Filmmaker R. Sarath passes away in Thiruvananthapuram

Acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker, screenwriter, and cultural administrator R. Sarath has passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was between 63 and 65 years old at the time of his death.

Sarath was a highly decorated figure in Indian cinema, having received a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam, the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Director, and multiple Kerala State Film Awards. His debut film, ‘Sayahnam’, earned significant critical acclaim and was screened at the Munich International Film Festival.

His diverse body of work included feature films such as ‘Sthithi’, ‘Sheelabathi’, and ‘Paradise’, as well as the Indo-Chinese co-production ‘The Desire – A Journey of a Woman’. He was also noted for his documentary work, specifically ‘The Painted Epics’, which documented the life of artist Raja Ravi Varma and led to the discovery of rare mural paintings.

Beyond his cinematic achievements, Sarath was a researcher in mural painting traditions, earning a Junior Fellowship from the Government of India. The Kerala government and various film industry unions have expressed profound grief over his passing, describing it as an irreparable loss to the cultural fraternity.