Dr. Biju
| Dr. Biju | |
|---|---|
 Dr. Biju at shooting location | |
| Born |
Bijukumar Damodaran 31 May 1971 Kudassanad, Kerala, India |
| Occupation | Film director, doctor |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Spouse(s) | P. Vijayasree |
| Children | B.K. Govardhan |
| Parent(s) | P. Ponnamma, Late V.K. Damodaran |
| Website |
www |
Bijukumar Damodaran, known mononymously as Dr. Biju, is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He's best known for films such as Saira (2005), Veettilekkulla Vazhi (2010), Akasathinte Niram (2012), and Perariyathavar (2013).
Dr. Biju has won three National Film Awards. His three films were selected to Indian Panorama. His films have been screened at several international film festivals and won prizes. He is professionally a homoeopathic doctor.
Early and personal life
Bijukumar Damodaran was born in 1971 in Kudassanad village near Pandalam, Kerala, as the son of V. K. Damodaran and Ponnamma. After completing his schooling from Kudassanad NSS School and Pandalam NSS College, he joined the Kottayam Homoeo Medical College to obtain a diploma in Homoeo Medical Science and graduated in the same from Trivandrum Homoeo Medical College. A practicing medical doctor, he is now working as the District Medical Officer (Homoeo) at Kasargode.
Career
Film career
His first three films are a trilogy on terrorism. He debuted as writer and director with Saira (2005), an award-winning and internationally recognized film. It was the opening film in the section Tous Les Cinemas Du Monde (Cinemas of the World) at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2007. Saira also participated in 21 other international film festivals like USA, Brazil, Israel, Russia, Italy, Greece, Zimbabwe, Belgium, Bangladesh etc. The film was also selected at the Indian Panorama 2006. Dr. Biju followed suit writing and directing Raman (2008), his second feature to discuss issues related with terrorism, a controversial and much debated-over socio-political film. Raman was officially selected at Cairo International Film Festival 2009 in the section "Incredible India" and also participated in seven international film festivals across the world. Biju's next film Veettilekkulla Vazhi (The Way Home; 2010) was the final installment of the Terrorism Trilogy. Veettilekkulla Vazhi got National Film Aawards for best Malayalam film in 2010. Akasathinte Niram (Color of Sky; 2012), his fourth film, world premiered at 15th Shanghai International Film Festival in the International competition section. The film also selected to Indian panorama 2012. His fifth film Perariyathavar (Names Unknow) 2014 got two National Film Awards for the year 2014. National film award for Best film on Environment conservation and National film award for Best Actor. The film world premiered at Montreal Film Festival, Canada2014. He is sixth film titled Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds With Large Wings; 2015) has been screened at United Nations , Janeeva as the part of UNEP(United Nations Environment protection). The film got world humanitarian award from Jakarta in 2015 September. The film got National film award for Best film on Environment conservation for the year 2015. The film also selected to Indian Panorama 2015. Dr.Biju is now on the post production work of his seventh film titled Kaadu Pookkunna Neram (When The Woods Bloom; 2016).
He served as the jury member at the 30th Fajr International Film Festival (Iran, 2012), International Film Festival of Kerala (India, 2011), Oscar selection jury member for India"s film entry for best foreign language film 2015 and National Film Awards (India 2013).[1]
Writing
In 2010, he received the prestigious Kerala State Film Award for Best Article on Cinema for an article titled Kollaruth Samvidhayakare.
Books Written
- Cinimayude Yathrakal (Traveling of Cinema)published by Mathrubhumi Books 2013.
- Kim Ki Duk - Film and life published by Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangam 2014.
- Dr. Bijuvinte Thirakkathakal (Scripts of Dr. Biju) collection of 4 script published by DC Books 2014.
