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Lijo Jose Pellissery

Lijo Jose Pellissery

Directing

Biography

Lijo Jose Pellissery (born September 18, 1978) is a renowned Indian filmmaker and actor, primarily working in Malayalam cinema. He is celebrated for his bold, unconventional storytelling and experimental approach to filmmaking. Lijo’s films are known for their complex narratives, inventive visual style, and strong ensemble casts, often blending realism with surreal elements. Over the years, he has garnered critical acclaim and a strong cult following for pushing the boundaries of mainstream Malayalam cinema. Lijo made his directorial debut with Nayakan (2010), but it was his later films that truly established his unique cinematic voice. His film Amen (2013), a quirky musical drama set in a small village, was a commercial and critical success, showcasing his ability to blend humor, romance, and social commentary. However, it was Angamaly Diaries (2017) that brought him widespread recognition. The film, shot in a raw, naturalistic style with a cast of newcomers, depicted the vibrant, chaotic world of the titular town. Its famous 11-minute single-take climax became a defining moment in modern Malayalam cinema. Following that, Lijo’s Ee.Ma.Yau (2018) won several awards for its powerful portrayal of death and grief in a coastal village, using dark humor and deeply philosophical undertones. Lijo continued to challenge conventional filmmaking with Jallikattu (2019), a visceral and visually stunning film about the chaos that ensues when a buffalo escapes in a rural village. Jallikattu was India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards, marking Lijo’s global recognition. His films often explore the primal instincts of humans, societal chaos, and the dynamics of rural life, all while maintaining a sense of authenticity and local flavor. With his bold vision and fearless experimentation, Lijo Jose Pellissery has become one of the most innovative and influential filmmakers in contemporary Indian cinema.

Known For

Churuli
7.1

Two cops undercover trailing a fugitive enter a hamlet inside a dense forest. At every turn, they encounter a mysterious character who further misleads them into new labyrinths.

Churuli

2021
Nishaanchi
6.1

Twin brothers, identical looks but different values, face brotherhood, betrayal, love, and redemption. Their paths weave through crime into a deeper story of human nature and its results.

Nishaanchi

2025
City of God
7.0

The lives of several people in Kochi’s criminal underworld intertwine as land mafia enforcer Jyothilal pursues actress Suryaprabha, while laborer Swarnavel faces marital strife and widow Viji seeks vengeance, all bound by fate’s cruel coincidences.

City of God

2011
Amen
7.5

Solomon, who belongs to a band, is in love with Soshanna, who hails from an upper class family. The story spells how Solomon manages to win over all the obstacles to marry Soshanna.

Amen

2013
Painkili
5.5

Tale of Suku, who fakes insanity to escape the law. While faking insanity, he falls in love.

Painkili

2025
Double Barrel
5.5

In Goa, two thugs, Pancho and Vinci, are approached by a crime boss, Don, with an offer to buy two precious stones, Laila and Majnu. However, these two end up initiating a gang war.

Double Barrel

2015
Oru Cinemakkaran
5.4

Alby, who is married to the girl he loves, Sara, against the will of both their families. While the couple leads a romantic life in a residential complex in Kochi, Alby, who is a passionate and hardworking filmmaker, begins to face financial liabilities. Being stressed, he soon gets involved in a thoughtless act and finds himself in an unpredictable situation. Alby's life then begins to go beyond his control.

Oru Cinemakkaran

2017
Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam
7.0

A group of Malayali travellers, returning to Kerala by bus after their visit to Velankanni, all doze off in a lazy nap after lunch. One of the travelers, James, stops the bus in a village in Tamil Nadu. He starts behaving like a native of the place and speaking in Tamil, confusing his fellow passengers and the villagers alike. He walks amidst faith, delusion, dream and trance, followed by others.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam

2023
Nayakan
6.6

Varadanunni comes to know that his father and sister were killed by a criminal, Shankar Das. He joins hands with an ageing thug, Vincent Karanavar, and his daughter, Maria, to seek revenge.

Nayakan

2010
8½ Intercuts : Life and Films of K.G. George
1.0

With a distinct filmography that faithfully depicts a cross-section of the Kerala society on celluloid during his active years, KG George is a master filmmaker and a true genius. This documentary is an attempt to analyse the relevance of his major films and understand his unique personality

8½ Intercuts : Life and Films of K.G. George

2017
Sapthamashree Thaskaraha
6.4

Seven men, after getting acquainted in prison and finding out that all of their lives have been affected by the same con man, decide to raid the fraudster's life savings.

Sapthamashree Thaskaraha

2014
Jallikattu
6.7

An escaped buffalo triggers a frenzy of ecstatic violence in a remote village.

Jallikattu

2019
Mayaanadhi
7.6

A shady money deal goes wrong and in the aftermath Mathan ends up killing a police officer. Meanwhile in Kochi, his old flame Aparna an aspiring actress is struggling to prop up her career. Mathan meets up with Aparna and tries to rekindle the past, even as the police hunt for him gets intense.

Mayaanadhi

2017
Angamaly Diaries
7.4

Six young friends in the small town of Angamaly tries their luck by starting a pork business lead by Vincent Pepe. They initially strike a business deal with Rajan and Ravi despite the duo having killed a close friend of theirs in a gang fight. Vincent is in love with Sakhi and plan to immigrate abroad with her. But their plans hit a road bump as the deal with the gangsters hits some road bumps.

Angamaly Diaries

2017
Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil
7.1

Jacob, a manager at a big financial firm, finds himself behind bars when he tries to save the woman he loves from being involved in a criminal case. The only way for him to survive and to escape was to break out of prison. How he plans and executes the prison break forms the crux of the movie.

Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil

2018
Darwinte Parinamam
5.3

Anil Anto, a TV operator moves to Kochi with his pregnant wife in order to start a new life. Here, post an unfortunate incident, Anil crosses paths with Darwin, a crime boss.

Darwinte Parinamam

2016
Akashvani
5.0

Movie narrates the story of a couple, Akash and Vani. They go on a personal trip to spend some quality time with each other and the resulting incidents are plotted.

Akashvani

2016
Malaikottai Vaaliban
6.3

Malaikottai Vaaliban, an uncontested warrior proves himself to be a reigning hero across time and geographies, defeating every opponent he encounters. As Vaaliban continues his victorious journey along with his aids Chinnappaiyyan & Ayyanar meets Rangapattinam Rangarani, an ethereal dancer at a betting parlour in Nooraanathalayur. This is the moment that also invites Chamathakan, a villainous presence who will shadow Vaaliban through the rest of his journey. This group then proceed on journey with many twists and turns that leads Vaaliban to his ultimate challenge.

Malaikottai Vaaliban

2024
Thamasha
7.4

Sreenivasan, a bald 31-year-old, finds it tough to get a girl to like or marry him. Will lady love ever bless him?

Thamasha

2019
Bombay March 12
5.6

The story is about Sameer (Mammootty), a sweeper with the Alapuzha Municipality, who is always on tenterhooks because he is on the police radar whenever there is trouble or an act of terror occurs. Later it is revealed that his brother-in-law Shahjahan (Unni Mukundan) was suspected to be part of the terror team that had planted bombs in Bombay in 1993 and was later killed in an encounter with the Army in Andhra Pradesh.

Bombay March 12

2011