Jeo Baby is an Indian film director, scriptwriter and actor who works in Malayalam films.[1] His family drama film The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) won the 51st Kerala State Film Award for Best Film and he received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay.[2]
Jeo Baby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 2016–present |
Early life edit
He studied cinema at St. Joseph College of Communication, Changanacherry. During his final year, he directed the 2007 short film Secret Minds which discussed same-sex relationships. He, along with three other students (the producer and actors), were suspended and later expelled from the college, which alleged the film had "obscene scenes which were capable of misleading young minds" and that they had not gotten permission to shoot it on campus. However, Jeo Baby later stated that the film "did well at international film festivals".[3][4]
Career edit
Jeo Baby started his career in the entertainment industry by writing for Television sitcoms in 2010.[4] He was involved in scripting the initial episodes of popular television sitcoms Marimayam, 'Uppum Mulakum' and 'M80 Moosa'. He made his directional movie debut through the Malayalam movie '2 Penkuttikal' which was released in 2016.[5] His second movie Kunju Daivam was released in 2017.[6] In 2020 he directed Kilometers and Kilometers which has Tovino Thomas playing the lead role. The movie didn't get a theatrical release due to COVID-19 pandemic & premiered directly on Malayalam satellite channel Asianet followed by an OTT release on Netflix.[7] His fourth Malayalam film, The Great Indian Kitchen, which has Suraj Venjaramoodu & Nimisha Sajayan playing the lead roles, was directly released on 'NeeStream' OTT platform on 15 January 2021. The movie was later officially released on Amazon Prime.[8] The film was successful, with a Tamil remake being released in 2023 and a Hindi one in the works. Jeo Baby stated that it had given him the confidence to take more risks for his own 2023 film Kaathal – The Core. Starring Mammootty (who also financed the film and decided to collaborate with Jeo Baby after watching The Great Indian Kitchen) and Jyothika in the lead roles, the film has been praised as a serious and sensitive drama about a panchayat candidate navigating societal reactions and his relationships after his wife outs him as gay to end their loveless marriage.[9]
Short Film edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Secret Minds | Script | 1.Screened in Queer LGBT Film Festivals, Bangalore
2. Screened in International Queer Film Festival, Rice University, Houston |
Television edit
Sitcoms edit
| Year | Title | Role | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Marimayam | Scriptwriter | Mazhavil Manorama |
| 2014 | M80 Moosa | Scriptwriter | Media One |
| 2015 | Uppum Mulakum | Scriptwriter | Flowers TV |
Filmography edit
As director edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 Penkuttikal | Debut film as director |
| 2017 | Kunju Daivam | [10] |
| 2020 | Kilometers and Kilometers | [11] |
| 2021 | The Great Indian Kitchen | [12] |
| 2022 | Freedom Fight | Anthology Film Segment: Old Age Home |
| Sreedhanya Catering Service | Writing & Direction | |
| 2023 | Kaathal – The Core | [13] |
As actor edit
Jeo Baby has done short roles in various Malayalam feature films.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ain | ||
| 2018 | Kunju Daivam | ||
| 2019 | Edakkad Battalion 06 | Villager | |
| 2020 | Kilometers and Kilometers | ||
| 2021 | Varthamanam | Advocate | |
| Kho-Kho | Cameo | ||
| 2022 | Freedom Fight | ||
| Sreedhanya Catering Service | Siby | ||
| Chera | |||
| 2023 | Purusha Pretham | [14] | |
| Kolla | S.I. Victor Sebastian | [15] | |
| Pulimada | Agustine | [16] | |
| 2024 | Mandakini † | TBA | [17] |
References edit
- ^ "The Unrelenting Storyteller". The Hindu. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ "51st Kerala State Film Awards: The complete winners list". The Indian Express. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ Bourke, Amy (15 May 2007). "Students suspended for gay film". PinkNews. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b Anand, Shilpa Nair (30 October 2017). "The unrelenting storyteller". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-11-28 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Tovino, Amala pitch in for 2 Penkuttikal". Times of India.
- ^ "Baby's Little God". The Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ "Tovino's movie 'Kilometers and Kilometers' postponed in wake of COVID-19 outbreak". 10 March 2020 – via Manorama Online.
- ^ "Suraj Venjaramoodu starrer 'The Great Indian Kitchen' for OTT Release". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ Ramnath, Nandini (28 November 2023). "How Jeo Baby's risky 'Kaathal' fell into place: 'Once Mammootty agreed, everything became easy'". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "National award winner 'Kunjudaivam' has a quiet release". Times of India. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ "'Kilometers and Kilometers' is an out and out entertainer-Director Jeo Baby". Times of India. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ "Suraj, Nimisha Film 'The Great Indian Kitchen' to release on January 15". The New Indian Express.
- ^ https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mammootty-and-jyothika-roped-jeo-baby-s-next-169022
- ^ "Purusha Pretham Movie Review: Gritty procedural with an even blend of the comic and morbid". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
- ^ "Kolla movie review: This Rajisha Vijayan-Priya Varrier starrer will make you yell at the screen for conspicuously missing good opportunities". The Indian Express. 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
- ^ "Joju's Pulimada gets a release date". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Features, C. E. (2024-04-06). "Althaf Salim-Anarkali Marikar starrer Mandakini gets a release date". Cinema Express. Retrieved 2024-04-06.