Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan paid tribute to veteran art director K Shekhar through a social media post on Sunday, a day after the latter passed away in Thiruvananthapuram. Recalling their long association, Priyadarshan described Shekhar as an exceptional presence in his early life and credited him as a close friend who played a decisive role in shaping his own journey into cinema. “During my college years, you were the most intelligent person I knew, and the friend who inspired me the most to enter cinema,” he wrote.
The filmmaker also reflected on how Shekhar’s entry into films came about through their friendship. “It was I who drew you into the world of films,” Priyadarshan said, before underlining the scale of Shekhar’s achievement at a time when visual effects were still largely mechanical. Referring to My Dear Kuttichathan, he noted, “Long before AI and animation became part of our vocabulary, it was you who stunned the entire country with the extraordinary art direction of My Dear Kuttichathan.”
Priyadarshan’s post also touched upon Shekhar’s conscious decision to leave cinema at the peak of his career. After Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu, Shekhar chose a life guided by personal freedom rather than professional continuity. “Following the paths you loved and walking them on your own terms was always your way,” the filmmaker wrote, adding that Shekhar had decided cinema was no longer for him.
Summing up his legacy, Priyadarshan described Shekhar as a towering figure in Indian cinema’s visual history. “Shekhar was one of the greatest art directors India has ever seen,” he wrote, calling him “a master artist who created visual marvels through revolutionary production design.”
Shekhar is widely recognised for his pioneering work on My Dear Kuttichathan, India’s first 3D feature, particularly the iconic rotating room sequence from the song ‘Aalipazham Perukkan’, achieved through elaborate mechanical design long before the digital era. Over his career, he also worked on films such as Chanakyan and Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare, contributed to television projects including Bible Ki Kahaniyan, and was involved in the creative development of Kishkinta Amusement Park.