Ramasimhan
Born
Ali Akbar Aboobakker

(1963-02-20) 20 February 1963
Meenangadi, Wayanad, Kerala
Other namesAli Akbar
Occupations
  • Director
  • screenwriter
  • lyricist
  • editor
Years active1988 – present
SpouseLucyamma[1]
Children2

Ramasimhan Aboobakker (born Ali Akbar Aboobakker; 20 February 1963), formerly credited as Ali Akbar, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, editor, and lyricist, who works in Malayalam cinema. He has had directed more than 20 Malayalam films. He is mostly known for directing comedy-drama films, such as Junior Mandrake, Gramapanchayath, Kudumba Vaarthakal, and Bamboo Boys.

He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director for his debut film Mamalakalkkappurathu (1988), and the National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film for Rabia Chalikkunnu (1996). He was professionally credited as Ali Akbar until 2021. In 2021, he converted to Hinduism from Islam and changed his name to Ramasimhan.

Early life

He was born in a Mappila Muslim family and hails from Meenangadi in Kerala, India.

Film career

Ramasimhan made his directorial debut with the 1988 Malayalam film Mamalakalkkappurathu, for which he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director that year.[2] In 1995, he directed Pai Brothers, a comedy-drama starring Innocent and Jagathy Sreekumar as two entrepreneurs entrapped in a love triangle. His 1997 comedy film Junior Mandrake is one of his best known works, starring Jagadish and Jagathy Sreekumar. It was based on the bust of Junior Mandake which is believed to be a jinx. The film was a commercial success.[3] In 2002, he directed another comedy film, Bamboo Boys, about four tribal men who come out of jungle on a quest to find a doctor in the city.

His 1996 drama film Rabia Chalikkunnu won the National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film at the 44th National Film Awards.[4] It was followed by comedy-drama films Gramapanchayath (1998), Kudumba Vaarthakal (1998) and Swastham Grihabharanam (1999). His directorial Senior Mandrake (2010), a sequel to Junior Mandrake, received unfavourable reviews.[5] In 2011, he was banned by FEFKA for associating with acot Thilakan and directing the film Achan with him in the lead role.[6][7] In 2012, he directed Ideal Couple.[8]

In 2020, Ramasimhan announced a film on Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji, which was produced through crowdfunding, titled 1921: Puzha Muthal Puzha Vare, based on the 1921 Malabar rebellion.[9] The film was released in March 2023.[10][11]

Personal life

Ramasimhan is married to Lucyamma and the couple have two daughters.

Religion

In 2015, Ramasimhan said that he was a victim of child sexual abuse as he was abused by an ustad (teacher) at his madrasa at Meenangadi when he was eight years old.[12][13] In December 2021, Ramasimhan announced that he is renouncing Islam and he and his wife have decided to convert to Hinduism, and has changed his name to Ramasimhan.[1][14] He said the decision came after seeing disrespectful reactions by many Muslims who put laughing emoji to the news about the accidental death in a helicopter crash of then Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.[15]

Politics

Ramasimhan was an Students' Federation of India (SFI) leader during his school days. After that, he stayed away from politics for a long period.[16] In 2014, Ramasimhan contested in the 2014 Indian general election from Vatakara Lok Sabha constituency as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate. But lost to Mullappally Ramachandran.[17][18] He left AAP within 15 days after election, alleging he found evidence for financial corruption within the party in Kerala. He said he also communicated the matter with Sarah Joseph who also left the party.[16] In 2016, he contested in the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election from Koduvally constituency as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate. But lost to Karat Razak.[17] In 2021, he resigned from BJP state committee, citing discontent to the party's then state leadership.[19]

Filmography

Directed films
Year Title Writer Lyricist Other Notes
1988 Maamalakalkkappurath Yes Yes
1992 Mukhamudra
1993 Ponnuchaami
1995 Pai Brothers Yes
1997 Junior Mandrake Yes
1998 Gramapanchayath Cameo appearance
1998 Kudumba Vaarthakal
1999 Swastham Grihabharanam
2002 Bamboo Boys Yes Yes
2010 Senior Mandrake Yes Yes Yes Also editor
2011 Achan Yes Yes Also editor and cinematographer
2012 Ideal Couple Yes Yes Yes Also editor
2023 1921: Puzha Muthal Puzha Vare Yes Yes Yes Also editor, producer, and stunt choreographer

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Oommen, Ricksen (11 December 2021). "Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar to convert to Hinduism, says have lost faith in religion". India Today.
  2. 1 2 "Web.Archive: Official website of INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATION DEPARTMENT OF KERALA". 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  3. ↑ Babu, Bibin (22 April 2020). "ജൂനിയർ മാൻഡ്രേക്കിലെ ആ രംഗങ്ങള്‍ ഷൂട്ട് ചെയ്തത് ഇങ്ങനെയാണ്!". Samayam Malayalam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 "44th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Review". Sify. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "IndiaGlitz - Ban on Ali Akbar". 18 April 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "തിലകന്‍ മമ്മൂട്ടിയെക്കാള്‍ നല്ല കമ്യൂണിസ്റ്റാണ്". Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  8. ↑ Manigandan, K. R. (2 September 2012). "A balancing act". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "കിട്ടിയത് ഒരു കോടി: പ്രമുഖ താരങ്ങള്‍ വരും, പേരുകള്‍ പറയില്ല: അലി അക്ബർ".
  10. ↑ "Ali Akbar's take on 1921 rebellion to go on floors in February". The New Indian Express. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "1921 പുഴ മുതൽ പുഴ വരെ ട്രെയിലർ; അലി അക്ബറിനു വിമർശനം". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). 17 April 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Madrasa Row: Kerala Filmmaker Alleges Abuse By Teacher". Outlookindia. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Madrasa row: Kerala filmmaker says he was abused by teacher".
  14. ↑ "Kerala filmmaker Ali Akbar to convert to Hinduism, says have lost faith in religion". India Today. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  15. ↑ WION Web Team (12 December 2021). "Filmmaker Ali Akbar converts to Hinduism, condemns disrespectful reactions on CDS Bipin Rawat's death". WION. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  16. 1 2 Samayam Desk (30 December 2021). "അലി അക്ബർ സംസാരിക്കുന്നു; 'ഞാനെങ്ങനെ രാമസിംഹനായി'". Samayam Malayalam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  17. 1 2 S., Anil; Nair, N. V. Ravindranathan (27 March 2016). "Young Aspirants in a Daze". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  18. ↑ "സിനിമയില്‍ നിന്നൊരു സ്ഥാനാര്‍ത്ഥി കൂടി;അലി അക്ബര്‍". 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  19. ↑ Special correspondent (12 October 2021). "Ali Akbar quits State BJP committee". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
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