Rafeeq Ahammed

Rafeeq Ahamed (born 17 December 1961) is an Indian poet, lyricist and novelist. He has won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry and is a six-time winner of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyrics. With more than 600 songs to his credit, Rafeeq Ahamed is regarded as the most successful and critically acclaimed lyricist of contemporary Malayalam films.

Early life Rafeeq Ahamed was born to Syed Sajjad Hussain and Thithayikutty on 17 December 1961 in Akkikavu, Thrissur district. He graduated in English literature from Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur.

Literary career Rafeeq Ahamed authored a number of poems. Some of his collections include Swapnavangmoolam, Paarayil Paninjathu, Aalmara and Cheettukalikkar. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 2006 for the collection Aalmara. He is also a recipient of Vyloppilli Award, Odakkuzhal Award and P. Kunhiraman Nair Award. He also authored the novel Azhukkillam which was serialised in Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly and published as a book in 2015.

Film career He started his film career through the 1999 film Garshom directed by P. T. Kunju Muhammed. His second work as a lyricist was Perumazhakkalam, directed by Kamal. It was the music director M. Jayachandran who suggested Rafeeq to Kamal, based on an experience of working with Rafeeq for the title song of a television serial Samanathaalam. Rafeeq penned the lyrics of the much acclaimed song; Rakkilithan for Perumazhakalam and has since written more than 600 songs for about 300 Malayalam films. 1990s

2000s 2010s 2020s

Awards

Literary awards Odakkuzhal Award for Rafeeq Ahammedinte Kavithakal (2014) Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Alamara (2006) Olappamanna Memorial Award for Paarayil Pathiinjathu (2000) Edappally Award Kunchupilla Award Kanakasree Award Vailoppilli Award P. Kunjiraman Nair Award (2017) Ulloor Award Swathi-Ayyappa Panicker Literary Award (2019) Padmaprabha Literary Award (2024)

Film awards