Kamaluddin Mohammed Majeed, mononymously known as Kamal, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer. He works in

Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, '' Elippat ...

. He was the former Chairman of

Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Cana ...

. Kamal made his directorial debut with the 1986 film '' Mizhineerppoovukal''. In a career spanning over three decades, Kamal has directed over forty films. His films have won various National Film Awards and Kerala State Film Awards, including films such as ''

Ulladakkam ''Ulladakkam'' () is 1991 Indian Malayalam-language psychological thriller film directed by Kamal and written by P. Balachandran from a story by Cheriyan Kalpakavadi. It stars Mohanlal, Shobana and Amala. The film, produced by Suresh Balaje ...

'' (1991), ''

Mazhayethum Munpe ''Mazhayethum Munpe (Before the Rain Comes)'' is a 1995 Malayalam romantic drama film directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mammootty, Shobhana, Annie and Sreenivasan in the lead roles. The plot is centered upon a coll ...

'' (1995), ''

Niram ''Niram'' () is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film directed by Kamal and written inspired by Sathrughnan, a story by Iqbal Kuttippuram. ''Niram'' marks the fourth and final collaboration of the leading pair, Kunchacko & Shal ...

'' (1999), ''

Madhuranombarakkattu ''Madhuranombarakattu'' () is a 2000 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Kamal and written by Raghunath Paleri, starring Biju Menon and Samyuktha Varma. The music was composed by Vidyasagar. The film won the Kerala State Film Awar ...

'' (2000), '' Meghamalhar'' (2001), '' Nammal'' (2002), '' Perumazhakkalam'' (2004), '' Karutha Pakshikal'' (2006), and ''

Celluloid Celluloids are a class of materials produced by mixing nitrocellulose and camphor, often with added dyes and other agents. Once much more common for its use as photographic film before the advent of safer methods, celluloid's common contemporar ...

'' (2013).

Personal life

Kamal was born on 28 November 1957 in

Kodungallur Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in ...

, as the eldest son of late K.M. Abdul Majeed and late Suleikhabi. He has two younger brothers. He is married to his first cousin Saburabi. They have two children, Jenuse Mohamed and Hanna Shanu. Jenuse made his debut as film director in 2015 with the Malayalam film '' 100 Days of Love''. In April 2020, reports surfaced that an aspiring Mollywood actress had sent the director a

legal notice Notice is the legal concept describing a requirement that a party be aware of legal process affecting their rights, obligations or duties. There are several types of notice: public notice (or legal notice), actual notice, constructive notice S ...

on 26 April 2019, accusing him of sexually assaulting her after promising a role in his film. Kamal said he suspected a former Chalachitra Academy employee to be behind the recent expose and termed the allegations baseless and intended to defame him.

Career

He started his career by writing the film '' Thrasam'', directed by Padiyan in 1981. He also worked as an associate director in the film. His first film was ''Mizhineer Pookkal'' in 1986 and to date, he has directed more than 43 movies, among which are two non-Malayalam movies, one each in Tamil and Hindi. Apart from his role as a director, Kamal has held several administrative posts within the Malayalam film industry. He had previously acted as the general secretary of Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA) and has been an executive member of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. He is currently the President of the Kerala Director's Union (FEFKA). His works include ''Unnikale Oru Katha Parayam, Kakkothikavile Appooppan Thadikal, Thoovalsparsham, Ghazal, Ulladakam, Ee Puzhayam Kadannu, Azhagiya Ravanan, Mazhayethum Munpe, Meghamalhar, Madhuranombarakaattu, Perumazhakkalam, Karutha Pakshikal, Khaddama'' and ''Celluloid''. His interest in film-making led him to enroll at the Kalabharathi Film Institute in

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and ...

. ''

'' (2013) is the biopic of J.C Daniel, the father of Malayalam cinema. Smitha at the entertainment site oneindia.com stated that the film is one of the best films made in recent times from Indian cinema. ''Aami'' is a biopic of poet and author Kamala Surayya."When Vidya Balan totally transformed herself into Madhavikutty"
''Malayala Manorama''. Retrieved 4 July 2016.

Filmography

As director

As producer

As Associate Director

Dialogues

Story

Awards and nominations

National Film Awards * 2013– Best Feature Film in Malayalam for ''

'' * 2007– Best Film on Family Welfare for '' Karutha Pakshikal'' * 2005– Best Film on Other Social Issues for '' Perumazhakkalam'' ;

Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State C ...

* 2013 Best Film for ''

''Kerala State Film Awards 2013 Announced: Best Actor :Prithviraj, Best Film: Celluloid – FWD Life , The Premium Lifestyle Magazine ,
Fwdlife.in (14 December 2015). Retrieved on 19 December 2016. * 2002 Best Popular Film for '' Nammal'' * 2001 Second Best Feature Film for '' Meghamalhar'' * 2001 Best Screen Play for '' Meghamalhar'' * 2000 Second Best Feature Film for ''

'' * 1995 Best Popular Film for ''

'' * 1991 Best Director for ''

'' ;

Asianet Film Awards The Asianet Film Awards is an award ceremony for films presented annually by Asianet, a Malayalam-language television network from the south-Indian state of Kerala. Asianet says that awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both art ...

* 2001: Asianet Film Award for Best Director- Meghamalhar

References

External links

* * Kamal's memoirs serialised in '' Madhyamam Weekly''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamal Living people Malayalam film directors People from Thrissur district Film directors from Thrissur Film producers from Thrissur 20th-century Indian film directors 21st-century Indian film directors Writers from Thrissur 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Malayalam screenwriters Screenwriters from Kerala Directors who won the Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award Directors who won the Best Film on Other Social Issues National Film Award Male actors from Thrissur 1957 births