Amal Neerad

A diploma film opened the door for Amal Neerad. Meena Jha, made when he was in the first batch at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata, received a special mention for cinematography at the National Film Awards in 2001, and it led to work with Ram Gopal Varma, for whom he shot the Hindi films James, Darna Zaroori Hai and Shiva. Ranjith's Black (2004) was his first Malayalam film as cinematographer. Born in Kollam, he went to school and college in Kochi and was twice elected chairman of the college union at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. He directs, shoots and produces, with Malayalam cinema at the centre of his work. He turned director with the Mammootty-starrer Big B (2007), which later gained a cult following, and followed it with Sagar Alias Jacky and Anwar. Under his banner Amal Neerad Productions he made Bachelor Party (2012) and produced the anthology 5 Sundarikal, directing its Kullante Bharya segment. Iyobinte Pustakam (2014), Comrade in America (2017) and Varathan (2018) came next, then Bheeshma Parvam, which reunited him with Mammootty, and Bougainvillea (2024), starring his wife, actress Jyothirmayi. Bachelor Party D'eux, a spiritual sequel featuring Tovino Thomas, Naslen and Sreenath Bhasi, is set for release on 19 November 2026.