Jeethu Joseph
Jeethu Joseph in 2021
Born (1972-11-10) 10 November 1972
Alma mater
Occupations
Years active2007–present
SpouseLinta Jeethu
Children2

Jeethu Joseph (born 10 November 1972) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema.[1] He has also worked in a few Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. Jeethu made his directional debut with the 2007 police procedural, Detective. He is best known for creating the Drishyam franchise.[2] Drishyam became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, at its time of release. It was the first Malayalam film to cross the 50 crore mark, at the box office.[3] Drishyam 2 was released directly through Amazon Prime Video, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the prequel, it was highly acclaimed and appreciated, worldwide.

His other works include Mummy & Me (2010), My Boss (2012),[4] Life of Josutty (2015), Memories (2013),[5] Oozham (2016), Aadhi (2018). Jeethu made his Tamil debut with Papanasam (2015) which is a remake of his 2013 film Drishyam,[6][7] Hindi debut with The Body (2019),[8] and Telugu debut with Drushyam 2 (2021).

Early life

Jeethu was born in a Syro-Malabar Catholic family in Mutholapuram, Muvattupuzha taluk to Leelamma and V. Joseph, ex-MLA of Muvattupuzha. Jeethu wanted to attend the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) although his father wanted him to become an engineer. He attended Fathima Matha English Medium School and later graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha.[9]

Career

Early works

Jeethu Joseph started as an assistant director to Jayaraj in the film Bheebhathsam. After that, he got a chance to direct a film starring Dileep but it did not materialize and he was back where he started.[9] Meanwhile, Jeethu developed the one-line plot of Detective. But after failing to find any producers, his mother Leelamma Joseph offered to co-produce the film, which became his debut directorial. A month into the project, a producer evinced interest and took on the production. Detective was released in 2007. The film fared well at the box-office.[9]

His next film Mummy & Me was a success at the box-office. Mummy and Me, although it took close to three years in the making, marked a turning point in his career as director. "My first film was easy compared to the struggle I had to go through for my second, Mummy and Me." There were offers to make films like Detective, but Jeethu declined. "I wanted to do a different film" It was for this reason that, though he had one line scripts of Mummy and Me and Memories ready in 2008, he chose to make Mummy and Me.[9]

His third film My Boss was also a success in theatres. Jeethu's fourth movie Memories, a suspense thriller, was released in 2013 which did well in box office.[10][11]

Post Drishyam

Towards the end of 2013, the drama-thriller Drishyam starring Mohanlal was released, which was well received critically and commercially. It was the highest-grossing Malayalam film, until 2016, and the first Malayalam film to cross 50 crore mark at the box office.[3][9][12][13] Drishyam was remade in Tamil by Jeethu with Kamal Haasan enacting Mohanlal's role. It was also remade to Telugu, Kannada and Hindi by other directors.[12] Jeethu then directed Dileep-starrer Life of Josutty.

Personal life

Jeethu married Linta and they have two children. Linta is a costume designer in Malayalam cinema.

Filmography

Year Title Credited as Language Notes
Director Writer Producer
2007DetectiveYesYes Malayalam
2010Mummy & MeYesYes Malayalam
2012My BossYesYes Malayalam
2013MemoriesYesYes Malayalam
DrishyamYesYes Malayalam
2015PapanasamYesYes TamilRemake of Drishyam
Life of JosuttyYes Malayalam
2016OozhamYesYes Malayalam
2017LakshyamYesYes Malayalam
2018AadhiYesYes Malayalam
2019Mr. & Ms. RowdyYesYes Malayalam
The BodyYes Hindi
ThambiYesYes Tamil
2021Drishyam 2YesYes MalayalamAmazon Prime Video film
Drushyam 2YesYes TeluguAmazon Prime Video film;
Remake of Drishyam 2
2022AnthakshariYes MalayalamSony Liv Film
12th ManYes MalayalamDisney+Hotstar film;
Also as Merin's brother (voice only)[14]
KoomanYes Malayalam
2023NeruYesYesMalayalam[15]
2024Ram: Part 1YesYes MalayalamFilming

Awards

References

  1. "Detective – A clueless suspense thriller". IndiaGlitz. 19 February 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007.
  2. Gayathry (19 December 2013). "Mohanlal's Drishyam Releasing Today in 133 Theatres – Oneindia Entertainment". Entertainment.oneindia.in. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  3. 1 2 Nambidi, Parvathy. "Jeethu Joseph Has Back to Back Projects in His Kitty, Post Drishyam". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. "Mamta Mohandas to boss around Dileep". The Times of India. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013.
  5. "Prithviraj act as a drunkard in Memories". Asianetindia.com.
  6. Kamal Haasan to don Mohanlal's role in Drishyam remake?. The New Indian Express. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  7. Kamal Haasan to do Drishyam`s Tamil version. Sify. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  8. "Emraan Hashmi announces his next, The Body, a suspense thriller with Rishi Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Vedhika". Bollywood Hungama. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Shilpa Nair Anand (17 January 2014). "Bankable brand". The Hindu. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  10. "Manorama Online - Home". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  11. "Memories movie review: Wallpaper, Story, Trailer at Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  12. 1 2 "My script for 'Drishyam' is original: Jeethu Joseph". Deccan Chronicle. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  13. "Drishyam movie review: Wallpaper, Story, Trailer at Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  14. "അടച്ചിട്ടൊരു മുറിയിലെ ത്രില്ലർ; ട്വൽത് മാൻ റിവ്യു". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  15. "Filming of Mohanlal's Neru wraps up". Cinema Express. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  16. BreakingMovies (6 January 2014). "Breaking Movies : TTK Prestige – Vanitha Film Awards 2014 ~ Complete Winners List". Breakingmovies.blogspot.com.au. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  17. "TTK Prestige-Vanitha Film Awards: Shobhana, Prithviraj win best actor, actress awards". Kerala9.com. 20 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  18. Gayathry (30 January 2014). "Jeethu Joseph Bags Best Director Award – Oneindia Entertainment". Entertainment.oneindia.in. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  19. "'Drishyam' Bags Kerala Film Critics Association Awards". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
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