Biography

Ramu Kariat was born on February 1, 1928 in Engandiyur, Kerala, India. He was a director and writer, known for Chemmeen (1965), Minnaminungu (1957) and Nellu (1974). He died on February 10, 1979 in Trivandrum, Kerala, India.

He debuted in films by co-directing Thiramala (1953) with Vimal Kumar/P.R.S. Pillai, and the path-breaking film Neelakkuyil in 1954 along with P. Bhaskaran. Neelakuyil was written by Uroob and starred Sathyan and Miss Kumari was a major commercial success. This film is considered as the first mature film in Malayalam due to the professional approach it had in direction, script, performances and music.

Ramu Kariat was an Indian film director for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s, who directed many acclaimed films in the Malayalam cinema.

He started his career through the Kerala People's Arts Club (K.P.A.C.), a leftist theatre group.

He was elected as Member of Legislative Assembly from Nattika in 1965 as a left independent but could not serve in the Legislative Assembly because no one could form the Assembly since there was no majority for any party.

His movie Chemmeen is considered as the turning point in Malayalam cinema. The film, an adaptation of Thakazhi Sivashankara Pillai's novel in the same name was the first Malayalam film to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.