KERALA--A TRIBUTE TO THIKKURISSI
Dr. P.K. John
A TRIBUTE TO THIKKURISSI SUKUMARAN NAIR
"PRAKASHAM PARATHIYA ATHULYA PRATHIBHA "
Dr.P.K.John, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(Based on Malayala Manorama reports)
April 6, 1997
Malayalam cinema's 'Godfather' passed away on March 11, 1997 at 7.45 pm
at Uthradam Thirunal hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. He had been admitted
to the hospital on the morning of February 28, 1997. He had experienced
shortness of breath after breakfast.
Thikkurisi had bypass surgery in the hospital with temporary improvement.
However he developed uremia . He underwent dialysis , however he
eventually succumbed to kidney failure. Other compilations set in such
as internal bleeding and severe fall in blood pressure.
The body was placed in senate hall for the public to pay respects. It
was taken to Thycadu crematorium and cremated with state honors, as
thousands of fans and former colleagues watched.
Earlier thousands came to the house at Jawahar Nagar and the senate hall.
The body was taken in a solemn procession from his home to the senate
hall. Many dignitaries including the chief minister, leader of
opposition, several ministers and movie personalities came to the house
and paid respects.
At 2 pm the body was again taken in ceremonial procession from the senate
hall to the crematorium at Thycadu. Several prominent actors acted as
pallbearers. Mega stars Mammuty and Lal were noticeably absent. But
others like Jayaram, M.G.Soman, Suresh Gopi, Mukesh, T.P.Madhavan, Vijaya
Raghavan, Urvassi, Vani Vishwanath, K.Madhu, Shagi, Kailas, Ranji
Panikkar, Innocent, Venu Nagavalli, Sukumari, K.P.A.C. Lalitha, Jagathi,
Nedumudi, Balachandra Menon, Sukumaran, Rajasenan, Rafi Meccartin,
Harikumar, Aranmula Ponnamma, Lenin Rajendran, Sibi Malayil,
A.K.Lohithadas, V.R.Gopinath, Ragive Nath, C.P.Padmakumar, Melila
Rajashekharan, Devan, Ganesan, Johni, Vipin Mohan, Jagathish, Suchitra,
Vinduja Menon, K.G.George, Narendra Prasad, Janardanan, Vigi Thampi,
M.G.Shrikumar, Manoj K Jayan, Capton Raju, Madhu, Jose Prakash, Murali,
Sunny, Joshi, M.Krishnan Nair, Shrikuttan, Kiridam Unni, Priyadarsan,
Suresh Kumar, Joy Thomas, S.Kumar, Spadikam George, Anandakuttan, V.D.
Rajappan, Gandhimathi Balan, Aroma Mani, Priyanka, Kanaklatha, Usharani,
Baiju, Pujappura Ravi, Ashokan, Bobby Kottarakkara, Nadir Sha,
Ramachandran, N.L.Balakrishnan, Sashidharan Arattuvazi, S.N.Swami,
Kaladharan etc. took active part in the funeral functions.
Thikkurisi was born near Marthandam near Thirvananthapuram. His father
was a high school teacher that taught Malayalam. He had only high school
education. At the age of 7 years he began to write Malayalam poetry. He
wrote his first play-KALAKARAN- at the age of18, well before he tried
acting. His debut as an actor was at the age of 23 in a drama at
Thiruvananthapuram town hall.
Thikkurishi received the Kerala state award for best actor in 1973. He
received the PADMASHRI award the same year. In 1994 he was given the
J.C.Daniel award for lifetime contributions. In addition he received a
variety of other awards such as the Kerala Sangitha Sahithya Academy
award, Prem Nazir award, and N.Krishna Pillai award. He also received
titles like CHALACHITRA PRADIBHA, CHALACHITRACHARYAN and BHISMACHARYA.
Thikkurisi wrote many devotional songs in Sanskrit. He also wrote film
songs, and made contributions to Malayalam humor and literature.
