Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair


Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was an Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padma Shri from the Government of India, which the fourth highest civilian honour in India. In a career that spanned about 47 years, he acted in over 700 films. He is considered to be the "first superstar of Malayalam cinema". In 1993, he was honoured with the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Early life

Sukumaran Nair was born on 16 October 1916 in the village of Thikkurissy, Nagercoil, then part of Travancore. The village of Thikkurissy is now in Nanchilnadu, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. He was born to N. Lekshmi Amma and M. C. Govinda Pillai of the Mangat house, an aristocratic Nair family. He was a good writer and an orator even when he was doing his schooling in Marthandam Government Boys School. He wrote his first poem at the age of 8 and his poem was published for the first time when he was 14 in Dhakshina Bharathi. His poems were collectively published as a book named Kedavilakku when he was 20. His parents wanted him to secure a government job, but he launched his career in writing and arts even before he completed his studies. Incidentally, his sister L. Omanakkunjamma was the first female magistrate in India.

Career

He launched his career as a playwright. His plays Mareechika and Kalakaran were hugely successful. He then went on to write three more—Sthree, Maya and Sheriyo Thetto—that revolutionised the professional play scenario in Malayalam. He replaced the melodramatic romantic musicals, which ruled the roost till then, with dialogue centred prose plays having themes of realism and social importance.
He entered the Malayalam film industry in 1950, which was in its early years with only about 10 films produced. He debuted in the industry with the film adaptation of his breakthrough play Sthree. He produced the film and played the protagonist as well. It failed to make much impact at the box office, the film scene in Kerala then being ruled by Tamil and Hindi films. Thikkurussy's next film Jeevitha Nouka, produced by K and K Productions and directed by K. Vembu, was a turning point in Malayalam film history. It dealt with the theme of ego clashes in a joint family and was a big commercial success: It is touted as the first superhit in Malayalam film history. The success also made Thikkurissy the first superstar of Kerala. Jeevitha nouka was dubbed into four languages including Hindi. In 1952, he acted in Navalokam with a socially significant theme with Miss Kumari, who would later become the pet of the masses after the success of Neelakkuyil. Navalokam did not make it big at the box office, but Thikkurissy cemented his superstardom with a big hit in the same year.
Visappinte Vili had Prem Nazir, then a novice. Thikkurissy coined Prem Nazir's screen name. In 1953, another landmark of his Sheriyo Thetto, was released. It was a film adaptation of his play of the same name. Sheriyo Thetto had him handling the story, screenplay, dialogues, lyrics and direction departments besides playing the pivotal role. With that Thikkurissy established himself as an inseparable element of Malayalam film industry. In 1968, he acted in the first full-length comedy film, Viruthan Shanku, directed by P. Venu. He was credited with lyrics, screenplay and direction in many films. The 13 films for which he was the lyricist includes Sthree, Palunku Paathram, Devasundari, Urvashi Bharathi, Poojapushpam and Balloon. He wrote story and screenplay for Muthalali and Aana Valarthiya Vanampadi. He directed the films Sheriyo Thetto, Poojapushpam, Achante Bharya, Palunkupathram, Saraswati, Nurse and Urvashi Bharathi. His major acting ventures are Jeevithanauka, Navalokam, Visappinte Vili, Iruttinte Atmavu, Swayamvaram, Umma, Bhakthakuchela, Nadi, Thulabharam, Maya, Abhijathyam, Surveykkallu, Avanazhi and Aryan.

Screen-naming

Thikkurussy coined screen-names of many actors in Malayalam cinema. Actors who were renamed by Thikkurissy include
  • Prem Nazir; actual name: Abdul Khader
  • S. J. Dev ; actual name: Devassia
  • Madhu; actual name: Madhavan Nair
  • Jose Prakash; actual name: K. J. Joseph
  • Bahadoor; actual name: Kunjali
  • Kuthiravattom Pappu; actual name: Padmadalakshan

    Personal life

Thikkurissy was married three times. His first wife was Sarojini Kunjamma, the daughter of Madhavan Unnithan from the Samudayathil family in Karuvatta, Haripad. They had two daughters: Shyamala Devi Kunjamma, also known as Lekha, who worked as an executive engineer in Ernakulam, and Geethadevi Kunjamma, a housewife in Pujappura, Thiruvananthapuram. After his separation from Sarojini, Thikkurissy married stage actress Ambalapuzha Meenakshy Amma. They had a son, Rajahamsan, who now lives in Chennai. This marriage also ended, and Thikkurissy later married K. Sulochana Devi, a singer and dancer. This third marriage lasted over four decades until his death. They had a daughter, Kanakasree, who was interested in poetry like her father. Kanakasree died in a motorcycle accident in 1989. In his later years, Thikkurissy suffered from various health issues due to his age. He died on 11 March 1997, at the age of 80, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, due to kidney failure.

