Shibu Chakravarthy
Indian lyricist and screenwriter
Key Facts
Born: 1961
Profession: Lyricist, screenwriter, journalist and television professional
Education: Postgraduate degree in Philosophy; Diploma in Journalism
Film debut as lyricist: Upaharam
Screenwriting debut: Manu Uncle
Other creative fields: Graphic design, documentary filmmaking and animation
A Childhood Close to Cinema
Born in 1961, Shibu Chakravarthy was the only son among five children of K. G. Das and Leela Teacher. He grew up in an environment where reading, writing and cinema were familiar parts of everyday life.
His uncle, Pravada Sukumaran, was associated with one of Ernakulam’s early outdoor publicity establishments. The business, which began with publicity for theatre productions, later became involved in film publicity. Being surrounded by cinema posters, publicity materials and people connected with the film world meant that cinema was not an unfamiliar world to Shibu even during his early years.
Education and the Advertising World
After completing his schooling at St. George School, Edappally, Shibu pursued postgraduate studies in philosophy at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. He later obtained a diploma in journalism.
His professional life began alongside his studies. After his pre-degree education, he joined Gayathri Artists and Designers as a layout artist. This experience introduced him to the visual side of advertising and eventually opened another door — writing.
He began creating lines for advertising jingles. Some of his advertising work was associated with brands and institutions such as Alukkas Jewellery, Al Bayan Water, Alappat Jewellers, Karikkineth and Federal Bank. Several of these lines became familiar to the public, although the name of the writer behind them was not always widely known.
From Design to Malayalam Cinema
Shibu’s entry into cinema came initially through design rather than lyric writing. He worked with the design team of the film Niramkoottu before getting an opportunity to write lyrics for Upaharam, produced by Rajan Prakash’s Prakash Movie Tone.
Upaharam did not make a significant impact at the box office, but his career as a lyricist changed with Shyama. The song “Chembarathi Poove Chollu” brought his writing to a much wider audience and helped establish him as a lyricist in Malayalam cinema.
A Screenwriter Emerges
Lyric writing was only one part of Shibu’s contribution to Malayalam films. His association with writer and filmmaker Dennis Joseph also became an important chapter in his career.
Shibu made his debut as a screenwriter with Manu Uncle, directed by Dennis Joseph. He subsequently worked on films including Adharvam, Nair Saab, Orkkappurathu, Samrajyam, Abhayam, Ezharakkootam, Parvathy Parinayam, Churam and Sainyam.
His work in cinema therefore extended beyond songs. He became involved in the process of developing stories and screenplays, adding another dimension to his identity as a writer.
Words, Images and Music
Shibu’s creative interests have never been restricted to writing. His background in graphic design also connected him with the visual side of the film industry. He has been associated with poster designs for Malayalam films as well as cover designs for music cassettes.
His career as a lyricist also brought him into collaboration with several prominent composers. His work has been associated with musicians including Ouseppachan, M. K. Arjunan, Shyam, Ravindran, Johnson, Jerry Amaldev, M. G. Radhakrishnan, M. Jayachandran and Deepak Dev.
A New Chapter in Television
In 2004, following an invitation from actor Mammootty, Shibu joined Kairali TV. He went on to serve as the channel’s programme head for around five years.
Television offered him a different creative space. He became involved in developing various programmes and reality-show formats, while also exploring ways of presenting traditional art forms to contemporary television audiences. His work included bringing the art of Kathaprasangam into a reality-show format, giving the traditional form a new television platform.
In 2009, he left Kairali TV and later became associated with Amrita TV, working with its programmes and events division.
Exploring Documentary and Animation
Shibu’s interests have also extended into documentary filmmaking. Among his projects were films dealing with the cultural and historical background of the United Arab Emirates, Kochi, and elephants and their natural habitat. He has also made documentaries connected with Mata Amritanandamayi.
Animation is another area that has attracted his attention. He has been associated with the Society of Animators, a collaborative initiative aimed at providing opportunities for people interested in developing their skills in animation.
A Career Across Mediums
The defining feature of Shibu Chakravarthy’s professional journey is its range. He has moved from advertising and graphic design to lyric writing and screenwriting, and later into television, documentaries and animation.
Each phase added another medium to his creative vocabulary. The lyricist who became known through a popular film song also worked behind the scenes as a screenwriter and designer, and later took on responsibilities in television programming.
His career reflects the possibilities that emerge when writing is not confined to a single medium. From advertising jingles and film songs to screenplays, visual design, television programmes and documentaries, Shibu Chakravarthy has remained connected to one common thread throughout: storytelling.
