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Priyadarshan

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Priyadarshan
Born
Priyadarshan Soman Nair

(1957-01-30) 30 January 1957 (age 68)
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
Years active1982–present
WorksFull list
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 2016)​
Children2; including Kalyani Priyadarshan
HonoursPadma Shri (2012)
Websitedirectorpriyadarshan.com

Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957)[1] is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He has worked primarily Malayalam and Hindi cinema since 1982, directing over 90 films in multiple Indian languages, with notable works in Tamil and Telugu. He has received several accolades, including three National Film Awards, multiple Kerala State Film Awards, and the Padma Shri in 2012.

Career

[edit]

Priyadarshan began his cinematic journey in the early 1980s, primarily working in Malayalam cinema. He directed several notable films during this period, including Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu (1986), Thalavattam (1986), Vellanakalude Nadu (1988), Chithram (1988), Vandanam (1989), and Kilukkam (1991). Throughout the 1990s, he continued directing successful films such as Abhimanyu (1991), Mithunam (1993), Thenmavin Kombath (1994), Kaalapaani (1996), Chandralekha (1997), and Megham (1999).

While working in Malayalam cinema, Priyadarshan also made his foray into Bollywood with Gardish (1994) and Virasat (1997), both of which were critically acclaimed. In the 2000s, he gained widespread recognition in Bollywood for his Hindi adaptations of Malayalam films, particularly in the comedy genre. Some of his most notable Bollywood films include Hera Pheri (2000), Hungama (2003), Hulchul (2004), Garam Masala (2005), Bhagam Bhag (2006), Chup Chup Ke (2006), Dhol (2007), De Dana Dan (2009), and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2008).[2][3]

In 2013, Priyadarshan announced that Rangrezz would be his last Hindi film for the time being, as he shifted his focus back to Malayalam cinema.[4]

Early life

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Priyadarshan received his early education at the Government Model School in Thiruvananthapuram, and later a Master of Arts in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram.[5] His father, a college librarian, nurtured his love for literature, which led to a passion for storytelling. He was an avid reader in his teens, and during college, he began writing short plays and skits for All India Radio. He was influenced by the films of director P. Venu. His friends during this time included Mohanlal, M. G. Sreekumar, Suresh Kumar, Sanal Kumar, Jagadish, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Ashok Kumar. Mohanlal entered the film industry, and his friends followed him to Chennai in search of opportunities. With Mohanlal's help, Priyadarshan worked as an assistant scriptwriter on a few films and began writing his own scripts, some of which became successful. Eventually, he returned to Kerala.[6]

Though he initially aspired to become a cricketer, an eye injury shifted his focus toward filmmaking.[7]

Film career

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Priyadarshan has been active in Indian cinema since 1984 as a director and screenwriter, directing over 95 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu.

1984–1987

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In 1984, Priyadarshan made his directorial debut with Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, a slapstick comedy produced by his friends Suresh Kumar and Sanal Kumar, with financial backing from Thiruvenkadam. Mohanlal, who had become a well-known actor by then, starred alongside Shankar as the parallel lead. The film received critical acclaim and became a commercial success, running for 100 days in Kerala theaters.[8]

Following this success, Priyadarshan continued making comedies, directing Odaruthammava Aalariyam and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil. He then experimented with a family thriller, Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya, starring Mammootty and Shankar. His first film without Mohanlal, Punnaram Cholli Cholli, was followed by Boeing Boeing and Aram + Aram = Kinnaram, both of which were well received.

However, Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil, despite featuring hit songs, failed at the box office. He regained success with Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi, and Dheem Tharikida Thom. The family drama Thalavattam established him as a director capable of handling serious themes, further strengthening his position in the Malayalam film industry.

During this period, Priyadarshan also directed a Tamil film, Chinnamanikkuyile, which remained unreleased. Meanwhile, his Malayalam film Cheppu achieved commercial success.