Awards

The major awards that he received are:
  • Padma Shri from the Government of India − 1973
  • Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South − 1986
  • Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor − 1972
  • J. C. Daniel Award – 1995
  • Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship − 1983
  • Mannathu Padmanabhan Award − 1989
  • Film Readers Gallup-poll Award − 1963
  • All Kerala Social Service Association Award − 1971
  • Bombay Nirthya Sindhu Award − 1991
  • Guru Chengannur Award 1991
  • Prem Nazir Award − 1992
  • N.Krishna Pillai Award 1992
  • Palakkad Film Festival Award − 1995
  • Pushpasree Award − 1995
  • Bangalore Kalavedi Award − 1994
  • Film Critics Association Award − 1995
  • Kerala Kaumudhi Readers Club Award − 1994
  • Film Guidance Society Award − 1996
  • Government of India Emeritus Fellowship for Contribution in the field of Art and Literature From 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1998
  • Talents of Universities Creative Heights Award − 1996
  • Navachedhana Award − 1994
  • Soorya Award − 1994
  • Travancore Devaswam Board Award. – 1972
  • Sree Moolanagaram Fine Arts Society Award − 1997
  • Abhinaya Saamrat − 1991
  • Nataka Chakravarthy − 1991
  • Chalachithra Prathibha − 1993
  • Chalachithra Rathnam − 1994
  • Chalachithra Acharyan − 1994
  • Malayala Chalachithra Kulapathy 1994
  • Sarasadrutha Kavi − 1994
  • Kala Vibhooshan − 1994
  • Bheeshma Charya − 1994
  • Sarvakala Sarva Bhouman − 1994
  • Guru Karanavar − 1995
  • Kala Jyothi − 1996
  • Sarasa Vachaspathy − 1996
  • Sadasya Thilakan − 1996

    Selected filmography

Direction

  • Urvashi Bharathi
  • Achante Bharya
  • Palunku Pathram
  • Saraswathi
  • Nurse
  • Poojapushpam
  • ''Sheriyo Thetto''

    Writing

  • Aana Valarthiyal Vanampadiyude Makan
  • Muthalali
  • Sabarimala Shri Ayyappan
  • Devasundari
  • Sthree
  • Kettinethinu Vaasanathailam
  • ''Urvashi Bharati''

    Acting

A full acting filmography list is available here.

1950s

  • Sthree
  • Sasidharan
  • Chandrika
  • Navalokam as Kuruppu
  • Jeevitha Nouka as Soman
  • Visappinte Vili
  • Andaman Kaithi
  • Amma
  • Achan
  • Sheriyo Thetto
  • Ponkathir
  • Sneehaseema
  • Puthradharmam
  • Kidappadam
  • Kalam Marunnu
  • Harishchandra
  • Atmarpanam
  • Thaskaraveeran
  • Devasundari
  • Atchanum Makanum
  • Randidangazhi
  • Mariakutty as Pariyalle Kuruvachan
  • ''Aana Valarthiyal Vanampady''

    1960s

  • Umma as Abobacker Haji
  • Seeta
  • Poothali
  • Unniyarcha as Kannappa Chekavar
  • Shri Sabarimalai Shri Ayyappan
  • Kandam Bacha Kotte as Alikoya Haji
  • Jnaanasundari as King Philip
  • Christmas Rathri as George
  • Bhakta Kuchela as Kamsan
  • Viyarpintae Vila
  • Velu Thampi Dhalava
  • Snehadeepam as Sreedharan
  • Shree Rama Pattabhishekam
  • Shreekovil
  • Sabarimalai Shri Ayyappan
  • Laila Majnu
  • Snapaka Yohannan as Herodias Anthippas
  • Sathyabhama
  • Nithya Kanyaka
  • Kalayum Kaminiyum
  • Doctor as Madhava Menon
  • Chilamboli
  • Thacholi Othenan
  • Shree Guruvayoorappan as Villumangalam Swami
  • School Master as Raman Pilla
  • Omanakuttan
  • Kudumbini as Raghava Kuruppu
  • Karutha Kai as Thampi
  • Kalanju Kittiya Thankam as Bhaskara Pilla
  • Devaalayam
  • Ayesha
  • Atom Bomb as Kurungodu
  • Shakuntala
  • Rosy
  • Odeyil Ninnu as Kuruppu
  • Muthalali
  • Mayavi as Krishna Menon
  • Kochumon
  • Kattu Pookkal as Thommachan
  • Kathirunna Nikah
  • Kaliyodum
  • Jeevitha Yaathra as Parameshwara Kurup
  • Inapravugal
  • Chettathi
  • Bhoomiyile Malakha
  • Tilottama
  • Tharavatamma as Keshavankutty
  • Puthri as Kunjachan
  • Priyathama
  • Poocha Kanni
  • Mayor Nair
  • Kusruthy Kuttan
  • Koottukar
  • Kayamkulam Kochunni as Kunjunni Panikkar
  • Karuna
  • Kanmanikal
  • Kanaka Chilanga
  • Kallipennu
  • Kadamattathachan
  • Jail
  • Iruttinde Athmavu as Karanavar
  • Anarkali as Jaya Singhan
  • Post Man
  • Pareeksha as Janardhanan Pilla
  • Naadan Pennu
  • Iruttinte Athmavu as Madhavan Nair
  • Madatharuvi
  • Chitra Mela as
  • Anveshichu Kandethiyilla
  • Viruthan Shanku
  • Vidyarthi
  • Vazhi Pizhacha Santhathy
  • Thulabharam as R.K.Menon
  • Punnapra Vayalar as Maariyaveedan
  • Manaswini
  • Kodungalluramma
  • Inspector
  • Hotel High Range as Rajasahib
  • Aparadhini
  • Adyapika
  • Poojapushpam
  • Nurse
  • Nadhi as Mattummel Thomachan
  • Kumara Sambhavam as Himavat
  • Chattambi Kavala
  • Ballatha Pahayan as Beerankunju Hajiyar
  • ''Aalmaram''