Wed Dec 25 20:52:03 UTC 2024: ## Eminent Malayalam Writer and Filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair Passes Away at 91
**Kozhikode, Kerala:** Renowned Malayalam writer and filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair passed away on [Date] night at the age of 91. He breathed his last at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode following a heart attack, which worsened his already deteriorating health condition due to a pre-existing heart ailment.
Nair, popularly known as MT, was a literary giant who made invaluable contributions to Malayalam literature and cinema. His prolific career spanned decades, encompassing novels, short stories, screenplays, plays, children’s literature, and travelogues. He left an indelible mark on every genre he touched.
Born on July 15, 1933, in the village of Kudallur in Palakkad district, Nair began his literary journey during his school days. His first collection of short stories, “Raktham Puratta Montharigal,” was published while he was a college student at Victoria College, Palakkad, where he earned a degree in Chemistry. After working briefly as a teacher, he joined Mathrubhumi as a sub-editor in 1957.
His breakthrough came in the mid-1950s. His novel “Nalkett,” published in 1958, garnered critical acclaim and won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1959. The novel beautifully depicted the isolation experienced by individuals within the Nair community’s Marumakkathayam system and joint family structures. This was followed by a string of successful novels, including “Kaalam,” “Asuravith,” “Manj,” “Vilapayatra,” and “Randamoozham,” a popular work based on the life of Bhima from the Mahabharata. He also co-authored “Arabikpponnu” with N.P. Mohammed. His works “Swarggam Thurakkunna Samayam” and “Gopuranadhayil” also won Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards.
Nair’s foray into cinema began in 1963-64 with the screenplay for “Murappen,” based on his own story. He went on to direct and produce several critically acclaimed films, notably “Nirmalyam” (1973), which won the President’s Gold Medal. He wrote screenplays for over fifty films and received the National Award for Best Screenplay four times.
Among his numerous accolades are the Padma Bhushan, Jnanpith Award, Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, JC Daniel Award, the first Kerala Jyothi Award, and the Kerala Legislative Assembly Award. His works have been translated into several Indian and foreign languages. His death marks the end of an era in Malayalam literature and cinema. He will be deeply missed.
First Piper 