K. T. Kunjumon

Biography:

A former Indian film producer, writer, and politician who worked on Tamil and Malayalam films, K. T. Kunjumon was born on November 15, 1953. Working closely with director P. G. Viswambharan, he co-produced a number of Malayalam films in the early years of his career.

With Sarathkumar playing the first solo lead character in Pavithran’s Suriyan, his debut Kollywood production was a hit. A huge hit and multiple record-setter for Tamil film production, Gentleman was S. Shankar’s directorial debut and Kunjumon’s second project. Ratchagan (1997) became the most costly Tamil film ever made when it was released, and his other films, Kaadhalan (1994) and Kadhal Desam (1996), were also well received.

Following his graduation from high school, Kunjumon worked in the travel agency and hotel industries before pursuing a career as a film producer. He started out in the cinema business as a distributor, releasing almost 350 films in Malayalam and Tamil among other languages.

He performed many Tamil to Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi dubbings. In the late 1980s, he produced Malayalam movies, then starting in 1991, he started producing Tamil movies. A.R.S.Movies Pvt Ltd., a film production firm, was owned by him.

Vasanthakala Paravai (1991) was his first successful Tamil film as a producer. He went on to make big-budget hits like Suriyan (1992), Gentleman (1993), Kadhalan (1994), and Kadhal Desam (1996).

To Arjun’s dismay, who believed his bravery would be diminished, Kunjumon is well known for proposing that director S. Shankar alter the Gentleman’s climactic scene based on the killing of former Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

But Kunjumon insisted on having the climax shot the way he wanted it. J. Jayalalithaa named him as the Kerala AIADMK State Secretary in 1990. In 1996, Kunjumon revealed a project named Kodiesvaran, which would be his son Eby Kunjumon’s acting debut.