MT Vasudevan Nair: A life that influenced Malayalam literature and cinema

MT Vasudevan Nair. file. , Photo Credit: Shaju John

Madatha Thekkepat Vasudevan Nair (MT) was born on July 15, 1933 in Koodallur, a village in the erstwhile Ponnani taluk of Malabar district, which was part of the British Madras Presidency. His father, T. Narayanan Nair, worked with a. tea plantation company in the then Ceylon, and mother, Ammaluamma, was a homemaker. MT was their youngest child.

He spent most of his childhood in his father’s village Koodallur and Punnayurkulam. MT did his schooling at Malamkavu Elementary School and later at Kumaranallur High School, and completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Government Victoria College, Palakkad in 1953.

He worked as a temporary teacher in schools run by the then Malabar District Education Board in Pattambi and Chavakkad, and also at MB Tutorials, Palakkad, before joining. Homeland Weekly in Kozhikode in 1956 as a sub-editor. He later served as its editor, and nurtured many future writers in Malayalam such as Punathil Kunjabadulla and NS Madhavan.

MT got his first break in literature when ValarthumrigangalOne of his short stories written on the background of circus during his college days won the first prize in a competition organized there. New York Herald Tribune, Mathrubhumi, And Hindustan Times, nalukettuHis first major work, published in 1958, which dealt with the decaying ancestral Nair feudal family system, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Novel. In 1970, Kalam Won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Novel. Gopurandayil Won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama in 1982, and Swargam Thurakkunna SanyamFor Best Short Story in 1986. RandomoozhamThe mythological novel revolving around Bheema won the Vayalar Award in 1985. Some of his other major works include Manjua novel, and Asuravithu, And arbiponnuNotable short stories written with NP Mohammed and such as Kuttiyedathi, Varikkuzhi, Pathanam, ninte ormakku, VanaprasthamAnd sherlock,

MT entered films when he wrote screenplays Murappennu (1965), based on one of his short stories. This was followed by a series of critically acclaimed and popular films oru vadakkan heroic story, Sadayam, outcome, Olavam Theeravam, OpposeAnd PerumthachanWhich won state and national awards in the best screenplay and best film categories. His directorial ventures are national award winning Nirmalyam (1973,, Bandhanam (1978), Varikuzhi (1982), Manju (1983), Kadavu (1991), and Oru Cherupunchiri (2000,,

MT Vasudevan Nair (1933-2024): A life in pictures

Writer MTVSudevan Nair looking at the photograph displayed as part of “MT- Chitram, Charitram”, a photo exhibition about him at the Lalitkala Academy Art Gallery in Kozhikode in 2015.

MT Vasudevan Nair with his daughter Ashwathy on the banks of Chaliyar river at Kadavu resort. Photo: Special Arrangement

Filmmaker Sudhir Ambalappad with MT Vasudevan Nair. Ambalappad was the producer of the Malayalam anthology Manorathangal, nine episodes of which are based on the stories of MT.

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam presenting the Padma Bhushan award to MT Vasudevan Nair at the investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on March 28, 2005.

Kendra Sahitya Akademi President Gopichand Narang, Abdul Samad Samdani and MTVSudevan Nair sharing a light moment during the Thuchan Mahotsav in Tirur, Malappuram. file.

Actor Mammootty with MTV’s Vasudevan Nair at the Mullassery Raju Awards ceremony.

Jnanpith Award winner, Shri MT Vasudevan Nair with the winners of The Hindu Young World’s on-the-spot painting competitions after the awards ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram. file.

MTVSudevan Nair inaugurating the National Painters Camp in Kozhikode. file.

MT Vasudevan Nair introducing a small child to the world of letters on Vidyarambhoma day at Thunchanaparambu in Tirur in Malappuram district. file.

Noted Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair looking at recent paintings by illustrator Namboodiri at the Orthic Creative Center in 2008. CN Karunakaran, president of Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, is also seen.

Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano accompanied writer MT Vasudevan Nair when he visited the writer’s house in Kozhikode. file.

MT Vasudevan Nair in Kochi on 3 September 2004.

Singer Sreevalsan J during the shooting of his music video album at Ramamangalam near Kochi. Menon, with MT Vasudevan Nair and artist Namboodiri. file. picture:

Writer MT Vasudevan Nair casts his vote using the home voting option in Kozhikode Lok Sabha constituency. file.

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This collection of MT’s essays includes Kathikante art, Hemingway: Oru Mukhavura, Kathikante PanipappuraAnd Kannanthalipukaalude KalamThe title of his travelogue is Alakkuttathil Thaniye. Manikyakkallu, Thanthrakkari And Daya Anna Penkutty His novels are written for children.

MT was awarded the Jnanpith Award in 1995, the Ezhuthachan Award of the Government of Kerala in 2011 and the Padma Bhushan in 2005. Calicut University and Mahatma Gandhi University have awarded him the degree of Doctor of Letters.

MT is first married to author and translator Prameela Nair, with whom he has a daughter, Sithara, who is a business professional in the United States. Later they separated. After this she married artist Kalamandalam Saraswathi. His second daughter Ashwathi is a dancer. Lived in Kozhikode since joining MT. Homeland As a journalist.