Lal Jose

Early life

Born in Valapad in Thrissur district, Kerala to Jose and Lilly. Lal Jose did his schooling at NSS KPT School and NSS College, Ottapalam. He is married to Leena. The couple have two daughters, Irene and Catherine. After completing his degree, he left for Chennai, with an aim of getting into movies. He got into the world of cinema by assisting noted director Kamal. He worked with Kamal in 16 films, from Pradheshika Varthakkal to Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu. He worked as the associate director to prominent filmmakers like Thampy Kannamthanam, Lohithadas, Harikumar, Vinayan, K. K. Haridas, and Nizar.

Film career

In 1998, he made his debut as an independent director with Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, which starred Mammootty and was scripted by Sreenivasan. Producer Siyad Koker asked Lal Jose to direct a film for him. The film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu was a success for him.

In 2002 Lal Jose, teaming up with screenwriter Ranjan Pramod, who had earlier scripted Randaam Bhavam, came up with Meesa Madhavan, which was a milestone in his career along with that of Dileep. Meesa Madhavan was a hit and established Dileep in the industry. But Lal Jose proved his critics wrong in the year 2005 with Chanthupottu, starring Dileep. The box-office success of Chanthupottu took Lal Jose's career to new heights. In 2006, Lal Jose directed Achanurangatha Veedu, a low-budget film, which failed to bring audiences to the movie halls, though it won critical appreciation.

In 2006, Jose's film Classmates was released without much publicity, with no big stars, but became the highest-grossing film in Malayalam, until its record was broken by Twenty:20 two years later. In 2007, he did Arabikkatha, with Sreenivasan in a leading role. Arabikkatha was critically and commercially a big hit. His next movie was Mulla, starring Dileep. In 2009, Lal Jose directed Neelathamara, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was a remake of the 30-year-old movie with the same name. It was accepted well by the critics and the masses. He directed a story with Mammootty as lead in Kerala Cafe in 2010. He then directed the hit film Elsamma Enna Aankutty without multistars. In 2011, he became a judge on a reality show on Surya TV called Vivel Active Fair Big Break, where the winner would be the heroine in his next movie.

Awards

;Kerala state film awards

• 2006: Best Popular Film – Classmates
• 2005: Kerala state film awards for Second Best Film – Achanurangatha Veedu
• 2012: Best Director- Ayalum Njanum Thammil
• 2012: Best Popular Film- Ayalum Njanum Thammil

;South Indian International Movie Awards

• 2013: Best Director for Ayalum Njanum Thammil
• 2013: Nominated—Best Film for Diamond Necklace

;Asianet Film Awards

• 2007: Best Director Award for Arabikkatha

;Ramu Karyat Awards

• 2010: Best Director Award for Elsamma Enna Aankutty

;Asiavision Awards

• 2013 – Asiavision Awards – Artistic Movie – Ayalum Njanum Thammil

Filmography

• All films are in Malayalam language unless otherwise noted.

As director

As second unit or assistant director

• Meenathil Thalikettu (1998) (story and associate director)
• Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu (1997) (assistant director)
• Bhoothakannadi (1997) (associate director)
• Manasam (1997) (assistant director)
• Azhakiya Ravanan (1996) (assistant director)
• Udyana Palakan (1996) (associate director)
• Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) (assistant director)
• Maanthrikam (1995) (associate director)
• Sudinam (1994) (associate director)
• Vadhu Doctoranu (1994) (associate director)
• Bhoomi Geetham (1993) (assistant director)
• Champakulam Thachan (1992) (assistant director)
• Ennodishtam Koodamo (1992) (assistant director)
• Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) (assistant director)
• Ulladakkam (1991) (assistant director)
• Pradeshika Varthakal (1989) (assistant director)

Story

• Meenathil Thalikettu (1998)
• Chandranudikkunna Dikkil (1999)

As producer

• Diamond Necklace (2012)
• Vikramadhithyan (2014)
• Nee-Na (2015)
• Solomonte Theneechakal (2022)

