Lenin Rajendran ( ml, ലെനിൻ രാജേന്ദ്രൻ) was an Indian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

who worked in

Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam' ...

. He served as the Chairman of

Kerala State Film Development Corporation Kerala State Film Development Corporation (abbreviated as KSFDC), is an organization founded by the Government of Kerala, India for promoting the film market in the state. It was founded in 1975, a period when the production of Malayalam films ...

from 2016 to January 2019.

Career

Beginning his film-making career as an assistant to director

P. A. Backer P. A. Backer ( ml, പി.എ. ബക്കർ; 1940 – 22 November 1993) was one of the new-wave Malayalam film directors of the 1970s and 1980s. Life sketch Backer was born in 1940 to Ahamed Musliar and Fathima of Kanippayyoor near Kunnamkul ...

, Rajendran made his directorial debut with ''Venal'' (1982). From his first film to his latest one,

Edavappathy ''Edavappathy'' () is a 2016 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Lenin Rajendran. It deals with the story of the mental conflicts of a Tibetan Buddhist priest. Siddharth Lama plays the male lead with Utthara Unni opposit ...

(2016), Rajendran has been consistent with the quality of his films, not surrendering to market forces even while using the form and stars of popular cinema. An active member of the

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

party, Rajendran at times integrated his political orientation into his screen work: his 1985 film ''Meenamasithile Sooryan'' was about the anti-feudal upheaval of the 1940s in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

from a

viewpoint. ''

Swathi Thirunal ( ml, സ്വാതി തിരുനാള്‍ രാമവർമ്മ) (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He is also considered as a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 40 ...

'' (1987), a period film was a biographical work of a 19th-century

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...

, better known as a musical composer. While ''

Daivathinte Vikrithikal ''Daivathinte Vikrithikal'' () is a 1992 Malayalam-language film co-written and directed by Lenin Rajendran based on M. Mukundan's novel of the same name. The film tells the story of Alphonso, a man who chooses to suffer a slow, torturous lif ...

'' (1992) was the cinematic adaptation of M. Mukundan's novel of the same name, ''Kulam'' (1997) was a loose adaptation of C. V. Raman Pillai's historical novel '' Marthandavarma'', ''

Mazha ''Mazha'' () is a 2000 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Lenin Rajendran based on the short story ''Nashtappetta Neelambari'' by Madhavikkutty. It stars Biju Menon, Samyuktha Varma and Lal. The music was composed by ...

'' (2001) was adapted from Madhavikutty's Nashtapetta Neelambhari. One of his other films, ''Anyar'' (2003) deals with the hot topic of communal polarisation in Kerala. His other films are ''

Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla ''Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla'' is a 1983 Malayalam crime film, directed by Lenin Rajendran, starring Sreenivasan, Maniyanpilla Raju, Vijay Menon and Prem Nazir in the lead roles. The movie also shows the Kerala society and its political leadersh ...

'' (1983), ''Puravrutham'' (1988), and ''

Vachanam Vachanam is a 1990 Malayalam movie directed by Lenin Rajendran. Starring: Jayaram, Suresh Gopi, Sithara, Charuhasan.The filim has musical score compossed by Mohan Sithara.This movie depict the mystery and workship. The movie is a perfect commerc ...

'' (1989).

Death

Lenin Rajendran died on 14 January 2019 in Apollo Hospital Chennai after a liver transplant, at the age of 67. At the time of his death, he was continuing as the Chairman of the Kerala Film Development Corporation. His dead body was taken back to his native place, and was cremated with full state honours. He is survived by his wife Dr. Ramani, son Gouthaman and daughter Parvathi.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...

* 1987 -

Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury Award) The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Ch ...

Swathi Thirunal (film) ''Swathi Thirunal '' is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language biographical film co-written and directed by Lenin Rajendran. The film is based on the life of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore. It stars Anant Nag in the title ro ...

* 1992 -

Kerala State Film Award for Best Film The Kerala State Film Award for Best Film is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to the best film in Malayalam cinema. The awards are managed directly by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy under the Department ...

* 1996 - Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value : Kulam * 2006 -

Kerala State Film Award for Best Director The Kerala State Film Award for Best Director is an honour presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India since 1969. It is given to a film director who has exhibited outstanding direction while working in the Malayalam film industry. ...

Rathri Mazha ''Rathri Mazha'' is a 2007 Indian Malayalam-language film by Lenin Rajendran starring Vineeth and Meera Jasmine in lead roles. Rathri Mazha was chosen as one of the Indian entries for the Asian, African and Latin American Competition segment of ...

* 2010 -

Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film The Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to the second best film in Malayalam cinema. The awards are managed directly by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy under ...

:''

Makaramanju ''Makaramanju'' ( en, The Mist of Capricorn, italic=yes) is a 2011 Malayalam language romantic drama film written and directed by Lenin Rajendran. The film is about celebrated painter Raja Ravi Varma's life at a certain stage in his life. It als ...

International Film Festival of Kerala The International Film Festival of Kerala (abbreviated as IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy ...

*2010 - FIPRESCI Prize for Best Malayalam Film - ''

'' ; Kerala State Television Awards * 1999 - Second Best Teleserial: Balyakalasmaranakal * 2011 - Best Documentary (Biography): Kaviyoor Revamma ;

Kerala Film Critics Award The Kerala Film Critics Association Awards are presented annually by the Kerala Film Critics Association to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Malayalam language film industry of India. The awards were instit ...

* 2003 - Special Jury Award : Anyar * 2006 - Second Best Film :

* 2010 - Second Best Film :

* 2015 - Best Screenplay :

Filmography

Dirctor Lenin Rajendran with the cast of Malayalam film Ratri Mazha of Indian Panaorama at presentation on 24

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rajendran, Lenin 2019 deaths Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from Kerala Kerala State Film Award winners Malayalam film directors Film directors from Thiruvananthapuram Indian Communist writers Malayalam screenwriters Screenwriters from Thiruvananthapuram 20th-century Indian film directors 20th-century Indian politicians 21st-century Indian politicians 21st-century Indian film directors 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Politicians from Thiruvananthapuram 1951 births