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| 15.04.1933-25.12.2024 |
I began ‘The Masters’ series in a bid to shine the spotlight
on the people behind the camera – the directors, cinematographers, composers, lyricists,
etc., who collaborate to make a film what it is. I have mostly featured directors,
composers and lyricists, with an odd nod to a cinematographer. In all these
years, I have never written a post about writers who write the story and/or
script on which these films are based. A script is the foundation stone upon
which a film rests; take that away and you’re left with nothing at all.
How many scriptwriters can you name? Until Salim-Javed fought
for much-delayed recognition for their craft, the posters of Hindi films never
mentioned the scriptwriter. The name of the actors, the director, the producer,
even the music director perhaps, but never that of the person who wrote the
story which others would bring alive on screen.
This was not just the case with the Hindi film industry. While
writers were/are appreciated more in the Malayalam film industry, for instance,
where literature, both classic and modern, formed the basis of many a film, their
names seldom featured on movie posters. Yet. the average film-goer in Malayalam
was cognisant of the (mostly) men who wrote the films they watched. Writers
such as Thikkurussi Sukaramaran Nair (better known by the mnemonic ‘Thikkurussi’),
‘Thakazhi’ Sivasankara Pillai , Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, PC Kuttikrishnan (better
known by his pen-name, ‘Uroob’), TV Chandran, Malayatoor Ramakrishnan, Madampu
Kunjukuttan, etc., are well-known names to the average Malayali filmgoer. This may perhaps be due to the fact that for a long time, novelists
serialised their novels in Malayalam newspapers and magazines before they were
published in novel form. Short stories from the most celebrated authors often
debuted in magazines.
Malayalam cinema depended heavily on literature. Classics from
the West and across India (primarily Tamil and Bengali literature), modern
novels, novellas and even short stories were adapted for the silver screen. Directors like TV Chandran, Padmarajan,
Lohitadas, and Adoor Gopalakrishnan wrote their own stories/screenplays, whether
original or adapted. With such a close connection between literature and film,
it is no wonder that writers enjoyed, and continue to enjoy a revered place in
the Malayalam film industry even today.
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| Pic: Courtesy – Mathrubhumi |
One such literary giant passed away on 25 December
2024. His name was Madath Thekkeppaattu Vasudevan Nair better known as MT
Vasudevan Nair, or quite simply, to us Malayalis, ‘MT’. The prolific and versatile short story writer,
novelist, screenplay writer and director was one of the greats of the
post-Independence literary world, and of the film industry, where he redefined
the grammar of the medium.
Born in Kudallur on 15 July 1933, MT began writing at a very
early age and in 1948, at age 15, published his first short story – Vishuaaghosham
(Vishu Celebrations) – in Chitrakeralam magazine. His first book, Raktham
Puranda Mantharikal (Blood-stained Sands), a collection of short
stories, was published in 1952. He was 19. Shortly thereafter, while still a student
at the Government Victoria College, Palakkad, he won his first major literary
prize – he was the winner of the World Short Story Competition conducted by the
New York Herald Tribune, Hindustan Times and Mathrubhoomi. The
story titled Valarthumrigangal (Pets) was adapted for the screen more
than 25 years later by the author himself.
It was the beginning of a flourishing and celebrated career
as an author. His debut novel, Pathiravum Palakvelichavum (Midnight
and Daylight) was serialised in Mathrubhoomi Weekly, but it
was his first major work, Naalukettu (The Legacy, though a literal
translation would be ‘a traditional ancestral home’), published in 1958 that heralded
the arrival of a distinct voice in Malayalam literature. Naalukettu won
the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, the first of a long list of state and
national awards and honours for the young author.
Naalukettu’s story, set against the abrupt
decline of the joint family structure in Kerala, especially in traditional Nair
households, chronicles the degeneration of the matrilineal system in post-independence
India and its social, emotional, and economic repercussions. It is a theme that
MT continually revisited in many of his novels, especially Asuravithu (The
Demon Seed) which is like a spiritual sequel to Naalukettu.
In Randamoozham (The Second Turn), considered by
some to be his masterpiece, MT retells the Mahabharata from Bhima’s perspective.
He would do something similar in Vaishali (1988) and Oru Vadakkan
Veeragatha (A Northern Ballad of Valour- 1989)), a script he
wrote from Chandu’s perspective. Chandu, the villain in the Northern
Ballads, is here a sympathetic character who is a victim of circumstances.
MT’s foray into films started with Murapennu (First
Cousin-1965), where he first wrote a screenplay for a film, adapting it
from his own short story, Snehathinte Mukhangal (The Faces of Love).
