Vijay Babu (actor, born 1976)

Vijay Babu is an Indian film producer, actor, and businessman, who works in the Malayalam film industry. He is the founder of the film production company Friday Film House,.

Vijay Babu is best known for producing and starring in the films Philips and the Monkey Pen (2013), Peruchazhi (2014), Aadu (2015), Mudhugauv (2016) and Aadu 2 (2017). In 2014, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Children's Film (as producer) for his production firm for Philips & The Monkey Pen.

Sufiyum Sujatayum produced by him under his banner Friday Film House is the first Malayalam film to have a direct release on an OTT platform, Amazon Prime Video. Babu is known for bankrolling many experimental films and supporting upcoming filmmakers in the industry.

Early life and family
Vijay Babu was born in Kollam, Kerala to Subashchandra Babu and Maya Babu. He has two siblings, Vinay Babu and Vijayalakshmi. He did his schooling from the St. Jude School, Kollam and received graduation from the American College, Madurai. He started his media career at STAR India in Mumbai. In 2002, he was selected as the Best Employee of STAR TV. Later that year, he quit his job to venture as an entrepreneur in Dubai. After a few years, he joined as the COO of Asianet and Sitara TV in Hyderabad. In 2009, Babu returned to Kerala as the Vice President of Surya TV. He is married to Smitha, a Dubai-based employee. The couple has a son named Bharath.

Career
In 2013, Babu quit his media career and joined the Malayalam film industry as an actor and producer.

Babu is the founder and CEO of Friday Film House, a Kerala-based film production company. Friday Film House won seven of the Kerala state film awards in various fields in 2014. Though the company was established after the success of the film Friday, the movie is considered as the first production venture of Friday Film House.

Babu is best known for his roles in Philips and the Monkey Pen and Nee-Na, and as the producer of Philips and the Monkey Pen, Peruchazhi and Aadu. His role as Vinay Paniker in Nee-Na received appreciation from critics.

Awards

 * Kerala State Film Awards
 * 2014 – Best Children's Film for Philips and the Monkey Pen