Vijay Babu is an Indian film producer, actor, and businessman, who works in the Malayalam film industry.[2] He is the founder of the film production company Friday Film House.[3]
Vijay Babu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 May 1976 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Spouse | Smitha |
| Website | fridayfilmhouse |
Vijay Babu is best known for producing and starring in the films Philips and the Monkey Pen (2013), Peruchazhi (2014), Aadu (2015), Adi Kapyare Kootamani (2015), Mudhugauv (2016), Angamaly Diaries (2017), Aadu 2 (2017), June (2019), Sufiyum Sujatayum (2021), and Home (2021). In 2014, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Children's Film (as producer) for his production firm for Philips and the Monkey Pen. The character Sarbath Shameer played by Vijay Babu appearing in Aadu film series had developed into a cult following.[4][5]
Sufiyum Sujatayum, produced by him under his banner Friday Film House, is the first Malayalam film to have a direct release on an OTT platform, Amazon Prime Video. Babu is known for bankrolling many experimental films and supporting upcoming filmmakers in the industry.[6][7][8]
Early life and family edit
Vijay Babu was born in Kollam, Kerala to Nair parents Subashchandra Babu and Maya Babu. He has two siblings, Vinay Babu and Vijayalakshmi.
Babu did his schooling at St. Jude School, Kollam and received graduation from the Loyola College, Chennai.[9] He started his media career at STAR India in Mumbai. In 2002, he was selected as the Best Employee of STAR TV. Later that year, he quit his job to venture as an entrepreneur in Dubai. After a few years, he joined as the COO of Asianet and Sitara TV in Hyderabad. In 2009, Babu returned to Kerala as the Vice President of Surya TV. He is married to Smitha, a Dubai-based employee. The couple has a son named Bharath.[10]
Career edit
In 2013, Babu quit his media career and joined the Malayalam film industry as an actor and producer.[11][better source needed]
Babu is one of the founders and CEO of Friday Film House founded a Kerala-based film production company along with the actress Sandra Thomas. Friday Film House won seven of the Kerala state film awards in various fields in 2014.[citation needed] Though the company was established after the success of the film Friday, the movie is considered the first production venture of Friday Film House.[12]
Babu is best known for his roles in Philips and the Monkey Pen and Nee-Na, and as the producer of Philips and the Monkey Pen, Peruchazhi and Aadu. His role as Vinay Paniker in Nee-Na received appreciation from critics.[13][14]
Controversy edit
On 22 April 2022, a newcomer actress from the Malayalam film industry accused Vijay Babu of sexual and physical abuse over the past two months in the guise of friendship and guidance, and subsequently registered a criminal case which is currently being investigated.[15] In response, he left India and is suspected to be in Dubai, with Indian police having issued a look out circular for him at the airports and planning to search his properties for evidence. In a Facebook Live stream four days later, Babu denied the accusations, claiming to be "the one who is suffering" and stating he would contersue for defamation. While his action received criticism, various men's rights groups came in support of him quoting the one-sided nature of law when it comes to such allegations. Activists like Rahul Easwar and Mithun Vijay Kumar announced MenToo movement on various platforms to protect the actor from media trials and demanded a gender-neutral form of justice. Notably, he named his accuser in the video despite knowing it is illegal under Indian law, leading to him additionally being charged under IPC Section 228A for violating the victim's anonymity and criticism from supporters of sexual assault survivors.[16][17] While the internal complaint commission of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) recommended that Babu be expelled, the organisation ultimately did not do so, instead accepting a letter from him distancing himself from the executive board. In response to this inaction, four members (Maala Parvathy, Kukku Parameswaran, Shweta Menon and Hareesh Peradi) criticized AMMA's stance and left the association.[18][19]
Filmography edit
| Year | Film | Credited as | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actor | Producer | Role | |||
| 1982 | Sooryan | Yes | As child artist | ||
| 2011 | Three Kings | Yes | Himself | Cameo appearance as himself | |
| 2012 | 22 Female Kottayam | Yes | Benny | ||
| Ayalum Njanum Thammil | Yes | Dcp Ameer Muhammad | |||
| No. 66 Madhura Bus | Yes | Ravichandran | |||
| Chapters | Yes | Kiran Das | |||
| Karmayodha | Dubbing Artist | Voice Dubbed For Rony David | |||
| 2013 | Honey Bee | Yes | SI George | ||
| Kili Poyi | Yes | Pandey | |||
| Zachariayude Garbhinikal | Yes | Debut film as a producer | |||
| Philips and the Monkey Pen | Yes | Yes | Padmachandran | [20][21][22] | |
| Escape from Uganda | Yes | Jayakrishnan | |||
| Bicycle Thieves | Yes | Kashinathan | |||
| 2014 | Mr. Fraud | Yes | Abbas | ||
| Peruchazhi | Yes | Yes | Sunny Kurishingal | [23] | |
| Tamaar Padaar | Yes | Purushan | |||
| 2015 | Aadu Oru Bheegara Jeevi Aanu | Yes | Yes | SI Sarbath Shemeer | [24] |
| Nee-Na | Yes | Vinay Paniker | |||
| Double Barrel | Yes | Billy Gang | |||
| Adi Kapyare Kootamani | Yes | ||||
| 2016 | Mudhugauv | Yes | Yes | Rambo | |
| Aakashvani | Yes | Akaashdas | |||
