Nemom Pushparaj, born on October 23, 1961, in Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, is a renowned art director, director, and author whose multifaceted contributions have left a lasting impact on the Malayalam film industry and the broader artistic community in Kerala. With a career spanning over four decades, Pushparaj’s creative endeavors have earned him numerous accolades in film, art, and literature.
He is a first rank holder graduate in painting from the Fine Arts College,Trivandrum (1985). In 1986 Nemom joined the Encyclopedia Institute(Department of Culture, Government of Kerala) and when he retiredin 2017, he was the Head of the Department and Art Editor of theInstitute.An internationally exhibited artist, Nemom’s works are collected by Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy, Central Lalit Kala Academy, ITDC, KTDC, Trivandrum Museum and zoo. He is the author of three books namely ‘Kanai Kunhiraman: The Artist of Mega Forms’, ‘Raja Ravi Varma: Art, Time and Life’and ‘T.K.Padmini’. His works have been the subject of the studies, ‘Sookshma Sathyathinte Mugdha Darshanam’ by P. Gopakumar and ‘Kalayude Bahuswaratha’ by Dr.Raja Varrier.
His entry into the film industry as an art director marked the beginning of an illustrious career. Pushparaj’s expertise in art direction is evident in his work on approximately eighty films. His early successes include art direction for films like Katha Nayakan (1997) and Paithrukam (1993), which were instrumental in establishing his reputation. He is particularly noted for his innovative and meticulous approach, which earned him the Film Critics Award multiple times, including for films such as Highway (1996) and Kannaki (2002). Nemom Pushparaj directed Four full length feature films: ‘Gowreesankaram’, ‘Kukkiliyar’,‘Banaras’ and Randaam Yaamam. He co-directed the movie ‘Cross Road’. He is also the director of ‘Kanayi Kunhiraman’ (documentary for the Public Relations Dept. Govt. of Kerala) and ‘Murals of Kerala’ (documentary for the Archaeological Department of Kerala). ‘Vijayakumar Menon: Renunciant in Art History’ is his latest documentary.
Pushparaj’s literary contributions are equally noteworthy. His books on art, including Kanayi Kunhiraman: Brihadakarangulude Shilpi and Raja Ravi Varma: Art, Time, Life, have been praised for their depth and design. These publications have earned him several awards, such as the Kochi International Book Fair Award (2014) and the Darsana International Book Fair Award (2014) for excellence in design and execution.
Beyond his individual achievements, Pushparaj served as the chairman of the Lalitha Kala Academy, influencing the direction of Kerala’s art scene. His career culminated in his role as the head of the art department and art editor at the Sarvavignakosa Institute, from which he retired in 2017.
Nemom Pushparaj’s legacy is characterized by his extraordinary ability to traverse multiple artistic domains. His work continues to inspire and influence new generations of artists, filmmakers, and writers, solidifying his place as a true visionary in Kerala’s cultural landscape.
