I know I’ll be severely criticized for what I’m attempting here - to list some of the worst directors of malayalam movies. Think I should modify the title a bit, worst among the ’established’ directors.. or the least performing among the established directors in terms of the quality of films. Some of the bad movies may have fared well at the box office and vice-versa. These are taken into account also, for I believe collection report alone does not count while reviewing a film or its director. Particularly when those capable of making, and in the past created, much better films. I’m short listing them to three.
So the directors im my list are
Vinayan
Rajasenan
Shaji Kailas
VINAYAN - Probably the most over-rated of Malayalam directors, with a huge amount of ’luck’ factor. I wonder how a section of the viewers uphold him as a great director. Personally there is yet to be a film of his, that lives up to the ’reputation’ of the director or the media hype accompanied with it. Do u really think AKASHAGANGA or VASANTHI LAKSHMI.. or KARUMADIKKUTTAN or any of his films can be rated above average? I do not. In contrast I can tell u some of the films I found awful and intolerable, like RAKSHASARAAJAVU, WAR & LOVE, DAIVATHINTE MAKAN, KAATTUCHEMBAKAM, PRANAYA NILAAVU, SATHYAM................... the list is too long. What I find funny is his claim of the films being technically exceptional. The one single positive aspect I’m able to find in his movies is the selection of heroines- be it Mohini, Meenakshi or Mallika Kapoor.
RAJASENAN - True, he has made a few enjoyable films with Jayaram including AYALATHE ADDEHAM, MELEPPARAMBIL AANVEEDUand ANIYAN BAVA.. But these are exceptional cases and 80% of his creations are in the opposite category, falling much short of acceptable standards. Rajasenan films do have some elements of humour in them, but many of them repetitions and some falling short of standards, at times falling to the vulgar side. Examples are abundant. So while rating him the cons outweigh his pros. He is able of delivering but has to be consistent.
SHAJI KAILAS - A big example of how a director can cover up his limitations under an outstanding script writer, brilliant technicians and great actors. I had a very high opinion of Shaji as a result of the films like EKALAVYAN, COMMISSIONER, MAFIA, AARAM THAMPURAN, THE KING and NARASIMHAM. But later I discovered that all these were the result of the brilliance of Renji Panicker and Renjith, without whose powerful scripts Shaji is a big zero. Otherwise how on earth can he make films like THAANDAVAM and NATTURAJAVU? I can never forgive him for these two absurd creations, even if SHIVAM, MAHATMA or FIR may be condoned. U may ask what a director can do without quality script, but that cannot be an excuse for spoiling the frames, composition or takes (including camera angles).