{{Short description|Writer, director, Actor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Jeo Baby | honorific_suffix = | image = Jeo Baby Director at IFFK.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = Thalanadu, Kottayam, Kerala, India | alma_mater = | occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter|actor}} | years_active = 2016{{En dash}}present | spouse = }}
'''Jeo Baby''' is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor who works in Malayalam films.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The Unrelenting Storyteller|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/unfazed-by-box-office-figures-jeo-baby-has-persisted-with-socially-relevant-themes/article19948783.eces|access-date=2021-01-17|website=The Hindu|date=30 October 2017 |language=en |last1=Anand |first1=Shilpa Nair }}</ref> His family drama film ''The Great Indian Kitchen'' (2021) won the 51st Kerala State Film Award for Best Film and he received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay.<ref name="ss">{{cite news |title=51st Kerala State Film Awards: The complete winners list |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/51st-kerala-state-film-awards-winners-list-7574805/ |access-date=16 October 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=16 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== He studied cinema at St. Joseph College of Communication, Changanacherry. During his final year, he directed the 2007 short film ''Secret Minds'' which discussed same-sex relationships. He, along with three other students (the producer and actors), were suspended and later expelled from the college, which alleged the film had "obscene scenes which were capable of misleading young minds" and that they had not gotten permission to shoot it on campus. However, Jeo Baby later stated that the film "did well at international film festivals".<ref>{{cite web|first1=Amy|last1=Bourke|access-date=2023-11-28|title=Students suspended for gay film|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2007/05/15/students-suspended-for-gay-film/|date=15 May 2007|website=PinkNews}}</ref><ref name="TH">{{cite news|first1=Shilpa Nair|last1=Anand|access-date=2023-11-28|title=The unrelenting storyteller|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/unfazed-by-box-office-figures-jeo-baby-has-persisted-with-socially-relevant-themes/article19948783.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 October 2017|issn=0971-751X|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>
== Career == Jeo Baby started his career in the entertainment industry by writing for Television sitcoms in 2010.<ref name="TH"/> He was involved in scripting the initial episodes of popular television sitcoms Marimayam, 'Uppum Mulakum' and 'M80 Moosa'.
He made his directional movie debut through the Malayalam movie '2 Penkuttikal' which was released in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tovino, Amala pitch in for 2 Penkuttikal|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/amala-tovino-pitch-in-for-2-penkuttikal/articleshow/50417197.cms|newspaper=Times of India|date=3 January 2016 }}</ref> His second movie Kunju Daivam was released in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baby's Little God|date=22 February 2018 |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/mollywood/220218/babys-little-god.html|access-date=2021-01-17|publisher=The Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> In 2020 he directed ''Kilometers and Kilometers'' which has Tovino Thomas playing the lead role. The movie didn't get a theatrical release due to COVID-19 pandemic & premiered directly on Malayalam satellite channel Asianet followed by an OTT release on Netflix.<ref name="MM">{{cite web|url=https://english.manoramaonline.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2020/03/09/tovino-thomas-kilometers-and-kilometers-movie-postponed.html|title=Tovino's movie 'Kilometers and Kilometers' postponed in wake of COVID-19 outbreak|via=Manorama Online|date=10 March 2020}}</ref>
His fourth Malayalam film, The Great Indian Kitchen, which has Suraj Venjaramoodu & Nimisha Sajayan playing the lead roles, was directly released on 'NeeStream' OTT platform on 15 January 2021. The movie was later officially released on Amazon Prime.