| Pretham | Yes | commissioner Sam Alexander | |||
| 2016–2017 | Home Minister | Yes | TV show on Amrita TV | ||
| 2017 | Angamaly Diaries | Yes | |||
| Careful | Yes | commissioner Ajith Chandran | |||
| Oru Cinemakkaran | Yes | Sudheer | |||
| Velipadinte Pusthakam | Yes | himself | Cameo | ||
| Overtake | Yes | Nandan | |||
| Lava Kusha | Yes | Cyril Abraham / Banglan | |||
| Ayal Jeevichirippundu | Yes | John Mathew Mathan | |||
| Crossroad | Yes | Joe | segment: Pakshiyude Manam | ||
| Sadrishyavakyam | Yes | Commissioner Binoy Idikula | |||
| Aadu 2 | Yes | Yes | SI Sarbath Shemeer | ||
| 2019 | June | Yes | |||
| Mr. & Ms. Rowdy | Yes | Jeevan George | |||
| Janamaithri | Yes | Yes | Raphael | ||
| Shubharathri | Yes | CI Balachandran | |||
| Sullu | Yes | Kishore | |||
| Puzhikkadakan | Yes | Minister Avaran Pottakuzhi | |||
| Stand Up | Yes | TBA | |||
| Swarnamalsyangal | Yes | TBA | |||
| Thrissur Pooram | Yes | Yes | Commissioner Moorthy | ||
| Parchayee | Yes | Police Officer | |||
| 2020 | Anveshanam | Yes | Dr. Gautham | ||
| Oru Vadakkan Pennu | Yes | Sivan | |||
| Sufiyum Sujathayum | Yes | Released in Amazon Prime | |||
| 2021 | Eighteen Hours | Yes | |||
| Home | Yes | Yes | Psychologist | Released in Amazon Prime | |
| Sunny | Yes | Advocate Paul | Released in Amazon Prime | ||
| 2022 | Anthakshari | Yes | Vasudevan | ||
| Keedam | Yes | CI Charles | |||
| Theerppu | Yes | Yes | Ram Kumar Nair | ||
| 2023 | Maheshum Marutiyum | Yes | [25] | ||
| Pendulum | Yes | No | Dr. Mahesh Narayan | [26] | |
| Valatty | Yes | Yes | Roy | [27] | |
| 2024 | Qalb | Yes | [28] | ||
| Oru Sarkar Ulpannam | Yes | TBA | [29] | ||
Awards edit
References edit
- ^ "Vijay Babu as actor and producer". Times of India. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ^ "Vijay Babu, weekend actor to turn hero". Deccan Chronicle. 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Vijay babu in the Lead". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "Aadu 2: Look of Sarbath Shameer and his 'castastrophic' crew revealed - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "The name's Shameer, Sarbath Shameer - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "Sufiyum Sujatayum First Malayalam Film to be Released on OTT Platform". News18. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Sufiyum Sujathayum to be the first Malayalam film to release on OTT platform - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Jayasurya starrer 'Sufiyum Sujatayum' to turn first Malayalam movie to get OTT release". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Malayalam Actor Vijay Babu's net worth, family, education and more". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd.
- ^ "Google". www.google.co.in.
- ^ "Vijay Babu Biography". cochintalkies.com/. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Our Projects – Friday Film House". fridayfilmhouse.com. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "Vijay Babu's class act in as Vinay Paniker in the film Nee-na gets appreciation from various corners". News24hours.in. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Would like to do characters that are of my age: Vijay Babu". english.manoramaonline.com/. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Malayalam actor claims Vijay Babu sexually, physically abused her for months: 'He was like a monster to me'". 27 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Why Vijay Babu naming a rape survivor is not the same as her naming him". The News Minute. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ TK, Smitha (28 April 2022). "'Look Out Notice': Producer Vijay Babu Booked for Outing Kerala Rape Survivor". TheQuint. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ Henry, Nikhila (3 May 2022). "Kerala Film Body on the Rocks: Three Actors Resign from AMMA ICC Over Vijay Babu". TheQuint. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Unhappy with AMMA stand in Vijay Babu case, actor Hareesh Peradi wants membership cancelled". OnManorama. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "What got special on'Philips & the Monkey Pen' : Miracles never ends on M'Town". The Cine News. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ "Philips and the Monkey Pen – Find what you like". tikkview. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ "Malayalam film Philips & the Monkey Pen releases today". Rediff.com. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ "Mohanlal in & as Peruchazhi – thecompleteactor.com". Archived from the original on 21 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ "Aadu Oru Bheekara Jeeviyanu Review | Aadu Oru Bheekara Jeeviyanu Malayalam Movie Review by Veeyen". NOWRUNNING. Archived from the original on 18 February 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ "'Maheshum Maruthiyum' to release on March 10". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ "PendulumU". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
- ^ "Valatty (2023) - Movie | Reviews, Cast & Release Date". in.bookmyshow.com. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- ^ "Sajid Yahiya's Big-budget Malayalam Film Qalb Set To Release In Theatres On January 12". News18. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (2 March 2024). "Censor Board has 'Bharatha' removed from Oru Bharatha Sarkar Ulpannam". Cinema Express. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Kerala State Film Awards 2014 Announced – Winners List". Keralatv.in. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.