JoannePettiford at 10:13, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T10:13:31Z

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{{Short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{for|the Bollywood actor|John Abraham (actor)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Abraham
| image =
| caption = Abraham in [[1986]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1937|8|11}}
| birth_place = [[Chennamkary]], [[Kuttanadu]], [[Alappuzha|Alleppey]], [[Travancore]]<ref name="birth1"/><ref name=birth2>{{cite journal|title=none |author=Skaria Mathew |journal=[[Mathrubhumi Weekly]] |date= 16–22 June 2013 |page=22}}</ref>
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1987|5|31|1937|8|11}}
| death_place = [[Kozhikode]], [[Kerala]], India
| alma_mater = [[Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla]]<br>[[Film and Television Institute of India]]
| occupation = Film director, screenwriter
| website =
| footnotes = "A Wonder in World Cinema" – [[Adoor Bhasi]]
}}
'''John Abraham''' (11 August 1937 – 31 May 1987) was an Indian filmmaker, [[short story writer]] and screenwriter who worked mainly in [[Malayalam cinema]]. His film ''[[Amma Ariyan]]'' (1986) was the only South Indian feature film to make the list of "Top 10 Indian Films" of all time by [[British Film Institute]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 10 Indian Films|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|year=2002|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india|access-date=12 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515101729/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india/|archive-date=15 May 2011}}</ref> ''Agraharathil Kazhuthai'' was listed among the "100 Greatest Indian Films" of all time by [[IBN Live]]'s 2013 poll.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130607012016/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mayabazar-is-indias-greatest-film-ever-ibnlive-poll/391184-8-66.html "'Mayabazar' is India's greatest film ever"] . [[IBNLive]]. Retrieved 12 June 2013.</ref>

==Early life==
John Abraham was born in [[Chennamkary]], [[Kuttanadu]] in 1937. He is from the Vazhakkat branch, [[Chennamkary]] of the Pattamukkil Family.<ref name=birth1>{{cite book|title=John Abraham|editor=K. N. Shaji|year=2011|publisher=Chintha Publishers}}</ref><ref name=birth2/> He completed his intermediate studies in [[CMS College Kottayam]] staying with his grandfather, who nurtured John's talent in his early days. After completing his degree in (history and politics) from [[Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla]], he worked as a private college teacher and latter he joined as an [[office assistant]] with [[Life Insurance Corporation of India]] in [[Udupi]], Karnataka.{{Citation needed|date= May 2018}} After that he joined the [[Film and Television Institute of India|FTII]], [[Pune]] and there he met film-makers such as [[Ritwik Ghatak]] and [[Mani Kaul]]. John graduated out of the [[Film and Television Institute of India|FTII]] with gold medals in screenwriting and film direction. He entered the film industry working as an [[assistant director]] to Mani Kaul for the film ''[[Uski Roti]]'' (1969, Hindi).<ref name="gaekwad">{{cite news |last1=Gaekwad |first1=Manish |title=Will the real John Abraham please stand up? |url=https://scroll.in/reel/606/will-the-real-john-abraham-please-stand-up |access-date=8 June 2018 |work=Scroll.in |date=1 October 2015}}</ref> He has worked for some [[Hindi]] projects that was shot in [[Kerala]], but none were released. John's first attempt in direction came in 1967 named ''[[Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile]]''. It was the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Agraharathil Kazhuthai]]'' (1977) that gave John recognition.<ref name="Remembering filmmaker John Abraham: When a donkey became the central character of his film - Times of India">{{Cite news |title=Remembering filmmaker John Abraham: When a donkey became the central character of his film - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-filmmaker-john-abraham-when-a-donkey-became-the-central-character-of-his-film/articleshow/85235242.cms |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>

==Career ==
John entered the film industry working as an [[assistant director]] to Mani Kaul for the film ''[[Uski Roti]]'' (1969, Hindi).<ref name="gaekwad" /> He has worked for some [[Hindi]] projects that was shot in [[Kerala]], but none were released. John's first attempt in direction came in 1967 named ''[[Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile]]''. It was the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Agraharathil Kazhuthai]]'' (1977) that gave John recognition.<ref name="Remembering filmmaker John Abraham: When a donkey became the central character of his film - Times of India" />

He completed only four films, namely ''[[Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile]]'' (1972),<ref name="Vidyaarthikale Ithile Ithile (1972)">{{Cite web |title=Vidyaarthikale Ithile Ithile (1972) |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=408 |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com}}</ref> ''[[Agraharathil Kazhuthai]]'' (1977, Tamil), ''[[Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal|Cheriachante Krurakrithyangal]]'' (1979,<ref name="100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time {{!}} Movies News Photos-IBNLive">{{Cite web |date=2013-04-25 |title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time {{!}} Movies News Photos-IBNLive |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-89.html |access-date=2021-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425235230/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-89.html |archive-date=25 April 2013 }}</ref><ref name="John Abraham: Cheriyachente Kroora Krithyangal">{{Cite web |date=2009-01-20 |title=John Abraham: Cheriyachente Kroora Krithyangal |url=http://cinemaofmalayalam.net/cheriyachan.html |access-date=2021-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090120124134/http://cinemaofmalayalam.net/cheriyachan.html |archive-date=20 January 2009 }}</ref> [[Malayalam]]) and ''[[Amma Ariyan]]'' (1986, [[Malayalam]]).<ref name="John, the iconic filmmaker, comes alive on screen">{{Cite web |last=Sudhish |first=Navamy |date=2018-06-09 |title=John, the iconic filmmaker, comes alive on screen |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/john-the-iconic-filmmaker-comes-alive-on-screen/article24125167.ece |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}</ref>

=== Odessa Collective ===
Under John, the ''Odessa Collective'' came into existence in 1984 with a street drama in [[Fort Kochi]] named ''Nayykali'' (The game of dogs). ''Odessa'' was an attempt by a group of movie enthusiasts to change the history of film production and distribution by making it a collaborative effort with the public and thus act as an empowering and liberating medium.<ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/culture-cauldron/John-Abraham-New-Indian-Cinemas-most-creative-representative/articleshow/3091515.cms?curpg=3 ''Economic Times of India'': John Abraham: New Indian Cinema's most creative representative]</ref> For the financing of the first film produced by Odessa, John and his friends travelled through villages and collected money from the general public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/john.html |title=John Abraham |access-date=2008-12-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119082938/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/john.html |archive-date=19 January 2009 }}</ref> Odessa also collected funds for the film by screening [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s ''[[The Kid (1921 film)|The Kid]]''. The film, ''[[Amma Ariyan]]'' (Report to mother) (1986) was exhibited across the state of [[Kerala]] on a non-commercial basis,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/art_kerala_cinema.php | title=National Portal of India}}</ref> an initiative kept alive, after John's death, by his colleague and co-founder of Odessa Collective, [[Odessa Sathyan]].<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite web | url=http://mathrubhuminews.in/ee/ReadMore/9203/noted-documentary-filmmaker-odessa-sathyan-dies/E | title=Mathrubhumi | publisher=Mathrubhumi | work=Article and video | date=19 August 2014 | access-date=20 August 2014 | archive-date=20 August 2014 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140820024407/http://mathrubhuminews.in/ee/ReadMore/9203/noted-documentary-filmmaker-odessa-sathyan-dies/E | url-status=dead }}</ref>

He started shooting a documentary based on the life of [[E.M.S. Namboodiripad]], but never completed it.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/john-abraham-and-the-socio-political-contexts-of-new-cinema-kerala |title=John Abraham and the Socio-Political Contexts of New Cinema in Kerala |date=2018-06-08 |website=[[sahapedia]] |access-date=2018-06-29}}</ref>

The media called him ''Ottayan'' (The Lone [[Elephant|Tusker]]).<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=795869228339318784 |user=AkashvaniAIR |title="Ottayan- The Lone Tusker" The programme will detail the life and legacy of John Abraham, hailed as 'Ottayan' or the 'Lone Tusker.' |date=7 November 2016}}</ref>

He has left behind a number of complete and incomplete scripts. A collection of his stories had been published under the title Nerchakkozhi. Another collection of his stories has been published posthumously under the title ''John Abrahaminte Kathakal'' by Pakshikkottam Books, [[Thiruvananthapuram]] in 1993.<ref name="JOHN ABRAHAMINTE KATHAKAL">{{Cite book |date=2021-10-30 |title=JOHN ABRAHAMINTE KATHAKAL |id={{ASIN|812645220X|country=in}} }}</ref>

==Death==
On 30 May 1987 John was admitted to the [[Government Medical College, Kozhikode|Kozhikode Medical College]] hospital following his fall from a house top after a party. He was not identified by the hospital authorities, and allegedly not given due attention and medical care, which caused his condition to deteriorate, leading to his death on 31 May.<ref>Abhish K Bose (12 June 2013). Later, neuro-surgeon B.Iqbal lamented and apologized for Abraham's pathetic death. While Abraham was fighting for his life at the casualty room in Calicut Medical College, Iqbal was working there. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130613135229/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130612/news-current-affairs/article/john-was-unknown-medical-staff "John Abraham was unknown to medical staff"]. ''Deccan Chronicle''. Retrieved 12 June 2013.</ref> Following the allegations of medical negligence, a departmental inquiry was conducted into the incident. 26 years after John's death, social activist [[B. Ekbal]] who was a surgeon at the Kozhikode Medical College when John was admitted for treatment, revealed that the director could have been saved if his identity was known to the doctors at the time of admission. He said the doctors at the casualty did not know John and mistook him for a film representative when he said that he was a filmmaker. In a Facebook post, Ekbal said the doctors failed to diagnose internal bleeding suffered by John and to check his blood pressure which could have prevented him from slipping into a shock through a timely surgery.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/26-years-after-john-abrahams-death-an-autopsy-on-facebook/article4807864.ece/ "26 years after John Abraham's death, an autopsy on Facebook"]. ''The Hindu''. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.</ref>

==Filmography==
;Documentaries
* 1967: ''Koyna Nagar'' – Director (in English) – Unreleased
* 1969: ''Priya'' – Director (in Hindi) – (John's Diploma film at [[Film and Television Institute of India|FTII]], [[Pune]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Will the real John Abraham please stand up?|author=Manish Gaekwad|publisher=Scroll|year=2015|url=https://scroll.in/reel/606/will-the-real-john-abraham-please-stand-up|access-date=25 October 2025}}</ref>

* 1969: ''Hides and Strings'' – Director (in English)
;Feature films
* 1972: ''[[Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile]]'' (''This Way, Students'') – Director (in [[Malayalam]])
** Screenplay: M Azad — Cast: [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]], [[Adoor Bhasi]], [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]], [[S. V. Ranga Rao]], [[Jayabharathi]], S. P. Pillai – Cinematography: [[Ramachandra Babu]] – Music: [[M. B. Sreenivasan]]
* 1977: ''[[Agraharathil Kazhuthai]]'' (''Donkey in the Elite Colony'') – Director and screenwriter (in [[Tamil language|Tamil]])
** Screenplay: [[Venkat Saminathan]] – Cast: [[M. B. Sreenivasan]], |Swathi, Savitri, Raman Veeraraghavan – Cinematography: [[Ramachandra Babu]] – Art Director: Jeevan Thomas — Music: [[M. B. Sreenivasan]]
* 1979: ''[[Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal]]'' (''Cruelties of Cheriyachan'') – Director and screenwriter (in Malayalam)
** Cast: [[Adoor Bhasi]], [[Kaviyoor Ponnamma]], [[Poornima Jayaram]], Abraham Joseph, [[Venu (cinematographer)|Venu]] – Cinematography: [[Madhu Ambat]] – Music: [[Johnson (composer)|Johnson]]
* 1986: ''[[Amma Ariyan]]'' (''Report to Mother'') – Director and screenwriter (in Malayalam)
** Cast: [[Joy Mathew (director)|Joy Mathew]], Maji Venkitesh, [[Nilambur Balan]], Harinarayanan, Sara Thomas – Cinematography: [[Venu (cinematographer)|Venu]] – Music: Sunitha

==Books==
* ''Nerchakkozhi'' (1986)
* ''John Abrahaminte Kathakal'' (1993)

==Awards==
'''[[National Film Awards]]:'''
* 1977 – [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|Best Feature Film in Tamil]] – ''[[Agraharathil Kazhuthai]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/92_25thNfacatalogue.pdf|title=25th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=28 January 2023|archive-date=3 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103082138/https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/92_25thNfacatalogue.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
* 1986 – [[National Film Award – Special Jury Award (Feature Film)|Special Jury Award]] – ''[[Amma Ariyan]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/83_34thNfacatalogue.pdf|title=34th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=28 January 2023|archive-date=27 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227063045/https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/83_34thNfacatalogue.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''[[Kerala State Film Awards]]:'''
* 1979 – [[Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury Award)|Special Jury Award]] – ''[[Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal|Cheriyachente Kroora Krithyangal]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=State Film Awards (1969-80)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232254/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawares.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016|url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawares.htm|publisher=[[Kerala State Chalachitra Academy]]|access-date=28 January 2023}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
According to one reviewer, John Abraham has influenced an entire generation of filmmakers to think and create content beyond the ordinary. He's one of the founding fathers of Independent Cinema in Malayalam.<ref name="The legend of John - Sreekumar AT - The Sunday Indian">{{Cite web |title=The legend of John - Sreekumar AT - The Sunday Indian |url=http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/the-legend-of-john/7/36696/ |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=www.thesundayindian.com |archive-date=26 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626023535/http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/the-legend-of-john/7/36696/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== John Abraham Award ===
The [[Federation of Film Societies of India]] – Kerala instituted the [[John Abraham Award for Best Malayalam Film]] in 1998. The John Abraham National Awards for Documentary and Short Features are awarded since 2005 for the best documentary and short feature screened in the SIGNS, festival organised by [[Federation of Film Societies of India]] – Kerala.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Abraham Awards for Best Malayalam Cinema - Looking Back |url=http://ffsikeralam.in/awards.html |access-date=28 January 2023 |website=ffsikeralam.in |publisher=[[Federation of Film Societies of India]] (Kerala)}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|title=A Tribute to John Abraham, an Avant-Garde Film Director|author=Kandukuri Ramesh Babu}}
* {{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=P. K. Ajith |date=2019-12-06 |title=A tribute to director John Abraham |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/a-tribute-to-filmmaker-john-abraham/article30212989.ece |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0008943|John Abraham}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090119082938/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/john.html Profile] at Cinemaofmalayalam
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090822010427/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/2002/05/john.htm Profile] at Weblokam
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090120124139/http://cinemaofmalayalam.net/ghatak_john.html A tribute to Ritwik Ghatak by John]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071121000653/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/ammaariyan.html ''Amma Ariyan'', a study – Manuvilsan, Rajmohan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080108044412/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/2002/05/john1.htm Remembering John – Adoor Bhasi (Malayalam)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080112115246/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/2002/05/john2.htm Remembering John – Ramachandra Babu (Malayalam)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080107004503/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/2002/05/john3.htm Remembering John – Venu (Malayalam)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080108025432/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/2002/05/john4.htm Remembering John – M.B. Sreenivasan (Malayalam)]
* [https://rajamohan.blogspot.com/2006/04/remembering-john-adoor-gopalakrishnan.html Remembering John – Adoor Gopalakrishnan]
* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20040704074813/http://www.chaosmag.net/john.html John Abraham on Indian Film Database by Chaosmag]}}
* [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/Culture_Cauldron/John_Abraham_New_Indian_Cinemas_most_creative_representative/rssarticleshow/msid-3091515,curpg-2.cms John Abraham: New Indian Cinema's most creative representative]
* [https://john-odessa.blogspot.com/2007/10/legacy-of-john-abraham-lives-on-anand.html Legacy of John Abraham lives on – (Anand Haridas)]
* [https://john-odessa.blogspot.com/2007/10/john-abraham-biography-source-sakshiin.html John Abraham – A Biography]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121106020503/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/08/15/stories/2008081550480100.htm Trailing an icon]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100414121934/http://blip.tv/file/2164827 Yours Truly John – Trailer]

{{National Film Award Special Jury Award Feature Film}}
{{John Abraham (director)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham}}
[[Category:1937 births|Abraham, John]]
[[Category:1987 deaths|Abraham, John]]
[[Category:Film directors from Alappuzha district|Abraham, John]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Malayalam screenwriters]]
[[Category:Malayalam short story writers]]
[[Category:Film and Television Institute of India alumni]]
[[Category:Kerala State Film Award winners]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths from falls in India]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:People from Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Writers from Kozhikode]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Special Jury Award (feature film) National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:Filmmaking pioneers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters]]

John Abraham director - Revision history

JoannePettiford at 10:13, 27 March 2026