Resul Pookutty (born 30 May 1971) is an Indian film sound designer, sound editor and mixer. He, along with Richard Pryke and Ian Tapp won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire.He has worked in Hollywood, Hindi cinema, Tamil cinema and Malayalam Cinema.
Early life
Born in a family in Vilakkupara, near Anchal about 40 km from Kollam, Kerala. He was the youngest of eight children born to an impoverished family. His father was a private bus ticket checker. Pookutty had to walk 6 km to the nearest school and study in the light of a kerosene lamp as his village had no electricity.
He did his bachelor’s degree in physics from MSM College, Kayamkulam in 1987–1990. He pursued a career in law from Govt. Law college Thiruvananthapuram. However, he was unable to complete it. He is a 1995 graduate from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and later in 2014 June he wrote the remaining LLB exam papers at Thiruvananthapuram Govt.law college. And he said that it was Resul’s father’s desire to make him an advocate.
Career
Pookutty moved to Mumbai after his graduation. He termed it as “a natural immigration as a graduate of the institute.” He pointed out that “Ninety-five per cent of the technicians of the Mumbai film industry are alumni of FTII, Pune.” Pookutty made his debut in sound design with the 1997 film Private Detective: Two Plus Two Plus One, directed by Rajat Kapoor. He got his big break with the critically acclaimed 2005 film Black, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He subsequently engineered sound for major productions like Musafir (2004), Zinda (2006), Traffic Signal (2007), Gandhi, My Father (2007), Saawariya (2007), Dus Kahaniyaan, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009) and Enthiran (2010).
Personal life
Pookutty is married to Shadia. They have a son Rayaan and a daughter, Salna.
Awards
- 2016 : [Oscar Award] Golden Reel award the best sound for documentary [India’s Daughter]
- 2012 : Zee Cine Award for Best Sound Design for his work in Ra.One.
- 2010 : National Film Award for Best Audiography for his work in Pazhassi Raja
- 2010 : honorary Doctorate (D.Litt.) by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
- 2010 : Padma Shri by Government of India
- 2009 : Asianet Film Awards – Special Honour Jury Award
- 2009 : Chakkulathamma Swaravarsha Award
- 2009 : Bahadoor Award
- 2009 : Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing along with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke for his work in Slumdog Millionaire.
- 2009 : BAFTA Award for Best Sound along with Glenn Freemantle, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers and Ian Tapp for his work in Slumdog Millionaire.
- 2005 : Zee Cine Award for Best Audiography for his work in Musafir.
