K. G. George | |
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| Born | Kulakkattil Geevarghese George (1946-05-24)24 May 1946 |
| Died | 24 September 2023(2023-09-24) (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1975–1990; 1998 |
| Notable work |
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| Spouse | Selma George |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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Kulakkattil Geevarghese George (24 May 1946 – 24 September 2023) was an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter who worked in theMalayalam cinema. He was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along withBharathan andP. Padmarajan, in the 1980s. He was awarded theJ. C. Daniel Award,Government of Kerala's highest honour for contributions to the Malayalam cinema.[1]
George made his debut withSwapnadanam (1975) which won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. His well-known films includeUlkkadal (1979),Mela (1980),Yavanika (1982),Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983),Adaminte Vaariyellu (1983),Panchavadi Palam (1984),Irakal (1986), andMattoral (1988). He was a recipient of 9Kerala State Film Awards for his various films.[2][3]
George was the founder and chairman of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA), and continued to be an executive member. He was the chairman of theKerala State Film Development Corporation.[4]
George was born to Samuel and Annamma as their eldest son on 24 May 1946 inThiruvalla.[5][2] After his diploma fromFilm and Television Institute of India (FTII),Pune, K. G. George started his film career as the assistant to directorRamu Kariat. He made his directorial debut withSwapnadanam (1975) and became a strong presence in thenew cinema movement that became active during the early 1970s. The film institute may have exposed him to the magic of cinema, but his stint as an assistant to the legendaryRamu Kariat in the celebratedNellu must have instilled in him that quality to gel cinematic norms with commercial elements. He was given the tag of a 'via media director' together withPadmarajan,Bharathan andMohan, which was a big compliment in the 1980s when most of his movies were hits.[6]
His debut movieSwapnadanam was a commercial success while maintaining its artistic quality. It was a marital psychodrama,Swapnadanam rejected all the usual song-dance numbers of popular cinema, yet succeeded in reaching the common mass. Later he turned to the middle-stream cinema and produced some of the best works of Malayalam cinema, which became highly popular with the masses. It was a commercial success as well as critically acclaimed and won several awards.Swapnadanam won theKerala State Film Award for best film. Another of his movies was released in 1980,Kolangal smithereens the common romantic concept about an interior village of Kerala filled with virtues and happiness. Here a village is shown in the clutches of wildfire of jealousy.Yavanika stands out as one of the most commercially successful, yet artistically superior films of the 1980s. In the form of a detective thriller,Yavanika explores backstage drama of a travelling drama troupe. It won theKerala State Film Award for Best Film. K. G. George uses the cinema within cinema technique for this film. With hints to the real life incident of suicide of popular actress Shobha,Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback became controversial even before its release. He used a new narrative techniqueAdaminte Variyellu, by telling the story of unhappy marital lives and oppressions suffered by three urban women. Based on a short story byVeloor Krishnankutty, George'sPanchavadi Palam is a satirical comedy with an intentionally exaggerated story line and caricature-like characters. It works almost as a political cartoon.Irakal is an in-depth exploration of the psychology of violence. A ruthless rubber baron, Mathukutty, disregards the prevailing moral standards and spawns criminal sons as well as a sexually wayward daughter, Annie. His son, Baby, is a psychotic strangler who uses a nylon wire and is eventually shot dead by his repentant father.
George's last movie was released in 1998,Elavamkodu Desam, a period movie released when mimicry movies ruled the roost. "The audience somehow did not relate to this movie," he says sadly. In between his first filmSwapnadanam andElavamkodu Desam, he created milestones in Malayalam cinema.[7] Seven of his movies were screened at different international festivals.[8]
George released his memoirFlashback Enteyum Cinemayudeyum in 2012. In 2018, a documentary on the films and life ofK G George named8½ Intercuts: Life and Films of K.G. George directed by film makerLijin Jose was released.
K. G. George died at a retirement home inKakkanad, on 24 September 2023, at the age of 77.[2] He was undergoing treatment for a stroke.[2][9] He had been a resident there for the past five years, after suffering from a massivestroke. During the last days of his life, his condition had been much worse, and the end came at 11:00 AM.
| Title | Year | Functioned as | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Story | Screenplay | Dialogues | Production | Assistant Director | Associate Director | Actor | Dubbing | ||
| Maaya | 1972 | Yes | ||||||||
| Nellu | 1974 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Swapnadanam | 1976 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Vyaamoham | 1978 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Rappadikalude Gatha | 1978 | Yes | ||||||||
| Iniyaval Urangatte | 1978 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Onappudava | 1978 | Yes | ||||||||
| Mannu | 1978 | Yes | ||||||||
| Ulkkadal | 1979 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Mela | 1980 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Kolangal | 1981 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Yavanika | 1982 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback | 1983 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Adaminte Vaariyellu | 1984 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Panchavadi Palam | 1984 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Irakal | 1985 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Kathakku Pinnil | 1987 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Mattoral | 1988 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Yaathrayude Anthyam | 1989 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Ee Kanni Koodi | 1990 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Mahanagaram | 1992 | Yes | ||||||||
| Elavamkodu Desam | 1998 | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
Kerala Film Critics Association Awards:[13]
Other awards:
| International | |
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| National | |
