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Bharathan Parameshwara Menon Palissery (14 November 1946 – 30 July 1998) Known mononymously Bharathan was an Indian people film maker, artist, and art director. Bharathan is noted for being the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Padmarajan and K. G. George, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed. A train of directors, and screenwriters followed this school onto the 1990s including Sibi Malayil, Kamal, Lohithadas and Jayaraj.
His association with Padmarajan led to films including Rathi Nirvedam and Thakara. Rathi Nirvedam was a treatment of teenage sexual angst. In Thakara, he deals with the life and longings of an intellectually disabled youth and his association with society.
In the early 1980s, he made several notable movies like Chamaram, Marmaram, Paalangal, Ormakkayi, Kattathe Kilikkoodu, Kathodu Kathoram, and many more. They did well in theatres and set the trend for meaningful mainstream cinema. Other noted directors followed suit. It was the romantic era of Malayalam cinema.
Not all of Bharathan's films skirted with bold themes and controversy. In Oru Minnaaminunginte Nurunguvettam (1987), he tells the poignant story of a childless couple in their post-retirement life. It deals with the isolation and loneliness that come with old age. The film was a departure from Bharathan's usual style and proved to be a major commercial hit while garnering critical acclaim, too. His Vaisali (1988) is widely regarded as a modern-day masterpiece in Malayalam cinema. Scripted by the iconic Malayalam novelist M. T. Vasudevan Nair, it was an adaptation of a sub-story told in the epic Mahabharata. Another movie born from their association was Thazhvaram. The subject was revenge, a theme quite uncharacteristic of Bharathan movies. The style was inspired by classic Westerns with a brooding, reticent central character and expansive shots of barren landscape. Another movie was Amaram, which was written by A. K. Lohithadas and starred Mammootty, which was a milestone movie of the Malayalam movie of the 1990s.
Even though he was not known to cater to the star-centric system, Bharathan was instrumental in bringing together the two screen icons of Tamil cinema Sivaji Ganesan and Kamal Haasan in the Tamil film Thevar Magan, written by Kamal Haasan, which won critical acclaim and became an Industry Hit in Tamil cinema. Sivaji gave an uncharacteristically restrained yet brilliant performance. The movie won several National Awards and was remade into many regional languages (most notably Virasat in Hindi).
His more experimental films include Aaravam, more an arthouse than a commercial venture, and Nidra, about the plight of a woman who is in love with a mentally deranged man. His film Nidra was remade by his son, film director Sidharth Bharathan. Rathinirvedam, originally directed by Bharathan, which was a noted film, was also remade by another famous director, T. K. Rajeev Kumar, with Swetha Menon in the lead.
Apart from film direction, he also wrote lyrics and tuned songs for his films. (e.g., lyrics for "Thaaram Valkannadi Nokki" in Keli and "Tharum Thalirum Mizhipootti" in Chilambu or title song for Kathodu Kathoram). He collaborated with writer P. R. Nathan in Keli.
Several of his early films were known for their bold portrayal of sexual themes. His films often defied social conventions and norms about man-woman relationships. Rathinirvedam was the sexual-coming-of-age story of the relationship between a teenager and an older woman, while Chamaram dealt with the tumultuous affair between a student and his college lecturer. In Kattathe Kilikkoodu, an elderly, married professor falls for his student. Kathodu Kathoram was about the social ostracism of a woman who has an adulterous relationship.
The latter half of Bharathan's career saw a distinct change in filmmaking style characterised by a wider canvas, more attention to detail, and a more distinct focus on narrative style (e.g., Vaishali, Amaram, Thaazhvaaram, and Thevar Magan). Some critics argue that this quest for technical excellence was at the expense of the quality of thematic content. Films like Vaishali and Amaram (where he collaborated with acclaimed cinematographer Madhu Ambat) set a new benchmark for cinematographic excellence in Malayalam Cinema and Indian Cinema. Thaazhvaaram was stylistically inspired by classic Hollywood Westerns, though the theme and backdrop were distinctly original.
His last few films ( Devaraagam, Churam and Priyuralu) were received moderately by critics.
| 1972 ! scope="row" | Chembarathi | |
| 1972 ! scope="row" | Gandharvakshethram | |
| 1973 ! scope="row" | Chenda | |
| 1973 ! scope="row" | Dharmayudham | |
| 1973 ! scope="row" | Ponnaapuram Kotta | |
| 1973 ! scope="row" | Enippadikal | |
| 1973 ! scope="row" | Maadhavikkutty | |
| 1974 ! scope="row" | Rajahamsam | |
| 1974 ! scope="row" | Chakravaakam | |
| 1974 ! scope="row" | Neelakkannukal | |
| 1974 ! scope="row" | Mucheettukalikkaarante Makal | |
| 1975 ! scope="row" | Prayanam | |
| 1976 ! scope="row" | Surveykkallu | |
| 1976 ! scope="row" | Ponni | |
| 1976 ! scope="row" | Yudhakaandam | |
| 1977 ! scope="row" | Guruvayur Kesavan | |
| 1978 ! scope="row" | Rathinirvedam | |
| 1978 ! scope="row" | Aniyara | |
| 1978 ! scope="row" | Njaan Njaan Maathram | |
| 1978 ! scope="row" | Aaravam | |
| 1979 ! scope="row" | Thakara | |
| 1980 ! scope="row" | Lorry | |
| 1980 ! scope="row" | Savithiri | |
| 1980 ! scope="row" | Chamaram | |
| 1981 ! scope="row" | Nidra | |
| 1981 ! scope="row" | Palangal | |
| 1981 ! scope="row" | Parankimala | |
| 1981 ! scope="row" | Chatta | |
| 1981 ! scope="row" | Parvathy | |
| 1982 ! scope="row" | Marmaram | |
| 1982 ! scope="row" | Ormakkayi | |
| 1983 ! scope="row" | Eenam | |
| 1983 ! scope="row" | Sandhya Mayangum Neram | |
| 1983 ! scope="row" | Kattathe Kilikkoodu | |
| 1984 ! scope="row" | Ente Upasana | |
| 1985 ! scope="row" | Kathodu Kathoram | |
| 1984 ! scope="row" | Ithiripoove Chuvannapoove | |
| 1985 ! scope="row" | Ozhivukaalam | |
| 1985 ! scope="row" | Oonjalaadum Uravugal | |
| 1986 ! scope="row" | Chilambu | |
| 1986 ! scope="row" | Pranamam | |
| 1987 ! scope="row" | Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam | |
| 1987 ! scope="row" | Neela Kurinji Poothappol | |
| 1988 ! scope="row" | Vaisali | |
| 1989 ! scope="row" | Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam | |
| 1990 ! scope="row" | Thazhvaram | |
| 1990 ! scope="row" | Malootty | |
| 1991 ! scope="row" | Amaram | |
| 1991 ! scope="row" | Keli | |
| 1992 ! scope="row" | Aavarampoo | |
| 1992 ! scope="row" | Thevar Magan | |
| 1993 ! scope="row" | Venkalam | |
| 1993 ! scope="row" | Chamayam | |
| 1993 ! scope="row" | Padheyam | |
| 1996 ! scope="row" | Devaraagam | |
| 1997 ! scope="row" | Churam | |
| 1998 ! scope="row" | Priyuralu | |
| Prayanam |
| Thakara |
| Chamaram |
| Chamaram |
| Chatta |
| Marmaram |
| Ormakkayi |
| Marmaram, Ormakkayi |
| Ormakkayi |
| Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove |
| Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam |
| Venkalam |
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