Mahesh Narayanan (born 2 May 1982) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, editor and cinematographer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema, he has also worked in Tamil and Hindi films. He is a recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director (2017) and Kerala State Film Award for Best Director (2022).
Mahesh Narayanan | |
|---|---|
 Mahesh in 2011 | |
| Born | 2 May 1982 Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse | Ramya |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | |
He is best known for his editing in Vishwaroopam and Vishwaroopam II, directed by Kamal Haasan. His best works as a director include Take Off (2017) C U Soon (2020) Malik (2021) and Ariyippu (2022)
Career
editAfter completing his graduation from University College Thiruvananthapuram; he joined M.G.R. Government Film and Television Training Institute in Tamil Nadu after which he started working as an advert editor. He subsequently progressed to editing documentaries, short films and entered the film industry with Rathri Mazha, a Malayalam film which won five Kerala State Film Awards.[1]
A few of his most popular films as an editor includes Beautiful, Traffic, Kanyaka Talkies, Viswaroopam, and Ennu Ninte Moideen. After establishing himself as an accomplished and successful editor, Mahesh ventured into writing and made his debut as a writer with 2015 Malayalam film Mili, which opened to rave reviews in Kerala.
In 2017 Mahesh Narayanan progressed into film-making directing his debut feature Take Off,[2] a 2017 Indian drama thriller film, based on the ordeal of Indian nurses in the city of Tikrit, Iraq, in 2014 with Parvathy Thiruvothu, Kunchacko Boban and Fahadh Faasil starring in the lead roles. It is written by Mahesh Narayanan and P. V. Shajikumar. The film was shot in various parts of Dubai and Kerala. Take Off was released on 24 March 2017. The film was a blockbuster at the box office grossing ₹40 crore and running for over 125 days in theaters. The film was in the competition section at various international festivals, including International Film Festival of India and International Film Festival of Kerala. The film won a Special Jury Award at the 48th International Film Festival of India. The film won five Kerala State Awards including the Best Debut Director's Award for Mahesh Narayanan.
In June 2020, Mahesh Narayanan announced that his next venture would be en experimental one titled C U Soon, starring Fahadh Faasil in a lead role. Mahesh described the film as a small exercise using an iPhone rather than a feature film. It was also revealed that the film would be about 60–65 minutes (the final release time amounted to 1h 38min) in length, and shot in Faasil's flat. Although the film got approval from the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) was opposed to the shoot with regards to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, filming was successfully completed on 21 August. Upon its OTT release in Amazon prime Video the film received positive reviews from the critics. It is India's first computer screen film.[3] C U Soon was screened under the category of screen-life at the 42nd Moscow International Film Festival[4]
Personal life
editMahesh Narayanan was born in Thiruvananthapuram to Dr. Geetha and Narayanan. He has a younger brother named Dr.Ganesh Narayanan. He is married to Ramya and has one daughter.
Awards
edit- 2023: Kerala State Film Award for Best Director -Ariyippu[5][6]
- Special Jury, Silver Peacock Award at IFFI 2017[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
- 65th National Film Awards, Special Mention for Take Off[14][15][16][17][18]
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director[19][20]
- Best Screenplay Award at SCO Film Festival, Qingdao, China[21][22]
- Audience Choice Award at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 2018[23][24][25]
- Vanitha Film Awards 2018 – Best Movie – Take Off[26]
- Asiavision Award 2017 for the Best Director – Take Off[27]
- Asianet Film Award 2018 for Best Director – Take Off[28]
- Asianet Film Awards 2015 for Best Editor – Ennu Ninte Moideen
- 9th South Indian International Movie Awards for Best Director – C U Soon
- 10th South Indian International Movie Awards for Best Director – Malik
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Editor | Director | Screenwriter | Cinematographer | Producer | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Rathri Mazha | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| 2008 | Positive | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Phir Kabhi | Yes | No | No | Hindi | ||||
| 2009 | Kavya's Diary | Yes | No | No | Telugu | |||
| 16 mm: Memories, Movement and a Machine | Yes | No | No | English | ||||
| Gulumaal: The Escape | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2010 | Plus Two | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Pokkiri Raja | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Kaaryasthan | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2011 | Makaramanju | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Seniors | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| A Pestering Journey | Yes | No | No | English | ||||
| The Metro | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Three Kings | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Karayilekku Oru Kadal Dooram | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Beautiful | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Traffic | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2012 | Mallu Singh | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Mr. Marumakan | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Casanovva | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Trivandrum Lodge | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2013 | Natholi Oru Cheriya Meenalla | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Kammath & Kammath | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Chennaiyil Oru Naal | Yes | No | No | Tamil | ||||
