Actor Jayaram expressed his heartfelt condolences following the passing of renowned director Shaji N Karun. Reflecting on the director's legacy, Jayaram said, "We have lost a name we could proudly mention when speaking about Malayalam cinema in other languages. He was a personality who elevated Malayalam cinema to world-class standards."
 

Jayaram's tribute:

"It has only been 15 minutes since I heard the news of his death. Often, false reports about someone's passing circulate, and at first, I wondered if this was one of those cases. Only now have I come to know about his health issues.
 

About a year ago, he asked me about acting in one of his films. I told him that even if he asked me to appear in just a single scene, I would come running. Even then, I had no idea his health condition was this serious.
 

As an actor, having the opportunity to work with him was one of the greatest privileges of my career. Through the film Swapaanam, I got to portray the life of the great artist Thrithala Kesava Poduval, known for playing the Chenda, a musical instrument I hold dear. There wasn't much information available about Kesavettan (Kesava Poduval), but Shaji sir gathered details from various sources and explained his look and mannerisms to me with great care. He had a deep knowledge of all musical instruments.
 

We have truly lost someone who brought honour and global recognition to Malayalam cinema."