Shyamaprasad

Shyamaprasad (born 7 November 1960) is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and actor who works in Malayalam films.

Early life and career Shyamaprasad was born on 7 November 1960 in Palakkad, Kerala, as the younger son of politician O. Rajagopal and Dr. Shantha Kumari. He was named after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh.

Shyamaprasad studied at the Basel Evangelical Mission School, Palakkad. After completing his degree in Theatre Arts from the School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur, he received the Commonwealth Scholarship in 1989 and did his Masters in Media Production at the University of Hull.

Shyamaprasad worked as an intern at the BBC and Channel 4, to Indian television and redefined the parameters of telefilms and documentaries in Malayalam Television with Doordarshan. He serves as the President (Programming) at Amrita TV. His features for TV and cinema have won him several national and state awards namely Agnisakshi and Akale, produced by Tom George Kolath, had been adjudged the best regional cinema films of the nation in 1998 and 2004.

For television, he has adapted the works of Anton Chekhov (Vivahalochana); Albert Camus (The Just); Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (Viswavikhyathamaya Mookku); Madhavikkutty (Venalinte Ozhivu); N Mohanan (Peruvazhiyile Kariyilakal); Sarah Joseph (Nilavariyunnu), N. P. Mohammed (Ullurukkam) and K. Radhakrishnan (Shamanathalam). He was awarded the Best Television Director prize for the year 1993, 1994 and 1996.

Shyamaprasad had been invited to serve twice as the jury of the National Film Awards. His 2007 production Ore Kadal, based on a Bengali novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, was chosen as the inaugural film of the Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India 2007. His film Ritu (Seasons), released in early August 2009 is seen by one reporter as the 'coming of age' of Malayalam cinema. He won the Best Director prize of the fiercely contested Kerala State Film Awards 5 times- namely for his films Agnisakshi, Akale, Elektra, Artist and Oru Njayarazhcha.

Personal life

Shyamaprasad was married to Sheeba, who died in 2023. The couple has two children, Vishnu and Sivakami. He resides in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Filmography +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released

As a director

As actor

Awards National Film Awards 1998 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam: Agnisakshi 2004 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam: Akale 2007 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam: Ore Kadal

Kerala State Film Awards 1998 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Film : Agnisakshi 1998 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Director : Agnisakshi 2004 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Film : Akale 2018 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Director : Oru Njayarazhcha 2018 – Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film : Oru Njayarazhcha 1999 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Film : Agnisakshi 1999 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Director : Agnisakshi 2007 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Film : Ore Kadal 2007 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Director : Ore Kadal

Filmfare Awards South 1999 – Filmfare Award for Best Director – Malayalam : Agnisakshi 2013 – Filmfare Award for Best Director – Malayalam : Artist

Other awards 1999 – Asianet Film Awards for Best Director : Agnisakshi 1999 – Gollapudi Srinivas Award : Agnisakshi 1999 – Aravindan Puraskaram for Best Debutant Director : Agnisakshi 2004 – Film Fans Association Awards : Akale 2004 – Mathrubhumi Film Awards for Special Jury Prize : Akale 2007 – FIPRESCI Award for Best Malayalam Film at IFFK : Ore Kadal 2007 – NETPAC Award for Best Malayalam film at IFFK : Ore Kadal 2007 – John Abraham Award for Best Malayalam Film : Ore Kadal 2007 – Malayalam Viewers Award for Best Film : Ore Kadal