Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor. He launched his career as a playwright though he is most popular for his acting in Malayalam cinema.
Early Life of Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair was born in Thikkurisi, Kanniyakumari district (Tamil Nadu) in 1916. He proved himself to be a good writer and orator even when he was a student in Marthanda Varma School. He composed 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.
Career of Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
He started his career as a playwright. His plays Mareechika and Kalakaran were hugely successful. He then penned down 3 more plays tilted Sthree, Maya and Sariyo Thetto which brought revolt the professional play scenario in Malayalam. He replaced the melodramatic romantic musicals that ruled the field till then, with dialogue centred prose style plays having themes of realism, facts and social importance. He made fore ray into the Malayalam film industry in 1950, which was at its early years with only about 10 films produced till then. He debuted in the film industry with the film adaptation of breakthrough play Sthree with the same title. He produced the film and played the lead role as well. But, the film failed to make much worthy impact at the box-office, the film scene in Kerala then being ruled by Tamil and Hindi films. Thikkurussy`s next film Jeevitha Nouka(1951), produced by K and K Productions and directed by K. Vembu was a turning point in Malayalam cinema history. The film which dealt with the theme of ego problem in a joint family was a big commercial success and is being described as the first blockbuster hit in Malayalam film history. The success of the film also made Thikkurissy the first superstar of Kerala. This film was dubbed into 4 languages including Hindi. In 1952, he performed in Navalokam with a theme of social significance along with Miss Kumari, who would later become the pet of the masses after the success of Neelakkuyil(1954). Navalokam did not make it big at the box office, but Thikkurissy cemented his superstardom with a big hit in the same year. Thikkurissy was the person who coined Prem Nazir`s screenname whose actual name was Abdul Khader. In 1953, another moving film of his titled Sariyo Thetto was released. The film was a film adaptation of his play in the same name. The film includes him handling the story, screenplay, dialogues, lyrics and direction departments besides playing the protagonist role. With that Thikkurissy established himself as an indispensable person of Malayalam film industry. He blessed many films with lyrics, screenplay and direction. The 13 films for which he was the lyricist include Sthree, Palunku Paathram, Devasundari, Urvashi Bharathi, Poojapushpam and Balloon. He composed story and screenplay for the films Swami Ayyappan, Muthalali and Aana Valarthiya Vanampadi. He gave direction for the films Sariyo Thetto, Poojapushpam, Achante Bharya, Palunkupathram, Saraswati, Nurse and Urvashi Bharathi. His major acted films are Jeevithanauka, Navalokam, Visappinte Vili, Iruttinte Atmavu, Swayamvaram, Umma, Bhakthakuchela, Nadi, Thulabharam, Maya, Abhijathyam, Surveykk.
Awards of Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair has been endowed with around 250 awards. Some of the major awards are
* Padmashri from the Government of India -1973
* Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor -1972
* National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor-1959
* JFellowship of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy -1983
* Mannathu Padmanabhan Award -1989
* Film Readers Gallop-poll Award -1963 ABombay Nirthya Sindhu Award
-1991 Guru Chengannur Award 1991
* Prem Nazir Award -1992
* Chalachithra Prathibha -1993
* Chalachithra Rathnam -1994
* Chalachithra Acharyan -1994
* Kala Jyothi -1996
* Sarasa Vachaspathy -1996
* Sadasya Thilakan -1996
