Cultural organiser and film society pioneer Jayapala Menon dies at 92

P. Jayapala Menon, an early leader of Kerala’s film society movement and director of Janashakthi Films, died on Sunday at the age of 92. Mr Menon led several initiatives in the cultural sphere and was associated with publications including Kala Bhasha.

He also served as chairman of the Panchajanyam Film Festival, held annually at Chittur, from the festival’s inception. His cultural associations included Swaralaya, the Palghat Fine Arts Society, Kathakali Trust and Chithrakala Trust. He was also linked to the Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham and the Deshabhimani Study Circle.

Mr Menon was further associated with the Thekkegramam Thunchan Memorial Trust and Margadeepthi Charitable Trust. The organisations represented the range of his involvement in film, literature, performing arts and charitable activity. His work with Janashakthi Films and the film society movement formed a significant part of his cultural life.

The supplied material does not provide details of his film-making work or the date on which he began those activities. Mr Menon’s funeral will be held on Monday afternoon at the Kottakkadavu crematorium in Chittur. He is survived in public memory through the institutions, publications and cultural initiatives with which he was associated.

The Panchajanyam Film Festival, which he chaired since its beginning, was among the continuing events connected to his work in the region.