He then made Punnaram Cholli Cholli, his first film without Mohanlal, followed by Boeing Boeing and Aram + Aram = Kinnaram. He was later criticised for Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil. Despite hit songs, the film flopped. However, Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi and Dheem Tharikida Thom were successful. Priyadarshan gained recognition as a serious director with the successful family drama Thalavattam. His Tamil film Chinnamanikkuyile remained unreleased, while his work in Malayalam continued with Cheppu, which was a success.[9]

1988–1998

[edit]

In 1988, Priyadarshan directed multiple films that contributed to his growing recognition in Indian cinema. Vellanakalude Nadu, scripted by Sreenivasan and starring Mohanlal, tackled themes of corruption and land mafia, becoming a significant film in his career. He then directed Aryan, an action film written by T. Damodaran, which depicted the Mumbai underworld and achieved commercial success, running for over 150 days in theaters.[10]

That same year, Chithram, a comedy-drama starring Mohanlal, was released. The film ran for 366 days in theaters, setting box office records at the time, later surpassed by his own film Kilukkam in 1991.[10] Priyadarshan's other releases in 1988 included Oru Muthassi Katha and Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu. However, he faced setbacks in 1990 with Kadathanadan Ambadi and Akkare Akkare Akkare, which did not perform well commercially.

In 1991, Kilukkam, starring Mohanlal, Jagathi Sreekumar, and Revathi, became a box office success, further cementing Priyadarshan's reputation. His subsequent films, Abhimanyu (1991), Advaitham (1992), and Thenmavin Kombathu (1994), all ran for over 100 days in theaters.[11] Midhunam (1993) and Minnaram (1994) also received positive responses from audiences.

Priyadarshan expanded into Tamil cinema when he was invited by M. Karunanidhi to direct Gopura Vasalile for his son's production house. In 1991, he directed his first Telugu film, Nirnayam, when actor Nagarjuna approached him to remake the Malayalam film Vandanam. He made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with Muskurahat, a remake of Kilukkam, though it failed at the box office.[12]

In 1993, Priyadarshan returned to Bollywood with Gardish, an adaptation of the Malayalam film Kireedom, written by A. K. Lohithadas. In 1994, he directed his second and, to date, last Telugu film, Gandeevam, starring Balakrishna. He gained national recognition in 1996 when he directed the Miss World pageant held in Bangalore. That same year, he released Kalapani, a period drama about India's independence struggle, scripted by T. Damodaran. The film, starring Mohanlal, Tabu, Prabhu, and Amrish Puri, was originally made in Malayalam and later dubbed into Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Kalapani won multiple awards and was widely praised for its historical narrative and cinematography.[13]

In 1997, Priyadarshan directed two commercially successful films: Chandralekha in Malayalam and Virasat in Hindi, the latter being an adaptation of Bharathan’s Tamil film Thevar Magan. In 1998, he directed three Hindi films—Saat Rang Ke Sapne (a remake of Thenmavin Kombathu), Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (inspired by Aniyathi Pravu), and Kabhi Na Kabhi—all of which underperformed at the box office. In 1999, he collaborated with Mammootty for Megham, marking their first film together in several years.

2000–2016

[edit]

In 2000, Priyadarshan directed Hera Pheri, a Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989). The film, starring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Tabu, and Paresh Rawal, became a box office success and is regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema. It also marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar,[14] while Paresh Rawal became a regular in many of his subsequent films.[15]

Following Hera Pheri, Priyadarshan directed several Hindi films, including Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar, Hungama, Hulchul, Garam Masala, and Kyon Ki. In 2000, he also directed Raakilipattu, a bilingual Malayalam-Tamil thriller (Snegithiye in Tamil), starring Tabu and Jyothika. Adapted from the Marathi film Bindhaast, the film was notable for its all-female cast and received critical acclaim. While the Tamil version was released in 2000, the Malayalam version and a dubbed Hindi version (Friendship) were released in 2007.[16][17]

