Pookutty replaces actor Prem Kumar, who had been serving as the interim chairperson since September 2024 following the resignation of filmmaker Ranjith.
Published Nov 01, 2025 | 11:04 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 01, 2025 | 11:04 AM
Resul Pookutty. (Supplied)
The Kerala government on Friday, 1 November, appointed Academy Award-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty as the new chairperson of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, one of the state’s premier cultural institutions.
Pookutty replaces actor Prem Kumar, who had been serving as the interim chairperson since September 2024 following the resignation of filmmaker Ranjith.
Prem Kumar, who was also the academy’s vice-chairperson, has now been succeeded in that post by actor Kukku Parameswaran.
According to the government order issued on Friday, the academy’s general council and executive board, last reconstituted in March 2022, have undergone further changes.
Among the new members of the general council are filmmaker Amal Neerad, screenwriter Syam Pushkaran, and singer Sithara Krishnakumar.
The reconstitution comes at a time when the current government has only about seven months remaining in its term.
The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, functioning under the Department of Culture, plays a pivotal role in promoting cinema and film studies in the state.
It organises the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) and the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), coordinates the Kerala State Film Awards, and undertakes film archiving and research initiatives.
