Lal Jose


Lal Jose is an Indian film director and producer who works in Malayalam film industry.
Lal Jose started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal. Lal Jose worked on a slew of Kamal's films during the 1990s. His directional debut was the film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu. His popular films include Chandranudikkunna Dikhil, Meesa Madhavan, Chanthupottu, Classmates, Arabikkatha, Neelathaamara, Diamond Necklace, Ayalum Njanum Thammil, Immanuel, and Vikramadithyan.

Biography

Born in Valapad in Thrissur, Kerala to Jose and Lilly, Lal Jose did his schooling at NSS KPT School and NSS College, Ottapalam. He is married to Leena. The couple have two daughters, Irene and Catherine. After completing his degree, he left for Chennai, with an aim of getting into movies. He got into the world of cinema by assisting noted director Kamal. He worked with Kamal in 16 films, from Pradheshika Varthakkal to Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu. He worked as associate director to prominent filmmakers like Thampy Kannamthanam, Lohithadas, Harikumar, Vinayan, K. K. Haridas, and Nizar.

Film career

In 1998, he made his debut as an independent director with Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, which starred Mammootty and was scripted by Sreenivasan. Producer Siyad Koker asked Lal Jose to direct a film for him. The film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu was a success for him.
In 2002 Lal Jose, teaming up with screenwriter Ranjan Pramod, who had earlier scripted Randaam Bhavam, came up with Meesa Madhavan, which was a milestone in his career along with that of Dileep. Meesa Madhavan was a hit and established Dileep in the industry. But Lal Jose proved his critics wrong in the year 2005 with Chanthupottu, starring Dileep. The box-office success of Chanthupottu took Lal Jose's career to new heights. Dileep's performance in this film was highly appreciated. In 2006, Lal Jose directed Achanurangatha Veedu, a low-budget film, which failed to bring audiences to the movie halls, though it won critical appreciation.
In 2006, Jose's film Classmates was released without much publicity, with no big stars, but became the highest-grossing film in Malayalam, until its record was broken by two years later. In 2007, he did Arabikkatha, with Sreenivasan in a leading role. Arabikkatha was critically and commercially a big hit. His next movie was Mulla, starring Dileep. In 2009, Lal Jose directed Neelathamara, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was a remake of the 30-year-old movie with the same name. It was accepted well by the critics and the masses. He directed a story with Mammootty as lead in Kerala Cafe in 2010. He then directed the hit film Elsamma Enna Aankutty without multistars. In 2011, he became a judge on a reality show on Surya TV called Vivel Active Fair Big Break, where the winner would be the heroine in his next movie.

Awards

;Kerala state film awards
;South Indian International Movie Awards
;Asianet Film Awards
;Ramu Karyat Awards
;Asiavision Awards

As director

As second unit or assistant director

Music composer VidyaSagar has worked on 12 films out of Lal Jose's total 22 feature-length films. Sukumari had acted on 12 films, whereas Salim Kumar in 10 and Biju Menon in 9 and Dileep, Indrajith, Jagathy Sreekumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu were appeared on 7 films.
FilmsDileepBiju MenonIndrajithSamvrutha SunilJagathy SreekumarNedumudi VenuSukumariSreenivasanSalim KumarKunchako BobanVidyasagarSuraj Venjaramoodu
Oru Maravathoor Kanavu
Chandranudikkunna Dikhil
Randaam Bhavam
Meesa Madhavan
Pattalam
Rasikan
Chanthupottu
Achanurangatha Veedu
Classmates
Arabikkatha
Mulla
Kerala Cafe
Neelathaamara
Elsamma Enna Aankutty
Spanish Masala
Diamond Necklace
Ayalum Njanum Thammil
Immanuel
Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum
Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal
Vikramadithyan
Nee-Na
Velipadinte Pustakam
Thattumpurath Achuthan
Nalpathiyonnu