Priyadarshan's English-language epic period film titled The Last Revolutionary, produced by 20th Century Fox and based on the life of Indian freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad, was planned for filming in 2001 but was eventually shelved..[18][19] During this time, Kamal Haasan was working on Anbe Sivam and approached Priyadarshan to direct it. Pre-production commenced, but Priyadarshan left the project due to creative differences, leading to Sundar C. taking over as director. In 2001, Priyadarshan directed the comedy film Kakkakuyil, reuniting Mohanlal and Mukesh, a successful duo from the 1980s and 1990s. The film became a box-office hit. However, his next two Malayalam films, Kilichundan Mampazham (2003) and Vettam (2004), had only an average performance at the box office, prompting him to shift focus toward Bollywood. In Hindi cinema, Priyadarshan maintained his success with films such as Chup Chup Ke, Bhagam Bhag, Malamaal Weekly, Dhol, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, De Dana Dan, and Mere Baap Pehle Aap. However, subsequent films like Billu, Bumm Bumm Bole, Khatta Meeta, Aakrosh, and Tezz did not meet expectations at the box office. His 2013 film Rangrezz also failed commercially.

Priyadarshan released Kanchivaram, a film about weavers in Kanchipuram. Prakash Raj won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2008 for his performance. Kanchivaram also won awards at film festivals.[20]

Returning to Malayalam cinema, Priyadarshan directed Arabeem Ottakom P. Madhavan Nayarum in Oru Marubhoomikkadha, starring Mohanlal. However, his subsequent films Geethaanjali (2013) and Aamayum Muyalum (2014) were box-office failures.

Priyadarshan promoting Rangrezz with Jackky Bhagnani and Priya Anand in 2013

In late 2015, Priyadarshan announced a crime thriller in Malayalam with Mohanlal.[21][22] The production was confirmed, and the title Oppam was announced in December 2015. Due to weather constraints in Russia, another big-budget Mohanlal film was delayed, allowing Priyadarshan to begin work on Oppam.[23] The screenplay and dialogues, written by Priyadarshan based on a story by Govind Vijayan, received positive reviews[24] and became a blockbuster, breaking records[25] and becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year within 16 days of release.[26]

Priyadarshan at 46th International Film Festival of India in 2015

2018–present

[edit]

In early 2018, Priyadarshan began pre-production on Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, a Malayalam-language historical period film set in the 16th century. The film, starring Mohanlal, is based on the battle exploits of Kunjali Marakkar IV—the naval chieftain of the Zamorin of Calicut who organized the first naval defense of the Indian coast by safeguarding Calicut from Portuguese invasion for almost a century. The film was released on December 2, 2021, and while it received mixed reviews, it failed at the box office due to its high production costs.

Before the release of Marakkar, Priyadarshan directed a spiritual sequel to his 2003 Hindi film Hungama, titled Hungama 2. Released directly on 23 July 2021 on Disney+ Hotstar, the film received negative reviews. It was loosely based on Priyadarshan's 1994 Malayalam film Minnaram.[27]

In 2023, Priyadarshan produced and directed Corona Papers, a Malayalam film starring Shane Nigam. The film, an official remake of the Tamil film 8 Thottakkal (inspired by Akira Kurosawa's 1949 Stray Dog), was released on April 6, 2023. It received positive reviews and was a moderate success at the box office.[28]

In the same year, Priyadarshan directed the Tamil film Appatha, starring Urvashi in the lead role. Released directly on 29 July 2023 on JioCinema, the film was celebrated as Urvashi's 700th project and was showcased at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Film Festival.[29][30][31]

In 2024, Priyadarshan announced the release of Bhooth Bangla, a horror-comedy film starring Akshay Kumar, marking their long-awaited collaboration after 14 years.[32] Priyadarshan is also reportedly directing two Hindi films in 2024, including a remake of his Malayalam film Oppam, featuring Saif Ali Khan.[33]

