THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned filmmaker Shaji N Karun, who passed away in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, left an indelible mark on the Malayalam film industry. The founding chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Shaji initiated the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) as a competitive and highly acclaimed global event. The event gained recognition from the International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF) because of his relentless effort.
The current chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Prem Kumar, said Shaji was instrumental in shaping the IFFK. “He helped elevate the festival’s status on the global stage. I considered him my mentor. After joining the academy, I had the opportunity to work with him and we shared a warm relationship. His demise is a huge loss for the Chalachitra Academy,” said Prem Kumar.
According to him, Shaji maintained contacts with people across the world and helped the academy select movies for IFFK. “He was even involved in deciding the guests to be invited for the festival,” Prem Kumar added.