Kathapurushan

film by Gopalakrishnan [1995]

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July 20, 2026

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Kathapurushan (1995) is a film by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, a prominent figure in India's New Indian cinema movement. This movement, which emerged in the 1970s, focused on realistic and issue-based filmmaking. Kathapurushan, meaning "The Man of the Story," examines the life of a communist activist from 1937 to 1980 and received the National Award for best film. Gopalakrishnan is known for his austere, neorealist style and has directed both narrative films and documentaries. His other notable works include Elippathayam (1982), Mathilukal (1990), and Nizhalkkuthu (2002).1

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Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Gopalakrishnan’s Kathapurushan (1995; “The Man of the Story”) examines the life of a communist activist from 1937 to 1980; it won the National Award for best film. In Shadow Kill, a hangman grapples with the knowledge that he executed an innocent man.
Read More
Gopalakrishnan’s Kathapurushan (1995; “The Man of the Story”) examines the life of a communist activist from 1937 to 1980; it won the National Award for best film. In Shadow Kill, a hangman grapples with the knowledge that he executed an innocent man.
Read More