Other work

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Priyadarshan has also directed numerous advertisement films for brands such as Coca-Cola, American Express, Nokia, Parker Pens, Asian Paints, Kinley, and Max New York Life Insurance.[34]

Frequent collaborators

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Priyadarshan has frequently collaborated with actors. This includes:

Malayalam Collaborators:

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His Hindi collaborations include:

[edit]

Filmography

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Main article: Priyadarshan filmography

Personal life

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He married actress Lissy on 13 December 1990.[35] They have two children, actress Kalyani and Sidharth.[36][37] The couple divorced on 1 September 2016, after 26 years of marriage.[38]

Awards and honours

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Priyadarshan has received numerous awards from both the State and Central governments, as well as from various film organizations. He has won the prestigious National Film Award three times and has been recognized for his exceptional contributions to Indian cinema.

National Film Awards:

[edit]
  • 2007: Best Feature Film – Kanchivaram (Golden Lotus)
  • 2007: Best Feature Film (Producer) – Kanchivaram (Golden Lotus)
  • 2019: Best Director – Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Golden Lotus)[39]
  • 2019: Best Feature Film – Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Golden Lotus)[39]
  • 1996: Best Art Direction – Kalapani (Sabu Cyril)
  • 1996: Best Cinematography – Kalapani (Santosh Sivan)

Civilian Awards:

[edit]

Kerala State Film Awards:

[edit]
  • 1994: Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value – Thenmavin Kombathu
  • 1995: Second Best Film – Kaalapani

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards:

[edit]
  • 1991: Best Popular Film – Kilukkam[41]
  • 2016: Best Film – Oppam[42]
  • 2016: Best Director – Oppam[42]

Filmfare Awards:

[edit]
  • 1997: Best Film (Critics) – Virasat
  • 2009: Best Director (Tamil) – Kanchivaram

Other Awards and Honours

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Special Recognitions:

[edit]

Academic and Institutional Recognitions:

[edit]
  • 2013: Excellence Award – Hindustan University, Chennai
  • 2011-2014: Chairman – Kerala State Chalachithra Academy
  • 2011-2014: Director – International Film Festival of Kerala

Government Appointments:

