K. G. George

Early life

George was born to Annamma and Samuel of the Kulakkattil house in Thiruvalla. After his diploma from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, K. G. George started his film career as the assistant to director Ramu Kariat. He made his directorial debut with Swapnadanam (1975) and became a strong presence in the new 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 legendary Ramu Kariat in the celebrated Nellu 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 with Padmarajan, Bharathan and Mohan, which was a big compliment in the 1980s when most of his movies were hits.

Film career

His debut movie Swapnadanam 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 the Kerala 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 the Kerala 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 technique Adaminte Variyellu, by telling the story of unhappy marital lives and oppressions suffered by three urban women. Based on a short story by Veloor Krishnankutty, George's Panchavadi 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 film Swapnadanam and Elavamkodu Desam, he created milestones in Malayalam cinema. Seven of his movies were screened at different international festivals.

George released his memoir Flashback Enteyum Cinemayudeyum in 2012. In 2018, a documentary on the films and life of K G George named 8½ Intercuts: Life and Films of K.G. George directed by film maker Lijin Jose was released.

Death

K. G. George died at a retirement home in Kakkanad, on 24 September 2023, at the age of 77. He was undergoing treatment for a stroke. He had been a resident there for the past five years, after suffering from a massive stroke. During the last days of his life, his condition had been much worse, and the end came at 11:00 AM.

Filmography

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1975 – Best Film – Swapnadanam
• 1975 – Best Screen Play – Swapnadanam
• 1978 – Kerala State Film Award for Best film with popular appeal and aesthetic value – Rappadikalude Gatha
• 1982 – Best Film – Yavanika
• 1982 – Best Story – Yavanika
• 1983 – Second Best Film – Adaminte Variyellu
• 1983 – Best Story – Adaminte Variyellu
• 1985 – Second Best Film – Irakal
• 1985 – Best Story – Irakal
• 2015 – J. C. Daniel Award (instituted by the Kerala state government, for his lifelong contributions to cinema)

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards:

• 1982 – Best Film – Yavanika
• 1982 – Best Director – Yavanika
• 1985 – Best Director – Irakal
• 1985 – Second Best Film – Irakal
• 1987 – Second Best Film – Mattoral
• 2014 – Chalachitra Ratnam Award

Other awards:

• 1976 – Filmfare Special Award - South for Special Commendation Award for Swapnadanam
• 2015 – Master's Award from Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA)
• 2015 – Indywood Golden Frame Award for Lifetime achievement (ALIIFF)
• 2016 – Muttathu Varkey Award - Irakal
• 2017 – Vanitha Film Awards – Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2017 – CPC Cine Awards – Special Honorary Award

References

References

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2. (24 September 2023). "Influential Malayalam filmmaker K G George, who expertly bridged the gap between art house and mainstream cinema, dies at 77". Indian Express.
3. "K.G. George war with Lal and Mamooty | Cinefundas.com - One Stop Cinema Portal".
4. (24 May 2015). "Master of the middle path".
5. "The Hindu : Entertainment Thiruvananthapuram / Cinema : In search of new themes".
6. (February 2022)
7. "Cinemaofmalayalam.net".
8. (24 September 2023). "Malayalam film director KG George dies at 77". Indian Express.
9. (24 September 2023). "സംവിധായകന്‍ കെ ജി ജോര്‍ജ് അന്തരിച്ചു". [[Samayam]].
10. Cris. "Remembering Jameela Malik, who broke barriers to be first Kerala woman to study at FTII". The News Minute.
11. "State Film Awards (1969–80)". [[Kerala State Chalachitra Academy]].
12. "State Film Awards (1981–90)". [[Kerala State Chalachitra Academy]].
13. (7 September 2016). "J.C. Daniel award for K.G. George". [[The Hindu]].
14. [https://www.keralafilmcritics.com/2020/10/film-critics-awards-complete-list-from.html "കേരള ഫിലിം ക്രിട്ടിക്‌സ് അവാര്‍ഡ് 1977 - 2012"]. [[Kerala Film Critics Association]]. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
15. (6 April 2015). "Critics award for Ottaal, Iyyobinte Pusthakam". The Hindu.
16. (1980). "The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who".
17. (8 July 2015). "KG George bags inaugural FEFKA Masters Award". [[Malayala Manorama]].
18. (29 May 2016). "MUTTATHU VARKEY AWARD". The Hindu.
19. (8 February 2017). "Vanitha Film Awards 2017". International Business Times.
20. (29 January 2018). "CPC Cine Awards 2017: Fahadh Faasil & Parvathy Bag Top Honours!".