As distributor

• Thattathin Marayathu (2012)
• Theevram (2012)
• Diamond Necklace (2012)
• Neram (2013)
• Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum (2013)
• Thira (2013)
• Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal (2013)
• 1983 (2014)
• Homely meals (2014)
• Vikramadithyan (2014)
• KL.10 Pathu (2015)
• Action Hero Biju (2016)
• Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2016)
• • Style* (2016)
• Lens (2016)
• Aanandam (2016)
• Veeram (2017)

As actor

As Narrattor

• Vellimoonga (2014)

Television

• 2012 :Vivel Big Break (Surya TV) as Judge
• 2018 : Nayika Nayakan (Mazhavil Manorama) as Judge
• 2018 : Makkal (TV series) (Mazhavil Manorama) as himself
• 2019: Comedy Stars season 2 (asianet) as Judge
• 2022: Wife is Beautiful ( Zee Keralam) as promo voice over
• 2023:Charithram Enniloode ( Safari TV) as host

Recurring collaborators

Music composer VidyaSagar has worked on 12 films out of Lal Jose's total 22 feature-length films. Sukumari had acted on 12 films, whereas Salim Kumar in 11 and Biju Menon in 9 and Dileep, Indrajith, Jagathy Sreekumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu appeared on 7 films. Dubbing artiste Sreeja Ravi works as heroine voice for many films.

References

References

1. (16 November 2013). "On a road less taken". [[Deccan Herald]].
2. [http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/interview/88828/ നീലത്താമരയുടെ നിറവില്‍, Interview – Mathrubhumi Movies] {{webarchive. link. (19 December 2013 . Mathrubhumi.com (2010-03-13). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.)
3. [http://www.mangalam.com/life-style/success/23940 ലാല്‍ ജോസും ജീവിതവും തമ്മില്‍]. mangalam.com (2013-01-10). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
4. [http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentId=15230635&programId=1073752204&channelId=-1073750705&BV_ID=@@@&tabId=3 Manorama Online]. Manorama Online. Retrieved on 2015-06-22.
5. (31 August 2009). "Lal Jose teams with Mammootty and Sreenivasan". [[Oneindia.in]].
6. (April 2021). "A director and a hit-maker".
7. (10 July 2009). "Lal Jose – Biography". Metromatinee.
8. (25 July 2002). "Meesa mints money". [[The Hindu]].
9. link. (25 October 2013 . ''[[The Hindu]]''. Retrieved 8 November 2011.)
10. link. (25 October 2013 . ''[[The Hindu]]''. Retrieved 8 November 2011.)
11. Sreedhar Pillai. (29 September 2009). "'Classmates,' a trendsetter". [[The Hindu]].
12. (15 July 2007). "Arabikatha takes the cake". [[The Hindu]].
13. (18 July 2007). "'Arabikatha' turns out to be a success tale". [[The Hindu]].
14. P. M. (Undated). [https://web.archive.org/web/20091203140143/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/11/30/stories/2009113050760400.htm "‘Neelathamara' megahit again"]. ''[[The Hindu]]''. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
15. [http://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/mammotty-kavya-madhavan-bag-asiavision-awards-2013-11-05-1.526962 Mammotty, Kavya Madhavan bag Asiavision awards – Emirates 24. 7] {{webarchive. link. (4 March 2016 . Emirates247.com (2013-11-05). Retrieved on 2015-06-22.)
16. Soman, Deepa. (18 November 2021). "Lal Jose's next directorial tells the story of women police personnel". The Times of India.
17. (17 November 2021). "Lal Jose to give debuts for 'Nayika Nayakan' stars, film pooja held in Kochi". Onmanorama.
18. Features, C. E.. (2024-03-02). "Censor Board has 'Bharatha' removed from Oru Bharatha Sarkar Ulpannam".
19. Features, C. E.. (2024-04-06). "Althaf Salim-Anarkali Marikar starrer Mandakini gets a release date".