Lal Jose

Lal Jose is an Indian director, actor, producer and distributor who works in the Malayalam film industry. He started his career as an Assistant director in the Malayalam cinema. His directorial debut was with the 1998 film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu.

Lal Jose started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal. Lal Jose worked on a slew of Kamal's films during the 1990s. His popular films include Chandranudikkunna Dikhil (1999), Meesa Madhavan (2002), Chanthupottu (2005), Classmates (2006), Arabikkatha (2007),  Neelathaamara (2009), Diamond Necklace (2012), Ayalum Njanum Thammil (2012), Immanuel (2013), and Vikramadithyan (2014).

Early life
Born in Valapad in Thrissur, Kerala to Jose and Lilly, Lal Jose did his schooling at NSS KPT School and NSS College, Ottapalam. He is married to Leena. The couple have two daughters, Irene and Catherine. After completing his degree, he left for Chennai, with an aim of getting into movies. He got into the world of cinema by assisting noted director Kamal. He worked with Kamal in 16 films, from Pradheshika Varthakkal to Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu. He worked as associate director to prominent filmmakers like Thampy Kannamthanam, Lohithadas, Harikumar, Vinayan, K. K. Haridas, and Nizar.

Film career
In 1998, he made his debut as an independent director with Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, which starred Mammootty and was scripted by Sreenivasan. Producer Siyad Koker asked Lal Jose to direct a film for him. The film Oru Maravathoor Kanavu was a success for him.

In 2002 Lal Jose, teaming up with screenwriter Ranjan Pramod, who had earlier scripted Randaam Bhavam, came up with Meesa Madhavan, which was a milestone in his career along with that of Dileep. Meesa Madhavan was a hit and established Dileep in the industry. But Lal Jose proved his critics wrong in the year 2005 with Chanthupottu, starring Dileep. The box-office success of Chanthupottu took Lal Jose's career to new heights. In 2006, Lal Jose directed Achanurangatha Veedu, a low-budget film, which failed to bring audiences to the movie halls, though it won critical appreciation.

In 2006, Jose's film Classmates was released without much publicity, with no big stars, but became the highest-grossing film in Malayalam, until its record was broken by Twenty:20 two years later. In 2007, he did Arabikkatha, with Sreenivasan in a leading role. Arabikkatha was critically and commercially a big hit. His next movie was Mulla, starring Dileep. In 2009, Lal Jose directed Neelathamara, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, which was a remake of the 30-year-old movie with the same name. It was accepted well by the critics and the masses. He directed a story with Mammootty as lead in Kerala Cafe in 2010. He then directed the hit film Elsamma Enna Aankutty without multistars. In 2011, he became a judge on a reality show on Surya TV called Vivel Active Fair Big Break, where the winner would be the heroine in his next movie.

Awards

 * Kerala state film awards
 * 2006: Best Popular Film – Classmates
 * 2005: Kerala state film awards for Second Best Film – Achanurangatha Veedu
 * 2012: Best Director- Ayalum Njanum Thammil
 * 2012: Best Popular Film- Ayalum Njanum Thammil


 * South Indian International Movie Awards
 * 2013: Best Director for Ayalum Njanum Thammil
 * 2013: Nominated—Best Film for Diamond Necklace


 * Asianet Film Awards
 * 2007: Best Director Award for Arabikkatha


 * Ramu Karyat Awards
 * 2010: Best Director Award for Elsamma Enna Aankutty


 * Asiavision Awards
 * 2013 – Asiavision Awards – Artistic Movie – Ayalum Njanum Thammil

Filmography

 * All films are in Malayalam language unless otherwise noted.

As second unit or assistant director

 * Meenathil Thalikettu (1998) (story and associate director)
 * Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu (1997) (assistant director)
 * Bhoothakannadi (1997) (associate director)
 * Manasam (1997) (assistant director)
 * Azhakiya Ravanan (1996) (assistant director)
 * Udyana Palakan (1996) (associate director)
 * Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) (assistant director)
 * Maanthrikam (1995) (associate director)
 * Sudinam (1994) (associate director)
 * Vadhu Doctoranu (1994) (associate director)
 * Bhoomi Geetham (1993) (assistant director)
 * Champakulam Thachan (1992) (assistant director)
 * Ennodishtam Koodamo (1992) (assistant director)
 * Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) (assistant director)
 * Ulladakkam (1991) (assistant director)
 * Pradeshika Varthakal (1989) (assistant director)

Story

 * Meenathil Thalikettu (1998)
 * Chandranudikkunna Dikkil (1999)

As producer

 * Diamond Necklace (2012)
 * Vikramadhithyan (2014)
 * Nee-Na (2015)
 * Solamante Theneechakal (2022)

As distributor

 * Thattathin Marayathu (2012)
 * Theevram (2012)
 * Diamond Necklace (2012)
 * Neram (2013)
 * Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum (2013)
 * Thira (2013)
 * Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal (2013)
 * 1983 (2014)
 * Homely meals (2014)
 * Vikramadithyan (2014)
 * KL.10 Pathu (2015)
 * Action Hero Biju (2016)
 * Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2016)
 *  Style (2016)
 * Lens (2016)
 * Aanandam (2016)
 * Veeram (2017)

As Narrattor

 * Vellimoonga (2014)

Television

 * 2012 :Vivel Big Break (Surya TV) as Judge
 * 2018 : Nayika Nayakan (Mazhavil Manorama) as Judge
 * 2018 : Makkal (TV series) (Mazhavil Manorama) as himself
 * 2019: Comedy Stars season 2 (asianet) as Judge
 * 2022: Wife is Beautiful ( Zee Keralam) as promo voice over
 * 2023:Charithram Enniloode ( Safari TV) as host

Recurring collaborators
Music composer VidyaSagar has worked on 12 films out of Lal Jose's total 22 feature-length films. Sukumari had acted on 12 films, whereas Salim Kumar in 11 and Biju Menon in 9 and Dileep, Indrajith, Jagathy Sreekumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu appeared on 7 films. Dubbing artiste Sreeja Ravi works as heroine voice for many films.