Hariharan is an Indian film director who has directed over 50 Malayalam films. His movies mainly revolve around the cultural and relational aspects of a typical Keralite society. His most notable works include ''

Sharapancharam ''Sarapancharam'' () is a 1979 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Hariharan from a story by Malayattoor Ramakrishnan. It stars Jayan, Sheela, and Sathaar and Latha, with P. K. Abraham and Oduvil Unnikrishnan in suppor ...

'' (1979), ''

Panchagni ''Panchagni'' () is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language crime drama film directed by Hariharan and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The story is loosely inspired from the life of naxalite K. Ajitha who was part of the naxalite movement in Kerala ...

'' (1986), ''

Idavazhiyile Poocha Mindappoocha ''Edavazhiyile Poocha Minda Poocha'' () is a 1979 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and produced by K. C. Joy. The film stars Ambika, Srividya, M. G. Soman and Madhu. The film has musi ...

'' (1979), ''

Amrutham Gamaya ''Amrutham Gamaya'' , (translation: ''Path to immortality'') is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and produced by P. K. R. Pillai. It features Mohanlal in the lead role, along ...

'' (1987), ''

Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha ''Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha'' () is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language epic historical drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and starring Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Balan K. Nair, Captain Raju and Madhavi. The film won ...

'' (1989), '' Sargam'' (1992), '' Parinayam'' (1994) and ''

Pazhassi Raja Pazhassi Raja () (3 January 1753 – 30 November 1805) was known as Kerala Varma and was also known as Cotiote Rajah and Pychy Rajah. He was a warrior Hindu prince and de facto head of the kingdom of Kottayam, otherwise known as Cotiote, in ...

'' (2009) which has won him wide critical acclaim. In 2019, he was awarded the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Career

Hariharan studied at St. Thomas College, Thrissur and Universal Arts College,

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...

. He entered the Malayalam film industry in 1965 working as an assistant director under film director M. Krishnan Nair. His first film ''Ladies Hostel'' was released in 1973, following which a lot of films with Prem Nazir and

Madhu Madhu (Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or ''sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European ''*médʰu'', whence English '' mead''. Metaphorical use ''Madhu'' has been used for millennia si ...

were released. ''Babumon'' was one of his box office hit movies of the black and white era. He directed two major films in Actor

Jayan Krishnan Nair (25 July 1939 – 16 November 1980), better known by his stage name Jayan, was an Indian actor, naval officer, stunt performer and cultural icon of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in over 150 Malayalam films. During his film care ...

's career. His 1976 movie '' Panchami'' gave first major break to

as an actor in malayalam cinema. In 1979 another movie '' Sarapanjaram'' was released with

and

Sheela Sheela Ravichandran (Born 22 March 1945) is an Indian actress and director who appears predominantly in Malayalam cinema. Paired with Prem Nazir, they hold the Guinness World Record for acting in the largest number of films (130) together as he ...

. His films such as ''

Valarthumrugangal ''Valarthumrugangal'' () is a 1981 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by Hariharan. The film stars Ratheesh, Sukumaran, Madhavi and Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair. The film has musical score by MB Sreenivasan. Cast *Ratheesh as Chandran * ...

'', ''

Nakhakshathangal ''Nakhakshathangal'' () is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and starring Monisha, Vineeth and Saleema. Monisha, won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her role, making her ...

'', ''

'', '' Sargam'', '' Parinayam'' and ''

Ennu Swantham Janakikutty ''Ennu Swantham Janakikutty'' is a 1998 Malayalam movie, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by Hariharan. The movie features debutant Jomol in the lead role, where she won the National Film Special Jury Award. Also, K. Sampath won ...

'' have entered the Indian Panorama of International Film Festival. He has also been honored with a Diploma by the Pyongyang Film Festival of North Korea for ''Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha''. In 1993, ''Sargam'' won him the

Kerala State Award 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 Can ...

for Best Director and also

National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1975. This is one of the ''Golden ...

. The film also received special honor at the Fukuoka and Swiss film festivals. His next film, ''Parinayam'', won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and took part in about seven film festivals across the world. ''Ennu Swantham Janakikutty'' was the inaugural film at the Korean film festival (2000), and it also took part in the London film festival (2000). Apart from these recognitions he has also won Filmfare and Ramu Kariat Awards for his works on multiple occasions. In 2009, he made ''

''. It is based on the life of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, the first revolter against the British East India Company. It was written by

M. T. Vasudevan Nair Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair (born 1933 July 15 ), popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He is a prolific and versatile writer in modern Malayalam literature, and is one of the masters of post-I ...

. Later in 2011, he announced another historical film titled ''Randamoozham'' with

Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically app ...

in the lead role and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was an adaptation of his novel of the same name. It was to be produced by Gokulam Gopalan, but the project was later shelved.

Filmography

Awards

National Film Awards: * 2009 -

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of seve ...

- ''

Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja Pazhassi Raja () (3 January 1753 – 30 November 1805) was known as Kerala Varma and was also known as Cotiote Rajah and Pychy Rajah. He was a warrior Hindu prince and de facto head of the kingdom of Kottayam, otherwise known as Cotiote, in ...

'' * 1995 - National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues - '' Parinayam'' * 1993 -

- '' Sargam'' Kerala State Film Awards: * 2009 -

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. ...

- ''

'' * 1994 -

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 ...

- '' Parinayam'' * 1992 -

- '' Sargam'' * 1989 -

Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value The Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value is an award, begun in 1976, presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to the best film with popular appeal and aesthetic value in Malayalam film industry. Until 1997, the aw ...

- '' Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha'' * 1979 -

- ''

'' Filmfare Awards: * 2009 -

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

- ''

'' * 1994 -

- ''Parinayam'' * 1986 -

- ''

'' * 2019 - Filmfare Award for Lifetime Achievement Other awards * 2019 - J. C. Daniel award * 2012 - Prem Nazir Award * 1993 - V. Shantaram Award

References

External links

*
Official Website of Information and Public Relation Department of Kerala
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hariharan Living people Year of birth missing (living people) J. C. Daniel Award winners Kerala State Film Award winners Filmfare Awards South winners Directors who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award Directors who won the Best Film on Other Social Issues National Film Award Malayali people Film directors from Thrissur 21st-century Indian film directors Artists from Kozhikode Malayalam screenwriters Screenwriters from Kerala 20th-century Indian film directors Malayalam film directors