Jijo Punnoose

Prominent yet relatively unsung director, producer and actor, Jijo Punnoose set milestones in Malayalam cinema. He is best known for directing the landmark films Padayottam (1982), which was the first indigenously shot 70mm film in India, and the children’s film My Dear Kuttichathan (1984), the first 3D film in India. Notable films which he produced include Theekkadal (1980) and Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980). Son of Navodaya Appachan of Navodaya Studios, he is credited with bringing modern techniques to Malayalam cinema, including innovative sound design. Equally importantly, he was known for crafting scenes that ‘speak’ to audiences. Eschewing excessive dialogues, he gave more emphasis to the visual element of cinema, including facial expressions and the backdrop, as opposed to wordy dialogues; a key difference that distinguishes cinema from theatre. In the earlier years, he acted in films directed by his uncle Kunchacko such as Palattukoman (1962), Ayesha (1964), and Kasavuthattam (1967). 

Born into a Syro Malabar Catholic family in Alappuzha, Kerala, he is the eldest son of producer Navodaya Appachan. His family had strong ties with filmmaking. He hails from the Maliampurakal family, which is reputed for owning the first film studio in Kerala, Udaya Studios, which is considered the home of the Malayalam film industry. The Navodaya studio was founded by Appachan in 1976, after he parted ways with his brother Kunchacko’s Udaya Studio. Jijo is the nephew of legendary film producer Kunchacko, and is also related to Kunchacko Boban, an Indian actor and film producer.

He began his career in front of the camera, acting in films produced by his uncle Kunchacko such as the Malayalam drama film Bharya (1962). Starring Sathyan and Ragini in the lead roles, the film was based on a novel by the same title by Kanam EJ on a controversial murder case. 

He would go on to act in films such as Palattukoman (1962), Rebecca (1963), the love story Ayesha (1964), Inapravugal (1965), Tilottama (1966), Kasavuthattam (1967), and the crime thriller Mainatharuvi Kola Case (1967), all directed by his uncle Kunchacko.

After the demise of his elder brother Kunchacko, Appachan started his own studio Navodaya on a 30-acre campus in the harbour town of Kochi - the commercial capital of Kerala. Fresh out of college Punnoose, a physics graduate, took over as the creative and technical head of Navodaya. After a study-survey of Kerala's cinema theatres, Jijo proposed the implementation of Cinemascope (anamorphic) as a format for Malayalam films. The Navodaya film Thacholi Ambu (1978) - the first cinemascope film in Malayalam, which he is credited with producing, was a big success. Directed by his father Navodaya Appachan, the historical action drama film starred Prem Nazir, Shivaji Ganesan and Jayan. The first anamorphic CinemaScope film in Malayalam, it was reportedly made at a cost of Rs30 lakh and went on to gross Rs 1 crore at the box office. 

So impressive a hit was Thacholi Ambu cinemascope (1978) that within one year all theatres (around 1100, average capacity 800 seats) in Kerala had converted to anamorphic projection systems. For the initial set of releases, Navodaya had to supply lenses to the theatres. But by 1982, every single Malayalam film (average 120 films annually) was being made as cinemascope. Navodaya had not only revolutionised the production machinery, but also the theatre circuits.

He served as producer of the family studio’s films such as the action war drama genre film Mamangam (1979) directed by Navodaya Appachan; the romantic drama Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980) directed by Fazil and starring Shankar,Poornima Jayaram and Mohanlal; the action drama Theekkadal (1980); the Mohanlal starrer Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku (19830; the family drama Poove Poochudava (1985); Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare (1986); the thriller Chanakyan (1989); and the fantasy film Magic Magic 3D (2003) directed by his brother Jose Punnoose.

The wide-canvas film Padayottam (1982), considered Malayalam cinema’s first big budget film, marked his own directorial debut. An action thriller drama, it starred Prem Nazir, Madhu and Poornima Jayaram. Inspired by the novel The Count of Monte Christo, the plot revolved around a prince, who comes back to his native land to take revenge on those who conspired against him. The film would be the first indigenously shot 70mm film in India. Made in a 6track stereo surround sound format, it was not a commercial success and, due to its limited regional appeal, it barely broke even in the home state.

This would change soon. In 1984 Navodaya went nationwide by making the first 3D film in India directed by Punnoose – the children’s film My Dear Kuttichathan. On contract with Chris Condon - an optical physicist and lensmaker in Hollywood, Punnoose adopted his 35mm single filmstrip Stereovision system for Navodaya’s production of a 3D film. The film dubbed into major Indian languages was also released to worldwide Indian diaspora. The landmark fantasy film would prove a rare experience for filmgoers across all ages, with the experience of watching the three-dimensional film holding the audience spellbound. The story revolves around a mystical indigenous genie called Kuttichathan, who is under the spell of an evil sorcerer. When Kuttichathan gets released by three children, he befriends them. Well-received by audiences, it grossed over Rs 2.5 crore at the box office. Originally filmed in Malayalam, a re-edited version was re-released in 1997, which makes it the first DTS movie in Malayalam. It was dubbed in Hindi as Chhota Chetan in 1998, with the addition of a few new scenes and characters. It also won box office success in Hindi, reportedly grossing Rs 1.30 crore. In 2010, further scenes were added and it was released in Tamil as Chutti Chathan. A new re-mastered version with additional footage was released on 25 August 2011.

During the decade from 1980-1990, he, along with his brother Jose brought in a new generation of fresh filmmaking talents in many of Navodaya’s offbeat ventures. Some who later attained acclaim, include directors like Fazil, Priyadarshan, Siby Malayil, and actors like Mohanlal, and Mammooty, as well as music directors like Sharret and Shrinivas.

In an interview, National award-winning director TK Rajeev Kumar would describe the influence of Punnoose on his work. Hired by Punnoose as an assistant for his under-production My Dear Kuttichathan, India’s first 3D movie, he calls the experience akin to “undergoing a comprehensive course in filmmaking: “Jijo took me through all aspects of film, like story selection, scripting, location survey, shot division, planning and execution. And My Dear Kuttichathan was a landmark event in the history of Indian cinema.” He credits Punnoose, “himself a man of few words,” with shooting the scenes with an emphasis on visuals. “Films made in India — whether in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil or Malayalam — are all dialogue-oriented. Jijo taught me to think visually. For me, he was a kind of university. I never studied in a film institute but the experience I gained from Jijo was stunning. After working with him, I too started to convey feelings through visual signs.”

More recently, Punnoose had scripted the action-adventure fantasy film Barroz. It revolves around Barroz, a treasure guardian, who has been protecting Vasco da Gama's hidden treasure for 400 years and has been entrusted to hand over the wealth only to a true descendant of da Gama.Punnoose had originally conceived the film with a girl named Isa as the central character, with Barroz only a secondary character. However, in a blog post in 2022, Punnoose revealed that, after various changes, the film, to be subsequently directed by Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and scheduled for release in 2024, was no longer based on the script originally penned by him. His own contribution, he revealed, was limited to executing “the rotating-set scene where ghost Barroz walks the walls of the treasure cellar.” The veteran also shared that as the original screenplay and production design made for the project had not been utilised, they, the formulators of the idea of making a fantasy film in English/ Hispanic on the ‘Kappiri Ghost' who guards D’Gama’s treasure, would resume their own attempt which was started in 2017.