Rajeevnath is a National Award-winning Malayalam film director.[1][2]

T. Rajeevnath
Born1951
Changanassery, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
Alma materSainik School Kazhakootam
OccupationFilm director
Years active1976—present
SpouseSreekumary
ChildrenShankarnath
Vishwanath
RelativesV. Ashok Kumar (Brother)
AwardsNational Film Award for Best Direction
1998 – Janani Kerala State Film Award for Best Director
1976 – Thanal

Career

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Rajeevnath ventured into filmmaking with a short film shot in 16mm camera after finishing his university course. He debuted as a director of feature films with Thanal (1976). The film won him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director.[3] The film also won M. G. Soman his only Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor. His 1988 film Kadaltheerathu, based on the short story by O. V. Vijayan was selected for Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India. The film, made with a minuscule budget of Rs. 600,000 ($12000 as per 2012 conversion rate) was the Indian entry for Alexandria Film Festival.[4] The film received mixed reviews, though according to Rajeevnath, Vijayan himself was very impressed with the film.[3] His 1992 film Aham was made with Rs. 4.6 million, despite starring Mohanlal, one of the leading actors in the industry. His much awaited Sivaji GanesanMohanlal starrer Swarnachamaram was dropped after the almost completion of the film due to script changes.

In 1999, his film Janani, exploring maternity, was premiered in Oslo, Norway and won him the National Film Award for Best Direction.[1][4] In 2006, he planned a biopic of Mother Teresa and reportedly considered socialite Paris Hilton for the lead role.[5] He also suggested that his industry friends such as Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan would accept roles in the project.[6] The news created a furore prompting him to clarify that Hilton won't be playing Mother Teresa.[3][7] However, the film was never made. In 2007, he announced his plan to make a film titled Ezham Mudra (The Seventh Seal), starring Suresh Gopi and Mandira Bedi as a tribute to the romantic classic Casablanca (1942) in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War. This news too was extensively covered by foreign press, many reports wrongly referring to him as a "Bollywood director". This film also never materialised.[8][9][10][11] In 2008, he teamed with Mohanlal again for Pakal Nakshatrangal (Stars of the Day Light).[12] His latest was the Hindi film Anubhav: An Actor's Tale (2009), written by Anoop Menon who had also written Pakal Nakshatrangal.[13]

Filmography

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Year Film Language Notes
1976 Thanal Malayalam Kerala State Film Award for Best Director
1978 Theerangal Malayalam
1980 Sooryante Maranum Malayalam
1986 Kaveri Malayalam
1988 Kadaltheerathu Malayalam
1992 Aham Malayalam
1996 Swarnachamaram Malayalam Unreleased
1998 Janani Malayalam National Film Award for Best Director
2004 Moksham Malayalam
2008 Pakal Nakshatrangal Malayalam
2009 Anubhav Hindi
2013 David and Goliath Malayalam
2015 Rasam Malayalam
2017 Poottu Malayalam
2019 Aniyan Kunjum Thannalayathu Malayalam
2022 Head Master Malayalam Completed

References

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  1. ^ a b "Directorate of Film Festival" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  2. ^ "T.Rajeevnath". Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Rajeev Nath - John Mary - Sep 03,2007". Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  4. ^ a b Mothering A Revival – The New Indian Express
  5. ^ "Paris Hilton Eyed for Mother Teresa Role". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Paris Hilton is no Mother Teresa - Rediff.com".
  7. ^ "Paris Hilton is no Mother Teresa". Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  8. ^ Reuters Editorial (8 August 2007). "Casablanca to be remade on Indian shores". Reuters India. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "Casablanca remake to be set in India". 8 August 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  10. ^ "BBC NEWS - Entertainment - Casablanca to get Indian remake". 8 August 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  11. ^ Alexa Baracaia, Evening Standard (10 April 2012). "Bollywood's Casablanca remake". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  12. ^ "Pakal Nakshatrangal: Pakal Nakshatrangal". 27 March 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  13. ^ "Movie review: Anubhav, An Actor's Tale". 5 June 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
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