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suraj Venjaramoodu starrer 'The Great Indian Kitchen' for OTT Release|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/suraj-venjaramoodu-starrer-the-great-indian-kitchen-for-ott-release-movie-1.5349640|website=Mathrubhumi|access-date=2021-01-17|archive-date=2021-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201071542/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/movie-news/suraj-venjaramoodu-starrer-the-great-indian-kitchen-for-ott-release-movie-1.5349640|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film was successful, with a Tamil remake being released in 2023 and a 2024 Hindi remake ''Mrs. (film)''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/sanya-malhotras-the-great-indian-kitchen-hindi-remake-titled-mrs-to-premiere-at-tallinn-black-nights-film-festival/article67511983.ece|title=Sanya Malhotra's 'The Great Indian Kitchen' Hindi remake titled 'Mrs'; to premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival|work=The Hindu |date=8 November 2023|via=www.thehindu.com|access-date=9 June 2024|archive-date=26 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226231738/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/sanya-malhotras-the-great-indian-kitchen-hindi-remake-titled-mrs-to-premiere-at-tallinn-black-nights-film-festival/article67511983.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
Jeo Baby stated that it had given him the confidence to take more risks for his own 2023 film ''Kaathal – The Core''. Starring Mammootty (who also financed the film and decided to collaborate with Jeo Baby after watching ''The Great Indian Kitchen'') and Jyothika in the lead roles, the film has been praised as a serious and sensitive drama about a panchayat candidate navigating societal reactions and his relationships after his wife outs him as gay to end their loveless marriage.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Nandini|last1=Ramnath|access-date=2023-11-28|title=How Jeo Baby's risky 'Kaathal' fell into place: 'Once Mammootty agreed, everything became easy'|url=https://scroll.in/reel/1059721/how-jeo-babys-risky-kaathal-fell-into-place-once-mammootty-agreed-everything-became-easy|date=28 November 2023|website=Scroll.in}}</ref>
== Short film == {{citation needed|date= September 2022}} {| class=wikitable |- ! Year!! Title !! Role !!Channel|Notes |- |2007||''Secret Minds''||Screenwriter||1.Screened in Queer LGBT Film Festivals, Bangalore 2. Screened in International Queer Film Festival, Rice University, Houston
|}
== Television == ===Sitcoms=== {| class=wikitable |- ! Year!! Title !! Role !!Channel |- |2011||''Marimayam''|| rowspan="3" |Screenwriter||Mazhavil Manorama |- |2014||''M80 Moosa''||Media One |- |2015||''Uppum Mulakum''||Flowers TV |}
== Filmography == === As director and screenwriter === {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#B0C4DE; text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Year ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Role ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" scope="col" | Notes |- ! Director !! Writer !! Actor |- | 2016 || ''2 Penkuttikal'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2017 || ''Kunju Daivam'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || |<ref>{{Cite news|title=National award winner 'Kunjudaivam' has a quiet release|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/national-award-winner-kunju-daivam-has-a-quiet-release/articleshow/62998687.cms|access-date=2021-01-17|website=Times of India|date=20 February 2018 }}</ref> |- | 2020 || ''Kilometers and Kilometers'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || |<ref>{{Cite news|title='Kilometers and Kilometers' is an out and out entertainer-Director Jeo Baby |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/kilometers-and-kilometers-is-an-out-and-out-entertainer-director-jeo-baby/articleshow/74886842.cms|access-date=2021-01-17|website=Times of India|date=30 March 2020 }}</ref> |- | 2021 || ''The Great Indian Kitchen'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{n/a}} |<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suraj, Nimisha Film 'The Great Indian Kitchen' to release on January 15|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2021/jan/12/suraj-nimisha-film-the-great-indian-kitchen-to-release-on-january-15-2248732.html|website=The New Indian Express|date=12 January 2021 }}</ref> |- |rowspan=2|2022||'' Freedom Fight'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || |Anthology film; <br> segment: ''Old Age Home'' |- |''Sreedhanya Catering Service'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || style="text-align:center;"| Siby | |- | 2023|| ''Kaathal – The Core'' || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} | Kuttayi's stepfather |<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mammootty-and-jyothika-roped-jeo-baby-s-next-169022 | title=Mammootty and Jyothika roped in for Jeo Baby's next | date=18 October 2022 }}</ref> |- |}