- The script of film Saira published in 2010 by Fabian Books
Filmography
| Year | Original Title | English Title | Festivals/Awards/Nominations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Saira | Saira |
|
| 2008 | Raman | Travelogue of Invasion |
|
| 2010 | Veettilekkulla Vazhi | The Way Home |
|
| 2012 | Akasathinte Niram | Color of Sky |
|
| 2013 | Perariyathavar | Names Unknown |
|
| 2015 | Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal | "Birds With Large Wings" |
|
| 2014 | Chila Jeevithangal | " Some Lives" | Documentary . |
Awards
International Film Awards as Writer, Director
| Event/Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zanzibar International film festival, Tanzania 2010 | Veetilekkulla Vazhi (the Way Home) | Signi award for best director | Won |
| Imagine India film festival, Madrid, Spain 2010 | Veetilekkulla Vazhi (the Way Home) | Best Director | Won |
| Imagine India film festival, Madrid, Spain 2010 | Veetilekkulla Vazhi (the Way Home) | Best Film | Won |
| International film festival of Kerala 2010 | Veetilekkulla Vazhi (the Way Home) | NETPAC Award | Won |
| New York Indian film festival, 2013 | Akashathinte Niram (Color of sky) | Best Screenplay | Won |
| Shanghai International film festival, China 2013 | Akashathinte Niram (Color of sky) | Golden Goblet award | Nominated |
| Jaipur International film festival 2015 | Perariyathavar (Names Unknown) | Green Rose award for Best Film with a Global Message | Won |
| World Humanitarian award, Jakkarta, September 2015 | Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds With Large wings)) | World Humanitarian Award | Won |
| World Humanitarian award, Jakkarta, September 2015 | Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds With Large wings)) | New star of Humanity Award | Won |
| International Film Festival India, November 2015 | Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds With Large wings)) | UNESCO, Fellini Award | Nominated |
International Film Awards for Technicians/ Artists
| Event/Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe international film festival 2006 | Saira | Best Actor, Nedumudi Venu | Won |
| Zanzibar International film festival, 2013 | Veetilekkulla Vazhi (the Way Home) | Signis Award (Commendation) for Cinematography to M.J. Radhakrishnan | Won |
| Fajr International film festival, Tehran, Iran 2015 | Perariyathavar(Names Unknown) | Best Actor Crystal Symorg award to Master Govardhan | Won |
| Kazan International film festival, Russia 2015 | Perariyathavar(Names Unknown) | Best Cinematography award to M.J. Radhakrishnan | Won |
National Film Awards as writer, Director
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Film Awards (India) 2010 | Veettilekkulla Vazhi (The way home) | Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Won |
| National Film Awards (India) 2013 | Perariyathavar (Names Unknown) | Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation | Won |
| National Film Awards (India) 2015 | Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds With Large Wings) | Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation | Won |
National Film Awards to Technicians/ artists
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Film Awards (India) 2013 | Perariyathavar (Names Unknown) | Best Actor to Suraj Venjaramood | Won |
Kerala State Film Awards as Writer, Director
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala state film awards 2011 | Akashathinte Niram (Color of sky) | Special jury award for direction | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2010 | Article titled Kollaruthu samvidhayakare) | Best Article on cinema | Won |
Kerala State Film Awards to Technicians / Artists
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala state film awards 2006 | Saira | Best Actress to Navya Nair | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2006 | Saira | Best Background music to Ramesh Narayan | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2010 | Veettilekkulla Vazhi (The way home) | Best Cinematography to M.J. Radhakrishnan | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2010 | Veettilekkulla Vazhi (The way home) | Best Color processing lab to Prasad Studio Chennai | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2012 | Akashathinte Niram (Color of sky) | Best Cinematography to M.J. Radhakrishnan | Won |
| Kerala state film awards 2012 | Akashathinte Niram (Color of sky) | Best Color processing lab to Gemini Studio Chennai | Won |
External links
- Dr. Biju at the Internet Movie Database
References
- ↑ "Veettilekkulla Vazhi shooting almost over". Oneindia.in. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3373269/
- http://www.iaac.us/nyiff2013/press.htm
- http://publicityaz.blogspot.in/2011/09/58th-national-film-awards-results.html
Shanghai beckons, http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/shanghai-beckons/article3455752.ece
Dr Biju's award-winning film, 'Akashathinte Niram', is going places, http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-20/news-and-interviews/38674828_1_akashathinte-niram-dr-biju-york-indian-film-festival
Dr. Biju’s The Way Home to screen at 38th Telluride Film Festival
- http://dearcinema.com/article/dr-biju%E2%80%99s-the-way-home-to-screen-at-38th-telluride-film-festival/4017#
- http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Ottawa/ID/2632332404/
The only Indian film at Shanghai film festival
43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2012)- Director, Dr. Biju addressing at the presentation of film (Akashathinte Niram)
- http://www.newswala.com/Entertainment-News/43rd-International-Film-Festival-of-India-IFFI-2012-Director-Dr.-Biju-addressing-at-the-presentation-of-film-Akashathinte-Niram-23005.html
- http://ibnlive.in.com/news/perariyathavar-an-art-film-on-garbage-dumping/513119-8-66.html
The journey
First films for Golden Goblet award
- http://www.siff.com/MovieEn/infolist.aspx?CategoryID=586bbd12-3d8a-425b-8b1f-0dfadf5b9d7d&SubCategoryID=7658cbf6-6fe2-4c08-adc0-ae4899f51d3c&ParentCategoryID=06e3e627
- Nagarajan, Saraswathy (13 December 2010). "Plucky and on untrodden terrain". The Hindu (Chennai, India).