KOCHI: Award-winning Malayalam filmmaker R. Sharath passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 63. Known for his meaningful cinema, Sharath directed critically acclaimed films such as Sathyaahnam, Sheelabathi, Sthithi, and Buddhan Chirikkunnu. His directorial debut Sathyaahnam won seven Kerala State Film Awards.
Starting his career as a documentary filmmaker, Sharath made a historical discovery of rare, unreleased murals by Raja Ravi Varma during the shoot of his documentary The Painted Epics. This earned him a Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in 1996 for his research on wall paintings.
His notable works also include Bhoomikkoru Charamageetham, a short film based on O.N.V. Kurup’s environmental poem, and Sthithi, which featured playback singer Unni Menon in the lead role. Over his career, Sharath received several prestigious honors, including the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director, the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam, and multiple State Awards for Best Film and Best Story.
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