Cinema VinesVeteran cinematographer Shaji Kumar, whose work spanned Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema, died at 57 after a sudden cardiac event during a film shoot in Alappuzha. He was on location for a new project starring Dileep when he fell ill at his hotel on Saturday night, alerting director Ullas Krishna before being rushed to a nearby hospital and later transferred to a private facility in Kochi. Initial reports indicated that his condition improved and he was able to speak, but by Sunday night he collapsed after being moved out of the ICU and was found unconscious in a hospital room. The Hindu confirmed that he succumbed to cardiac failure.
The loss has shocked the Malayalam film community. The FEFKA Directors' Union expressed its grief and remembered Kumar’s significant contributions to the industry. Kerala’s Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan paid tribute on X, sharing a photograph of the late artist and noting how his “exceptional lens” brought visual magic to blockbusters such as “Thudarum,” “Pulimurugan,” and “Naran.” He added that Kumar’s sudden demise was a great loss to the Malayalam film industry and offered heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues.
Shaji Kumar hailed from Thiruvananthapuram and was survived by his wife, Smitha, and their two sons, Aryan and Sooryan. Throughout his career he shot numerous notable films, including “Naran,” “Pulimurugan,” “Ramaleela,” “Odiyan,” “Madhura Raja,” “Ittymaani: Made in China,” “Night Drive,” “Pathonpatham Noottandu,” “Bandra,” “Once Upon a Time in Kochi,” and “Thudarum.” His passing leaves a void in the visual storytelling of Malayalam cinema.