His short story, Iruttinte Aatmavu (The Soul of Darkness from an
anthology of the same name), gave reigning superstar Prem Nazir the role of a lifetime.
Along with Asuravithu, these three films form MT’s social and political
melodramas trilogy.
Successful collaborations with celebrated directors like KS
Sethumadhavan, P Bhaskaran, A Vincent, and later, with IV Sasi and Hariharan followed
suit. MT’s scripts were so tightly delineated, and his characters so rich and nuanced
that many of these films were known by his name as well – ‘MT-Hariharan’ or ‘MT-Sasi’
was common nomenclature in the 80s – a rare encomium for a writer.
MT even ventured into direction and writing lyrics. His debut
film as a director was Nirmalyam (Yesterday’s Offerings-1974). Adamant
about making the film the way he had envisaged it, MT cast unknown actors – PJ
Antony, who played the velichappadui (oracle) was a stage actor. Actors
Sukumaran and Sumitra were both debutants. Antony was initially reluctant to
accept the role, preferring to concentrate on theatre. But, once on board,
Antony got into the skin of his character, earning a National Award for Best
Actor for his portrayal, while MT walked away with Best Director honours. Even
cinematographer Ramachandra Babu, who first met MT at FTII (Film and Television
Institute) Pune, when the latter was a visiting professor there, was only three
films old when the author offered him Nirmalyam.
MT’s cinematic journey did not distract from his literary
endeavours (though he did prefer writing to screenplay writing). He succeeded
in enthralling generations of Malayali readers and cine-goers who saw
themselves reflected in his characters – the milieu, the inner conflict, the
societal and domestic pressures facing them were all too relatable.
My introduction to MT came through his films. I read his books
and screenplays only when I was in my teens. I have previously reviewed films
scripted by MT and I do intend to review a film he
directed, eventually. In the meantime, as a humble tribute to a great
storyteller whose works I have read and re-read, and a master script writer who
excelled (and delighted?) in turning accepted narratives on their head, here’s
a look at some of MT’s greatest (in my opinion) scripts.
Iruttinte
Aatmavu
(1966)
(The
Soul of Darkness)
Directed
by: P Bhaskaran
The
brilliance of MT’s screenplay, based on his own short story of the same name, lay
in the remarkable depth with which it handled the issue of mental illness and what
was considered socially acceptable treatment of the mentally afflicted.
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| Pic: Courtesy – oldmalayalamcinema.com |
Prem
Nazir, the reigning romantic hero, was cast against type as the protagonist,
and he turned in a career-best performance, not devolving the character into a
caricature. Like many of MT’s scripts, this film too ends in tragedy, but the ‘mad
man’s’ final utterance, “I’m mad, please chain me up” never fails to resonate.
‘Bhranthan Velayudhan’ (Mad Velayudhan) will forever remain one of the ‘Evergreen
Hero’s’ finest roles.
Asuravithu (1968)
(The
Demon Seed)
Directed
by A Vincent
The
playground is a familiar one – a decaying Nair tharavadu (ancestral
house), and the protagonist a young man caught at the crossroads of feudalism
and social change. Responsible for his widowed mother and elder sister,
Govindan Kutty (Prem Nazir) is struggling to make ends meet. This is when his
brother-in-law, Shekharan Kutty (Sankaradi), the husband of his eldest sister,
comes with a proposal of marriage – to marry Meenakshi (Sarada), a penniless
relative who stays with the couple. Govindan doesn’t know it yet, but this
simple incident sets off a chain of events that will eventually end in a
communal bloodbath.
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| Pic: Courtesy – The Hindu |
In
Asuravithu, MT explored the world outside the tharavadu, and the
plot includes themes of caste privilege, power imbalances, the power of money,
communal tensions and even, startlingly, religious conversion.
Kuttyedathi
(1970)
(Elder
Sister)
Directed
by: PN Menon
How
society perceives beauty, and how that perception affects primarily women in
ways both tangible and intangible forms the core of this deeply touching human
drama. The tale of two sisters, one dark and ugly, the other beautiful, is not
rare. But the personal dynamics between the two, the elder sister not a meek,
cowed down, doormat but with a sharp mind and sharper tongue, was a revelation.
Vilasini turns in a fantastic performance as the somewhat arrogant, ugly sister
who learns to mask her hurt with open defiance of social norms.
Jayabharathy,
as the beautiful younger sister, who takes Kuttyedathi for granted but is not
above seeking the spotlight whenever she chooses, is equally brilliant. And
Satyan, one of the finest actors to grace Malayalam cinema, gives a short but
effective performance as the low-caste Appunni, a stonecutter by trade. It is
such an MT-thing to do – bring in a caste conflict into what’s essentially the story
of two sisters.
It’s
rare that an actor so imbibes their character that they are forever known by that
name – Vilasini would bear that name for the rest of her life – Kuttyedathi Vilasini.
Nirmalyam (1973)
(Yesterday’s
Offerings)
Directed
by MT Vasudevan Nair
MT
ventured into direction with Nirmalyam, adapted from his own short
story, Pallivalum Kaalchilambum (Sacred Sword and Anklets).
It narrated the story of a velichappadu – a temple oracle – and his
struggle to earn a living in a changed world. For a man whose profession was
writing, MT’s Nirmalyam was a very visual film, with dialogues only
complementing the story. The film reflected the transformation of society through
the lens of faith and its erosion.
The
film charts this transformation through the characters’ narratives. The velichappadu
(PJ Antony), once an integral part of the grand temple festivals, is now forced
to run a tea shop. His earnings are too meagre for his family to survive. Ramunni
(Sankaradi), a Kathakali artiste, is in the same boat; with the temple and its
attendant rituals being neglected, the common man does not see Kathakali as a
beautiful temple art. Instead, the Valya Thampuran markets Kathakali as
an exotic art to tourists. Their
dire situation contrasts with the Valiya Thampuran’s (Zamindar –
Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair) elephant which feasts on ghee and paddy.
If
made today, many scenes in this landmark film would ‘hurt religious
sensibilities’, not the least the climax where the oracle, disillusioned, angrily
spits blood at the idol of the deity.
*Nirmalyam
means the previous day’s offerings, the removal of which is a priest’s first
job before the morning prayer.
Neelathaamara (1979)
(Blue
Lotus)
Directed
by: Yusuf Ali Kechery
In
these times, when our heroes and heroines are paragons of virtue, it is a
relief to go back to a time when love, lust, and infidelity were treated with maturity
and sensitivity. Neelathamara chronicles the short-lived relationship
between a housemaid and the heir of the family. In doing so, MT also reflects
upon the caste-class divides, societal double standards and the lives of women
who are forced to accept their fates.
Oppol (1981)
(Elder
Sister)
Directed
by: KS Sethumadhavan
A
deeply touching story about the bond between a young boy and his elder sister, Oppol
was one of veteran film-maker KS Sethumadhavan’s finest films. The script by MT
is, as was his wont, set against a respectable Nair family now fallen on hard
times. The mother (Kaviyoor Ponnamma), a daughter, Maalu (Menaka), and a son,
Appu (Master Aravind), live a strangely circumscribed life in their little
village.
The
mother is openly hostile to her son, and treats the daughter with some anger.
We aren’t told why, until much later, but much is expressed through silence.
The story, seen through the little boy’s perspective, move along until the
elder sister is married off to a man much older than her. When Appu, devastated
by his sister’s absence insists upon going with his sister, his demands upon
her attention and his dislike of his new brother-in-law causes friction between
the spouses. However, unlike most such narratives, the husband is not a cliché.
Again,
MT deftly deals with many societal taboos (mentioning them here will give away an
important plot point) and skewers the patriarchy that fosters them.
Aalkootathil
Thaniye
(1984)
(Alone
in a Crowd)
Directed
by IV Sasi
On
a superficial, this film also dealt with the breakdown of a traditional joint-family
system and the way the children and their spouse view their old father, now on
his deathbed. But MT’s pen also delves into what made these children the way
the way they are; how the father’s decisions blighted their lives in ways he
could not have foreseen. Along the way, one becomes privy to the interpersonal
dynamics, old faded romances, and bittersweet reminiscences.
The
focus on the life of one of the male protagonists and his regrets do not take
away from the fact that his choices too have the same effect on the women in
his life – just like his father’s did, before him. Yet, perhaps, it is that
woman (Seema, in a brilliantly understated performance) who is the most
contented.
Like
many Malayalam films of the time, Aalkootathil Thaniye is an ensemble
film with some of Malayalam films’ finest actors taking up roles that are
finely etched, irrespective of screen time. For instance, Mohanlal appears in
only four scenes in the film, yet he is its moral core; he’s the voice of
conscience, the man who, despite his outward flippancy, stands up for his
principles.
The
IV Sasi-MT combination was also responsible for another fine film the same year
– Adiozhukkukal/Undercurrents, which won for Mammootty his first
Kerala State Film Award. Karunan, a man who struggles to find his place in
society after his return from prison; the man for whom he had gone to prison
has married his beloved, and everything has changed.
