Podcast Episode
The Magic of Adoor | ft. V. K. Cherian | The Artists with Suchita #177
About this episode
What makes a great filmmaker? And what makes a culture capable of recognising great cinema?In this episode of The Artists Podcast, we explore the cinema, thinking and extraordinary legacy of Adoor Gopalakrishnan—one of India's most important filmmakers and a defining force in Malayalam cinema.A National Award-winning filmmaker whose films have travelled to and received recognition at major international festivals, Adoor developed a cinematic language entirely his own. His films are deeply attentive to human behaviour, silence, relationships, space and the inner lives of ordinary people.But Adoor's contribution extends beyond the films he made.We also look at the ecosystem he helped build through Chitralekha and the film-society movement—creating audiences for serious cinema, introducing viewers to world cinema and expanding the possibilities of what Indian cinema could be.Could this culture of film societies, film appreciation and informed audiences be one of the reasons Malayalam cinema continues to thrive as one of India's most vibrant film cultures?Joining us is V. K. Cherian—film writer, author, former film-society activist and media professional, whose engagement with Malayalam cinema began as a student through the Chitralekha Film Society in Thiruvananthapuram.Cherian has spent decades documenting India's film-society movement and the renaissance of Malayalam cinema, including through his books India's Film Society Movement: The Journey and its Impact and Noon Films and the Magical Renaissance of Malayalam Cinema.His first-hand experience of the Chitralekha movement offers a fascinating perspective not only on Adoor, but on the cultural ecosystem that helped audiences discover and value great cinema.Find V. K. Cherian and his work:www.vkcherian.in🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube🎧 Listen on Spotify🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts⭐ If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, follow, rate and review The Artists Podcast. Your support helps us continue bringing you conversations with remarkable artists, filmmakers and thinkers.Follow us on Instagram: @the.artistspodcast#TheMagicOfAdoor #AdoorGopalakrishnan #TheArtistsPodcast #VKCherian #MalayalamCinema #IndianCinema #WorldCinema #AuteurCinema #FilmStudies #CinemaStudies #Cinephile #FilmPodcast #IndianFilmmakers #GenZ