | | rowspan="2" |2019 || ''Jananayakan'' || Judge || [[Reality TV]] show on [[Amrita TV]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Thakkol]]'' || Producer || | |||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 237: | Line 243: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Portal|Biography|India|Films | |||
}} | |||
* {{IMDb name|0435050|name=Shaji Kailas}} | * {{IMDb name|0435050|name=Shaji Kailas}} | ||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070319212929/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/09/16/stories/2005091601360400.htm On the trail of the 'Tiger'] | * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070319212929/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/09/16/stories/2005091601360400.htm On the trail of the 'Tiger'] | ||
| Line 249: | Line 256: | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kailas, Shaji}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Kailas, Shaji}} | ||
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]] | [[Category:Malayalam film directors]] | ||
[[Category:Film directors from Thiruvananthapuram]] | [[Category:Film directors from Thiruvananthapuram]] | ||
| Line 257: | Line 263: | ||
[[Category:Filmfare Awards South winners]] | [[Category:Filmfare Awards South winners]] | ||
[[Category:Malayalam screenwriters]] | [[Category:Malayalam screenwriters]] | ||
[[Category:Film producers from Thiruvananthapuram]] | [[Category:Film producers from Thiruvananthapuram]] | ||
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]] | [[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:29, 3 February 2026
Shaji Kailas | |
|---|---|
 Shaji in 2022 | |
| Born | 8 February 1965[1] Trivandrum, Kerala, India |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse(s) | ( m. 1996) |
| Children | 3 |
Shaji Kailas (born 8 February 1965) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in Malayalam cinema.[2] Shaji got a breakthrough with the comedy film Dr. Pasupathy (1990).[3]
He is best known for his action films with mainly focusing on political thriller and crime genres such as Thalastaanam (1992), Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans (1993), Ekalavyan (1993), Mafia (1993), Commissioner (1994), The King (1995), Aaraam Thampuran (1997), Narasimham (2000), Valliettan (2000), Kaduva and Kaapa (2022).[4]
Early and personal life[edit | edit source]
Shaji was born to Shivaraman Nair who was an executive engineer in the Kerala Public Works Department and Janakiyamma on 8 February 1965.[1]
He is married to former actress Annie. They currently reside at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India and have three sons Jagan, Sharon, and Rushin.[5]
Career[edit | edit source]
1984–1991: Early career[edit | edit source]
Shaji Kailas started his film career as assistant director under renowned writer director Balu Kiriyath in 1984. Shaji Kailas' debut as a director was in 1989 with The News, starring Suresh Gopi in the lead role. Scripted by Jagadish, this investigative thriller was a hit at the box office. With the film, Shaji succeeded in gaining attention of film viewers. But his second release Sunday 7 PM, came out in 1990 was a failure. Later in the same year, he directed Dr. Pasupathy, a political satire, with Innocent in a leading role. Dr. Pashupathi, written by Renji Panicker, ended up as one of the biggest grosser of the year. This film also marked the beginning of Shaji Kailas- Renji Panicker combo, which later went into making of several super hits. But, the success of Dr. Pashupathy was followed by Souhrudam, a romantic comedy starring Mukesh and Sai Kumar in the leading roles. His next film, Kilukkampetti, with Jayaram in the lead role was hit. After this in 1992 he switched to action films with the blockbuster Thalastaanam, which would go on to become his trademark genre.
1992–2000: Breakthrough[edit | edit source]
In the year 1992 Shaji Kailas got his first real career break. His association with Renji Panicker brought out Thalastaanam, with Suresh Gopi in the leading role. Revolved around student politics, Thalastaanam also marked the rebirth of Renji Panicker as a scriptwriter. This film also marked Suresh Gopi's first step to super stardom. The cinematography of the film was done by Ravi K. Chandran. This film also saw the rise of Narendra Prasad, who later became one of the most acclaimed villains in the Malayalam industry. In the same year Shaji Kailas tried out a comedy flick, Neelakurukkan, which was above average grosser. But in the beginning of 1993 Shaji Kailas landed up again with another blockbuster, Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans. In the same year, Ekalavyan completed a run of 150 days in the theatres & played a crucial role in elevating lead actor Suresh Gopi to superstardom.[2][6] Again in the same year, the Shaji Kailas-Renji Panicker-Suresh Gopi team returned with Mafia, a gangster film completely shot in Bangalore. It was still known for its well-choreographed action sequences that pitted against an upcoming crime boss Ravishankar portrayed by Suresh Gopi against the ever-threatening Gowda brothers portrayed by Tiger Prabhakar and Babu Antony.[2]
In 1994 Commissioner, (again with Suresh Gopi in title role) broke several box office records and went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year. In 1995, he collaborated with Mammootty for the first time in The King which was the highest grossing Malayalam film at the time and ran successfully for 200 days in several centers. A turning point in his career, the success of the film made him one of the most commercially successful and sought after directors in Malayalam film industry. In the next year, in 1997 Shaji Kailas again joined with Ranjith for a low-budget action film titled Asuravamsam, with Manoj K. Jayan, Siddique and Biju Menon in leading roles. This film was criticized by many for its gory violence. He also done some cinematography for action sequences of the film. Asuravamsam was also an average grosser. In the same year, he again joined with Ranjith to make Aaram Thamburan, a turning point in his film career. In this film, he joined with Mohanlal for the first time. This film was the highest-grossing Malayalam film at the time and was able to complete 250 days in theatres. Then came The Truth, in 1998, with Mammooty in the lead role. It was an investigative thriller. In 1999, he directed F. I. R, another action flick with his friend Suresh Gopi as the lead actor scripted by Dennis Joseph. F. I. R emerged one of the top grossers of the year.
2000–2012: Commercial stardom, decline and hiatus[edit | edit source]
In 2000, he directed two films. Narasimham, released in the first weeks of the year, with Mohanlal in the lead came Thandavam, though evoked one of the biggest initial pulls in the history of Malayalam cinema, Thandavam failed at the box office. He took a break for one year. It was at this time, Shaji again tried out his luck in Tamil with Jana in (2004).
In the year 2004 Shaji Kailas made a comeback in Malayalam with Natturajavu. With Mohanlal in lead role and, scripted by T. A. Shahid, Natturajavu was a commercial success Chinthamani Kolacase, a vigilante action thriller with Suresh Gopi in leading role and Baba Kalyani with Mohanlal released. Both were hits at the box office. However, his first film with Dileep, The Don, turned into a huge flop in 2006. The next film, But things again got lost in the same year itself. His first film with Dileep, The Don, turned into a huge flop. The next film Baba Kalyani, starring Mohanlal, was an average hit. But then came a series of flops. Time (2007), Alibhai (2007), Sound of Boot (2008), all bombed. Alibhai, was a big budget film with all leading stars in a row appeasing, but still bombed at box office. Even hard core Mohanlal fans couldn't digest the film. Then came Red Chilliess in 2009, it was a moderate success at box-office. In January 2010, Shaji Kailas directed Drona 2010, which received mixed reviews. Beginning of 2011 showcased his attempt to reclaim his position within Malayalam industry with the sequel of yesteryear mega hit August 1, August 15 which garnered heavy negative reviews from critics and audiences alike and was finally declared as another flop by Shaji Kailas. His next movie was with Mammotty and Suresh Gopi named The King and the Commissioner the movie was the next part of the yesteryear films The King and Commissioner. This movie was a hit in the box office but this movie also received a good amount of positive reviews from both the critic and the audiences.
2022: Resurgence[edit | edit source]
On 16 October 2019, it was announced that Shaji Kailas would be marking his re-entry in films after his hiatus with Kaduva, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Vivek Oberoi in the lead roles. Kaduva was released on 7 July 2022 to mixed-to-positive reviews from the critics. The film grossed around ₹50 crores and became a commercial success. He again directed Prithviraj for the third time in Kaapa, the same year, co-starring Asif Ali in the lead role. Upon release, Kaapa received mixed reviews from the critics and became an average grosser. His next directorial, Alone (2023), starring Mohanlal, was released to mixed reviews and turned out to be a box-office failure.[7]
Filmography[edit | edit source]
Director[edit | edit source]
|
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Other credits[edit | edit source]
| 1984 | Onnum Mindatha Bharya | Assistant director | |
| 1984 | Thathamme Poocha Poocha | ||
| 1985 | Naayakan | ||
| Pattabhishekam | |||
| 1986 | Geetham | ||
| Snehamulla Simham | |||
| 1988 | Padamudra | Associate director | |
| 1989 | News | Story writer | Also director |
| 1991 | Kilukkampetti | ||
| 1999 | Ustaad | Co-producer | |
| 2006 | Baba Kalyani | Also director | |
| 2012 | Simhasanam | Story writer | |
| 2019 | Jananayakan | Judge | Reality TV show on Amrita TV |
| Thakkol | Producer |
Accolades[edit | edit source]
- 1993: Best Director Malayalam – Ekalavyan
- 2000: Best Director Award – Narasimham
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 ദി കിംഗ് മേക്കര്. mangalam.com (1 December 2012). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Hindu Net Desk (15 October 2019). "Prithviraj to team up again with Ajith's 'Jana' director Shaji Kailas". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
- ↑ "Prithviraj to team up with director Shaji Kailas, shares poster of 'Kaduva'". The Week.
- ↑ "Shaji Kailas is back after 6 years!". Sify. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019.
- ↑ Mrs Shaji Kailas speaks. The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012.
- ↑ Narayanan, Nirmal (25 July 2018). "Five Malayalam movies rejected by Mammootty which turned out to be blockbusters". www.ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ↑ "Mohanlal starrer 'Alone' finishes its shoot in just 18 days!". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ↑ Features, C. E. (15 July 2024). "Bhavana-Shaji Kailas film Hunt gets a release date". Cinema Express. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ↑ Features, C. E. (15 July 2024). "Joju George and Shaji Kailas team up for mass action entertainer Varavu". Cinema Express. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