| Olipporu | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Vishwaroopam | Yes | No | No | Tamil Hindi |
Best Editor at Jagran Film Festival 2013 | |||
| Mumbai Police | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Sound Thoma | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2014 | How Old Are You? | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Cousins | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2015 | Mili | Yes | No | Yes | Malayalam | Also Writer | ||
| 36 Vayadhinile | Yes | No | No | Tamil | ||||
| Nirnayakam | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Love 24x7 | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Ennu Ninte Moideen | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| 2016 | Traffic | Yes | No | No | Hindi | |||
| 2017 | Udaharanam Sujatha | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Take Off | Yes | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director | |||
| 2018 | B.Tech | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Abrahaminte Santhathikal | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Vishwaroopam II | Yes | No | No | Tamil Hindi |
||||
| 2019 | Uyare | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| 2020 | C U Soon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | Amazon Prime Film | |
| 2021 | Aarkkariyam | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | |||
| Nayattu | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | ||||
| Mālik | Yes | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | Amazon Prime Film | |||
| 2022 | Malayankunju | No | No | Yes | Yes | Malayalam | ||
| Ariyippu | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Malayalam | Co-Producing with Udaya Pictures and shebin backer | |
| 2024 | Manorathangal | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Malayalam | Segment: Sherleck |
| TBA | Phantom Hospital † | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Hindi | Hindi Debut directing;
Co-Writing with Akash Mohimen |
References
edit- ^ Sathyendran, Nita (22 November 2013). "Right cut". The Hindu.
- ^ "Mahesh Narayanan's directorial debut is titled Take off - Times of India".
- ^ "India's 'lockdown film' is an edgy thriller".
- ^ "Московский Международный кинофестиваль".
- ^ "മമ്മൂട്ടി നടൻ, വിൻസി നടി, മഹേഷ് നാരായണൻ സംവിധായകൻ: അവാർഡുകൾ വാരിക്കൂട്ടി 'ന്നാ താൻ കേസ് കൊട്' - Kerala Film Awards". Manorma Online News. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "53rd Kerala State Film Awards: Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam named Best Film; Mammootty, Vincy Aloshious, Mahesh Narayanan bag top honours". Indian Express. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "Take Off's win at IFFI is a recognition for tales rooted in reality: Mahesh Narayanan". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "IFFI: French film on AIDS wins Golden Peacock, Malayalam film Take Off bags two Silver Peacocks". Hindustan Times. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.[dead link]
- ^ Kamat, Prakash (28 November 2017). "'120 BPM' wins Golden Peacock at IFFI 2017". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "IFFI 2017: Parvathy, first Malayalam actor to win the silver peacock, gets emotional on stage". The Indian Express. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ Delhi (28 November 2017). "120 Beats Per Minute wins the Golden Peacock at IFFI 2017". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Take Off's win at IFFI is a recognition for tales rooted in reality: Mahesh Narayanan". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "France's '120 Beats Per Minute' wins Golden Peacock at IFFI". The Economic Times. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "65th National Film Awards announcement: Highlights". The Indian Express. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "National Film Awards: Newton, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, Take Off receive awards". The Week. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Bhayanakam, Thondimuthulem Driksashiyum, Take Off win big at National Awards". Hindustan Times. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "National film awards: Jury praises standard of Malayalam films and quality of acting". The News Minute. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "National Film Awards 2018: Newton Wins Big, Sridevi and Vinod Khanna Honoured". The Better India. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Kerala State Film Awards 2018: Parvathy, Indrans bag top honours; Take Off emerges as the big winner". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Kerala State Film Awards 2017: Indrans, Parvathy and Lijo Jose Pellissery bag top honours". The Indian Express. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Golden Seagull Awards presented at first SCO film festival – Xinhua | English.news.cn". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Golden Seagull Awards presented at first SCO film festival – China.org.cn". china.org.cn. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Take Off wins Audience Choice Award at IFFLA, Los Angeles". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ Brockington, Ariana (17 April 2018). "'Village Rockstars,' 'Lovesick' Among Winners at 2018 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles". Variety. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Assamese language film Village Rockstars takes the Best Feature prize at 16th annual IFFLA". diyatvusa.com. 18 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Vanitha Film Awards 2018: Here are the winners". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ James, Anu. "Asiavision Movie Awards 2017: Deepika Padukone, Dulquer Salmaan, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas grace event [PHOTOS]". International Business Times, India Edition. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Watch: Mollywood's who's who attend 20th Asianet Film Awards". The News Minute. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.