THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The encouragement he received from veteran journalist, author, critic and screenplay writer S Jayachandran Nair led to his transformation from cameraman to director, filmmaker Shaji N Karun said on Friday.
Speaking at the commemoration meet organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, Shaji said Nair had taken the risk to mobilise funds for his films Piravi and Swaham.
The films won several awards and were also screened at the Cannes, said Shaji, who is also the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.
In his address, novelist George Onakkoor remembered Nair as a caring figure in his life. Former speaker M Vijayakumar said Nair was a rare personality who mentored several youngsters in politics and literature. Nair discovered and encouraged the poet in him, said former minister Pandalam Sudhakaran.
CPI leader Pannian Raveendran said Nair attempted novelties in the literary field, while critic P K Rajasekharan said M T Vasudevan Nair and S Jayachandran Nair led the northern and southern schools in Kerala’s literary field. C Anoop and Georgekutty also spoke. Press Club president P R Praveen presided over and secretary M Radhakrishnan read out the condolence message.