Shaji Neelakantan Karun ( born 1 January 1952 ) is an Indian film director and cinematographer . His debut film '' Piravi '' ( 1988 ) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival . He was the premiere chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy , the first academy for film and TV in India and was also the executive chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala ( IFFK ) from 1998 to 2001 . He is best known for his award-winning films '' Piravi '' ( 1988 ) , '' Swaham '' ( 1994 ) , '' Vanaprastham '' ( 1999 ) and '' Kutty Srank '' ( 2009 ) . He won the National Award for Best Director for his debut film '' Piravi '' . He also won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Director for his films '' Swaham '' and '' Vanaprastham '' . Currently , he is the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation
1989 Cannes Film Festival
1989 Cannes Film Festival
Shaji N. Karun