Panchagni (1986)
(Five
Fires)
Directed
by: Hariharan
The
MT-Hariharan team were one of the most successful writer-director teams in Malayalam
cinema. Loosely based on the story of K Ajitha, who was part of the Naxalite
movement in Kerala in the 1960s, Panchagni narrated the tale of Indira
(Geetha) who is out on parole. When, faced with the possibility of a happy
ending, she goes to her friend’s house to share the news, it is to witness a
shocking scene. Gambling her future, her happiness and even her own life,
Indira makes a fateful choice, the only choice that she could.
Once
again, Panchagni was more than just the narrative of a person’s life and
choices or a statement for or against armed revolution. The script pleaded for
humanity, for a moral stand against systemic wrongs, and for basic humanity to
take precedence over ideology.
Another
film from the writer-director duo that deserves a mention is Parinayam (Wedding)
which I reviewed here.
Vaishali (1988?)
Directed
by: Bharatan
Here,
MT takes one of the many stories from the Mahabharata and reworks it to ask a
pertinent question: what if, instead of the Princess, it was her illegitimate
half-sister who is sent to seduce a young sage? MT coloured within and without
the lines to answer that hypothetical question.
In
a script that encompassed love, envy, revenge, and seduction, MT reflects upon
the consequences of power without compassion. In my review of the film, I’d
written that “The script pointedly describes what happens to ordinary people
when political expediency intervenes; how a wily politician is willing to
sacrifice everything, including his own son, on the altar of duty and social
custom; how a weak king can do wrong just by refusing to do what is right, and
how women were mere pawns on a royal chessboard.” You can read my detailed
review here.
Oru
Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989)
(A
Northern Ballad of Valour)
Directed
by: Hariharan
In
this retelling of a northern ballad, MT changed the perspective, as he had done
before in both novel and film. Here, the story is told by Chandu, the
antagonist of the ballad, the warrior reviled in Kerala for his deceit and betrayal
of trust. And so, seen through his eyes, the story becomes a quest for
acceptance, love and respect. (And in so doing, MT reduces Unniyarcha, a known
female warrior in her own right, to a woman driven by her sexual desire, and
her husband, another brave warrior and the love of her life, to a cuckold.)
The
affection that Chandu’s uncle (Balan K Nair) has for him, the loathing and envy
of his male cousin Aromalunni (Suresh Gopi) and the love of Unniyarcha
(Madhavi), Aromalunni’s sister, forms the fulcrum around which the tale unfolds.
MT’s
masterful alternative take on the legend was well-scripted and well-directed,
so much so that the movie is now a cult classic. It won four National Awards –
Best Actor (Mammootty); Best Screenplay (MT); Best Production Design and Best
Costume Design (P Krishnamoorthy).
My
review of it is here.
Perunthachan (1990)
(The
Master Carpenter)
Directed
by: Ajay
As
noted in the Aitihyamala (A Garland of Legends), a collection of legends
and stories from Kerala dating back centuries, Perunthachan was one of the 12 children
born to Sage Vararuchi and his wife. Abandoned by his biological parents, he’s
raised by a carpenter and grows up to be a master carpenter. MT’s script uses
this legend as a base and weaves a story of unrequited love and clash of
ideologies, underlined and human emotions such as obligation, gratitude and envy.
Veteran
actor Thilakan lived and breathed the character of the Perunthachan, and it is
widely regarded as one of his best (if not, the best) performances. His is a
character that is driven by deeply entrenched cultural and social mores. But
when his final act occurs, the script forces us to question whether it was
those or his deep-seated envy that results in that fateful action.
Sadayam (1992)
(Mercifully)
Directed
by: Sibi Malayil
Sadayam
won for
MT his second National Award for best screenplay. The story of Satyanathan, a
convict on death row, is perhaps one of Mohanlal’s finest performances.
MT’s
script critiques several societal ills and taboos of contemporary society, and the
film is a deeply emotional and compelling look at how circumstances can derail
lives. The disturbing human drama is problematic on a number of levels, especially
for the characterisation of the female lead. That MT makes it believable and persuades
us to root for the deeply troubled male protagonist is a testament to his
skill.
MT
Vasudevan Nair was conferred with the Jnanpith Award for his contributions to
Malayalam literature as well as the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest
civilian honour, apart from various national and state honours, numerous Kerala
Sahitya Akademi awards, and other literary awards. His twin collections of
essays on writing titled Kaathikante Panippura (A Writer’s Workshop) and
Kaathikante Kala (A Writer’s Art) are no less than master classes on
writing for any budding author. His death is a loss that is deeply felt by the
literary world and the film fraternity.