https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Charting the Cinematic Course of Gnana Rajasekharan

Indian Masterminds Stories

Gnana Rajasekharan, a Kerala cadre IAS officer, retired voluntarily to focus on what he loves most and where his heart lies – filmmaking. Posted in Kerala, a state where art and culture are highly valued, the officer was able to pursue his love and interest while serving. 

However, his desire to not compromise his duties while following his passion led him to choose VRS, a move he says was beneficial to both him and the government.

Indian Masterminds spoke exclusively with this national award-winning director about his journey from a playwright to a bureaucrat and finally, a filmmaker. 

A PASSION

Mr. Rajasekharan, a former playwright, was mostly interested in directing plays when he was younger. Before joining the IAS, the officer spent four years as a technical officer with the Intelligence Bureau in Mumbai, where many of his plays were performed.

As he became an IAS officer in 1983 and received his posting in Kerala, people there noticed his interest in films and appointed him as the MD of the Kerala Film Development Corporation.

“Kerala is a state where arts, culture, literature, dramas and such artistry is highly respected not only by the common public but also the bureaucrats and politicians. I was glad to receive such immense support from people, for keeping my passion alive!” the officer shared.

Director Gnana Rajasekaran with Bhaama and Abhinay Vaddi

FILMMAKING VENTURE

Mr. Rajasekharan had previously published an allegorical novel titled Yanai Kuthirai Ottagam, which was named the best novel of the year by the Tirupur Tamil Sangam. He has written and directed several plays, including Vayiru (a compilation of three plays published in 1980), the Hindi translation of which earned him an all-India award for best writing.

He was appointed District Collector of Thrissur, Kerala’s centre of arts and culture, in 1995. He began shooting films from this point because he believed the moment was right.

He didn’t, however, quit his job to do so. Instead, he obtained permission from the government and took a three-month leave to visit Chennai and produce his debut film, Mogamul, based on a well-known Tamil novel from 1950.

A still from Mogamul

MOGAMUL (1995)

Mogamul is a love triangle story about a college student and an aspiring classical vocalist. The film took about a year to shoot, and to everyone’s astonishment, Mr. Rajasekharan’s first film won the Indira Gandhi National Award for Best Debut Film of a Director. 

“That bolstered my confidence, and my superiors in Kerala were also impressed. They appreciated me and gave me leave anytime I wanted to create films. While serving, I was able to complete four feature films,” he told Indian Masterminds.

Mogamul (1995)

DEPUTATION TO CHENNAI

In 1998, the officer was deputed to Chennai and named Chief of the Censor Board. He worked in Chennai censoring Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films while also directing two films, Mugam and Bharathi.

A still from Mugam (1999)

While Mugam (1999) fetched poor reviews and fared badly at the box office, Bharathi (2000), the biopic of the Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi, starring Marathi actor Sayaji Shinde, went on to win four National Film Awards and six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards!

Bharathi was my magnum opus and gave me international fame as it was officiated in Europe, USA, and Sri Lanka,” said the officer.

PERIYAR (2007) AND RAMANUJAN (2014)

After a gap of nearly seven years, the officer again returned to the big screen with Periyar, a biography on E.V. Ramaswamy that concentrated on the history of the Dravidian movement, compiling numerous episodes from the time. The film won Best Feature Film in Tamil at the 48th National Film Awards and was screened at several international film festivals.

A still from Periyar (2007)

In 2014, he directed Ramanujan, a biographical film on Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The film received mixed reviews from critics. 

“I went to Cambridge to make the film, for some time. Professionally, I believe, my best film was Ramanujan,” shared the officer.

Ramanujan (2014)

TAKING VRS

The officer was assigned as the Government’s Principal Secretary, but he realized it was time for him to focus entirely on filmmaking. Furthermore, he did not want to jeopardize his duty or passion, preferring to do justice in whichever profession he selected. 

“This prompted me to take VRS, following which I directed Ramanujan. The Kerala government wanted me to be the Director of a film institute in Kerala. After roughly four years, I rejoined the service and served as the Director for two years before returning to Chennai to resume filmmaking,” said Mr. Rajasekharan.

LATEST WORK

In 2021, his latest film, Five Feelings, was released. The female-oriented film is an anthology of five separate stories based on a novel by a well-known author.

Currently, he is working on his next film, The Great Man, the script for which has been completed and the crew is waiting for the shoot to commence. The film will be a fiction that depicts the journey of the great poet Thiruvalluvar, who visits the country in 2023, 2000 years after his death, and its ramifications.

Five Feelings (2021)

Mr. Rajasekharan has also directed various short films such as Oru Kan, Oru Parvai (1999, Tamil), Vivaram Onum Ariyam (Malayalam), Puthia Keralam (Malayalam) and Kanavu Nijamagum (Tamil, 2007).


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
DIG Bhullar Punjab
How a ₹8 Lakh Bribe Trap Uncovered ₹5 Crore Cash, 1.5 Kg Gold, Luxury Cars & Guns in DIG Bhullar Case | Here’s How CBI Nabbed the Senior IPS Officer
IAS Nagarjun B
Now ₹8 Crore Land Row Hits IAS Nagarjun B. Gowda; but Officer Confirms Legal Purchase Amid Ongoing ₹51 Crore Mining Fine Controversy
JKPDD-Logo
Who is IAS GP Singh Arora? J&K IAS Officer Appointed as Chairperson of the Northern Region Technical Co-ordination Committee?
UNTCC Chiefs’ Conclave 2025
UNTCC Chiefs’ Conclave 2025 Concludes in New Delhi with Global Call to Strengthen UN Peacekeeping Operations
President Murmu UN Peacekeeping Conclave
President Droupadi Murmu Meets Army Chiefs of UN Troop Contributing Countries, Calls for Stronger Global Peace Efforts
Coal_India_Inter-Company_Powerlifting,_Weightlifting_
WCL Wins Coal India Inter-Company Powerlifting, Weightlifting & Bodybuilding Championship 2025-26
PM Modi
PM Modi Inaugurates BEL’s ₹362 Crore Advanced Night Vision Factory in Andhra Pradesh to Boost India’s Defence Manufacturing
BEML_Ltd_Signs_MoU
BEML and Kineco Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance India’s Defence and Aerospace Manufacturing
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Ruchi Jat MPPSC
She Worked in Fields, Danced Ghoomar - Now She’ll Govern Districts: Ruchi Jat Cracks MPPSC 2024 with Rank 6, Becomes Deputy Collector
From a farmer's daughter in Pipalkhunta to securing 6th rank in MPPSC 2024, Ruchi Jat's inspiring journey...
VikramDeo Saryam MPPSC
He Couldn't Pay Engineering Fees, Now He’s a Deputy Collector: Meet Vikram Deo, Farmer’s Son Who Cracked MPPSC with Sheer Willpower
Vikram, a farmer’s son from Ramgovindpur, overcame financial hardships and years of setbacks to secure...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
DIG Bhullar Punjab
How a ₹8 Lakh Bribe Trap Uncovered ₹5 Crore Cash, 1.5 Kg Gold, Luxury Cars & Guns in DIG Bhullar Case | Here’s How CBI Nabbed the Senior IPS Officer
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
IDES Saquib Alam
Dr G K Goswami IPS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT