Film activist Chelavoor Venu passes away

Film activist Chelavoor Venu, a cultural icon in Kozhikode, passes away at 81, leaving a legacy in cinema and journalism.

Film activist Chelavoor Venu, who was one of the more familiar faces in the cultural scene of Kozhikode, died here on Monday. He was 81.

Venu was also a journalist who founded and edited specialised magazines, including one on psychology. His biggest passion was perhaps cinema, and was a regular at about every film festival organised in the city for decades.

Venu, who spearheaded the Aswini Film Society’s commendable work, played a key role in promoting serious cinema in Malabar at a time when there was no easy access to classic films. Director Adoor Gopalakrishan has spoken about how Venu brought in fresh energy to Aswini.

Venu, who used to write film reviews for the Malayalam magazine Chandrika, was a man of varied interests. He was also on the jury for the State Film and Television Awards.

He got a well-deserved tribute when a comprehensive documentary on his life, directed by Jayan Mangad, was screened a couple of years ago. Kozhikode, in particular, will miss Venu’s bearded, smiling face.