[edit]
  • 2019: Chairperson – Feature Films Jury, 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
  • 2016: Central Jury Chairperson – 64th National Awards (President's Award for 2016)
Sports and Social Contributions:
  • Columnist – Malayala Manorama Newspaper(for international cricket matches in Kerala)
  • Chairperson – Committee of Ceremonies, 35th National Games (2015)
  • Director – Rising Star Outreach of India (2014-2019)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Happy Birthday Priyadarshan: Mohanlal, Riteish Deshmukh, and others wish Nimir director". The Indian Express. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Priyadarshan birthday special: Top 10 comedy movies starring Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapoor and more that you can watch again and again". 30 January 2023.
  3. ^ "9 Priyadarshan Movies That Are So Funny You Won't Even Want to Pause for a Second". 24 August 2024.
  4. ^ "'Kamaal Dhamaal...' was a mistake: Priyadarshan". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013.
  5. ^ "University College, Thiruvananthapuram – University College, Thiruvananthapuram". 3 December 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  6. ^ "Trivandrum days". The Hindu. 29 January 2010. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  7. ^ "What made Priyadarshan give up cricket?". The Times of India. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  8. ^ "#FilmyFriday! Poochakkoru Mookkuthi: A screwball comedy that will leave you glued to your screens!". The Times of India. 18 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Priyadarshan – the man at 66, and the director at 39". The Indian Express. 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Priyan and I share a special bond: Mohanlal". The Times of India. 24 January 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  11. ^ "25 Years Of Kilukkam: Some Interesting Facts About The Film!". https://www.filmibeat.com. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2025. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  12. ^ Muskurahat (1992) - User reviews - IMDb. Retrieved 30 March 2025 – via www.imdb.com.
  13. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20230404130411/http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/74_43rdNfacatalogue.pdf
  14. ^ "Revisiting Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan's iconic collaborations". English.Mathrubhumi. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Hera Pheri - Movie - Box Office India". www.boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Snegithiye (2000)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  17. ^ "Howzzat? Priyan film releases and goes unnoticed!". Archived from the original on 13 June 2011.
  18. ^ "rediff.com, Movies:'I'm a greedy filmmaker':Priyadarshan". rediff.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Bachchan Jr to star in international project". The Times of India. 12 August 2001. Archived from the original on 13 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  20. ^ "‘Kanchivaram’ wins national award for best feature film". The Hindu. 7 September 2009. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  21. ^ Menon, Akhila (6 November 2015). "WHAT! Mohanlal Says No To Priyadarshan?". Filmibeat. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  22. ^ Vikram, Raj (6 November 2015). "Mohanlal to play a blind man in Priyadarshan's 73 rd movie". Metromatinee.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  23. ^ James, Anu (15 December 2015). "Mohanlal-Priyadarshan to join hands for small budget film before Russian project?". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  24. ^ James, Anu (9 September 2016). "'Oppam' critics review: Comeback movie of Mohanlal, Priyadarshan duo". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  25. ^ "Oppam Box Office Collection: 6 Records Broken by the Mohanlal Starrer!". filmibeat.com. 28 September 2016. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Oppam Beats Jacobinte Swargarajyam to be the Biggest Hit of 2016!". Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  27. ^ "Shilpa Shetty's Hungama 2 to premiere on Disney+Hotstar on July 23". 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Corona Papers Review | an Elaborate and Restructured Version of 8 Thottakkal with a Superb Sidhique". 6 April 2023. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Urvasi's 700th film 'Appatha' to be screened at the Shangai Cooperation Organisation Film Festival". The Times of India. 27 January 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Urvashi's 700th film 'Appatha' premieres directly on OTT from July 29". The Times of India. 24 July 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  31. ^ "Priyadarshan's 'Appatha' to open Shanghai Cooperation Organisation film festival". India Today. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  32. ^ "Akshay Kumar begins filming of Bhooth Bangla, to release in 2026". India Today. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  33. ^ "Scoop: Saif Ali Khan, Priyadarshan Finalise Script For Film Inspired By Mohanlal's Oppam". Times Now. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  34. ^ Priyadarshan – Director's Reel. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2016 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ "Lissy Priyadarshan, on her husband". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  36. ^ "Kalyani Priyadarshan on why Hello is the best film that has happened to her career". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  37. ^ Unni, K. Warrier. "Never thought Sidharth had movies in mind: Priyadarshan on double National awards that came home". onmanorama.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  38. ^ Subramani, A. (16 September 2016). "Film director Priyadarshan – actor Lissy divorce formalities complete". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  39. ^ a b Desk, The Hindu Net (22 March 2021). "67th National Film Awards: Complete list of winners". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2025. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  40. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf
  41. ^ Critics, kerala Film. "FILM CRITICS AWARDS COMPLETE LIST FROM 1977 TILL 2012 ഫിലിം ക്രിട്ടിക്‌സ് അവാര്‍ഡ് 1977 മുതല്‍ 2012 വരെ സമ്പൂര്‍ണ പട്ടിക". Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  42. ^ a b Reporter, Staff (6 March 2017). "Film critics awards announced". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  43. ^ "Director Priyadarshan gets MP government's Kishore Kumar award". The Indian Express. Khandwa. 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  44. ^ "Priyadarshan felicitated with an honorary doctorate by Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science". Bollywood Hungama. 7 March 2022. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  45. ^ "സംവിധായകന്‍ പ്രിയദര്‍ശന് ഡോക്ടറേറ്റ്" [Priyadarshan bestowed with honorary doctorate]. Malayala Manorama (in Malayalam). 8 March 2022. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
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