=== As actor === This is a list of films that he only worked as an actor. {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !!Title !!Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2015 || ''Ain'' || || |- | 2019 || ''Edakkad Battalion 06'' || Villager || |- | rowspan=2 | 2021 || ''Varthamanam'' || Advocate || |- | ''Kho-Kho'' ||Meenakshi's father || |- | 2022 || ''Chera'' || || |- | rowspan=3 | 2023 || ''Purusha Pretham'' || ||<ref>{{Cite web |title=Purusha Pretham Movie Review: Gritty procedural with an even blend of the comic and morbid |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2023/mar/24/purusha-pretham-movie-review-gritty-procedural-with-an-even-blend-of-the-comic-and-morbid-41450.html |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=Cinema Express |date=24 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref> |- | ''Kolla'' || S.I. Victor Sebastian ||<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-09 |title=Kolla movie review: This Rajisha Vijayan-Priya Varrier starrer will make you yell at the screen for conspicuously missing good opportunities |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/kolla-movie-review-rajisha-priya-varrier-starrer-conspicuously-misses-good-opportunities-8654590/ |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> |- | ''Pulimada'' || Agustine||<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joju's Pulimada gets a release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2023/oct/06/jojus-pulimada-gets-a-release-date-48357.html |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=Cinema Express |date=6 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan=3 | 2024 || ''Mandakini'' ||Sagar ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Features |first=C. E. |date=2024-04-06 |title=Althaf Salim-Anarkali Marikar starrer Mandakini gets a release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2024/Apr/06/althaf-salim-anarkali-marikar-starrer-mandakini-gets-a-release-date |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> |- | ''Swakaryam Sambhava Bahulam'' || Raveendran ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santhosh |first=Vivek |date=2024-05-31 |title=Swakaryam Sambhava Bahulam Movie Review: A dismal experience trivialising women's woes |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/May/31/swakaryam-sambhava-bahulam-movie-review-a-dismal-experience-trivialising-womens-woes |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> |- |''Jai Mahendran'' ||Harichandran ||SonyLIV web series<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cris |date=2024-10-12 |title=Jai Mahendran: Saiju Kurup's Malayalam web series is a pretty enjoyable entertainer |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/jai-mahendran-saiju-kurups-malayalam-web-series-is-a-pretty-enjoyable-entertainer |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan=6 | 2025 || ''Maranamass'' || Jessy's father || |- | ''Kerala Crime Files 2'' ||Aashraya Incharge ||JioHotstar web series<ref>{{cite web |title=Kerala Crime Files 2: Trailer of the Aju Varghese-starrer shows a investigative team's frantic search for CPO Ambili Raju|url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/kerala-crime-files-2-trailer-aju-varghese-arjun-radhakrishnan/907c4dad2c475 |website=OTTplay |date=28 May 2025 |access-date=28 May 2025}}</ref> |- | ''Meesha'' || || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/director-actor-jeo-baby-talks-about-his-outing-as-an-actor-in-meesha-and-being-an-actor-in-other-directors-films/article69845462.ece|title=Director-actor Jeo Baby talks about his outing as an actor in ‘Meesha’ and being an actor in other directors’ films|first=Shilpa Nair|last=Anand|date=25 July 2025|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> |- | ''Kammattam'' || Samuel Oommen || ZEE5 web series<ref>{{Cite web |title=സീ5ല് മലയാളത്തില് ഇതാദ്യം..റിലീസിനൊരുങ്ങി ക്രൈം ത്രില്ലര് സീരീസ് കമ്മട്ടം – MALAYALAM CRIME SERIES KAMMATTAM|url=https://www.etvbharat.com/ml/!entertainment/first-malayalam-crime-thriller-series-in-zee5-named-kammattam-will-be-release-soon-kerala-news-kls25080801323 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=ETV Bharat |language=ml}}</ref> |- | {{Pending film| Ithiri Neram}} || {{TableTBA}} ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=Cinema Express |date=2025-10-27 |title=Roshan Mathew-Zarin Shihab starrer Ithiri Neram gets a release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Oct/27/roshan-mathew-zarin-shihab-starrer-ithiri-neram-gets-a-release-date |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> |- | {{Pending film| Krishnashtami: The Book of Dry Leaves}} || {{TableTBA}} || Shooting in progress<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeo Baby to headline film based on Vyloppilli's poem 'Krishnashtami' |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/09/jeo-baby-to-headline-film-based-on-vyloppillis-poem-krishnashtami |publisher=Cinema Express |access-date=12 April 2025 |date=9 March 2025}}</ref> |- |}
;As presenter *''Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai'' (2025; Tamil)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|7253286}} * {{Instagram|jeobabymusic}}
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Category:Living people Category:Film directors from Kottayam district Category:Malayalam film directors Category:Malayalam screenwriters Category:Screenwriters from Kerala Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:IIFA Utsavam winners Category:Kerala State Film Award winners