KEDAVILAKKU, INI KANNIRMATHRAM, and THIKKURISIKAVITHAKAL are collections
of his poems. STHRI MAYA, MATHRUKA, BRAHMACHARI, JEEVITHAYATHRA, SHARIYO
THETTO, and LUBDAN LUKOSE are plays that he wrote. Thikkurisi acted in
over 600 films spanning six generations. He also was editor of three
literary publications.
Thikkurisi rejuvenated the Malayalam drama stage dominated by stale,
Tamil influences until his time. In five years he changed the face of
Malayalam drama. He started with PRANAYAJAMBAVAN and B.A.MAYAVI. He
conveyed humor and human pain in his early acting roles. He created the
drama STHRI which changed the face of Malayalam drama stage. Others such
as MAYA, MATHRUKA, BRHMACHARI, and JEEVITHAYATHRA followed.
His transition to movies from the drama stage was smooth, inspite of his
lack of previous experience with the technical aspects of cinema. STHRI
, his first drama was a great success as a movie. JEEVITHANOWKA elevated
him to the level of a superstar. JEEVITHANOWKA was the first Indian
movie produced in four languages-Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi.
Starting with SHARIYO THETTO Thikkurisi also directed eight movies.
Often he combined acting, direction and production. IRUTTINTE ALMAVU and
HARICHANDRA were examples of his tremendous acting skills.
The only Malayalam cine artist besides Thikkurisi that has complted 50
years is Aranmula Ponnamma. She recalled Thikkurissi acting as her son in
AMMA. Aranmula Ponnamma recalled other movies and dramas where they acted
together She has acted in roles as his mother sister and lover. The last
movie they acted together was SAYANNATHINTE SWAPNAM.She called him a
SAKALAKALAVALLABHAN.
Thikkurisi did not fade with time while many actors who rose to fame
like meteorites, but burnt down and went in to oblivion during the same
period. Many of his colleagues shared their thoughts and memories about
this blessed artist in the Sunday edition of Malayala manorama of march
16, 1997. Omallur Chellamma who acted as SUSHAMA in STHRI has vivid
memories of Thikkurisi singing the song MAMAKA JEEVITHA LATHIKAYIL
VILASUM PONMALARE-- in that movie. Chellamma acted with him in several
dramas subsequently. Before STHRI Mavelikkara ponnamma was his partner
in dramas.
K.P.Ummar has anecdotes about Thikkurisi's exploits during the shooting
of UMMA. Srikumaran Thampi recalled Thikkurisi's comedian role in
CHATTAMPI KALYANI. Sarada remembered Thikkurisi acting as her father in
law in INAPRAVUKAL. Navodaya Appachan recalled their train journey
recently from Eranakulam to Aleppy. He had memories to share about
Thikkuris's role in JEEVIYHA NOWKA which his brother Kuncacko produced
under the banner of K and K productions and Udaya studio. He also
recalled STHRI and THETTO SHARIYO.
Thikkurisi knew that he had only till March 1997 to live. According to
his JATHAKAM he would live for 80 years and three months. Three
independent JATHAKA confirmed this. This came true. Thikkurisi also
believed that his star which was ATHAM was behind his success. He said
that those who were borne under this star were all independent minded and
highly successful- Velu Thami Dalava, K.P.Keshava Menon, R.Shankar,
G.Devarajan, O.N.V.Kuruppu.
Thikkurisi once said that those who did not love women, boose and music
were fools. Nedumudi Venu once said that Swaraswathi danced in
Thikkurisi's tongue in the form of Silk Smitha.
Thikkurisi was known as THANKAPPAN as a child. His real name was
Sukumaran Nair..Thikkurisi was mischievous as a school boy. He got in to
trouble for writing a poem about a fellow female student in NAVASHAKTHI.
In an interview with Renchi Kuriakose that appeared in Malayala Manorama
on Ocotober 20, 1996 Thikkurisi recalled how he pawned his jewelry and
bought a bicycle with out his parent's knowledge. He got in to big
trouble when his father found out.
In that interview Thikkurisi admitted that he enjoyed life to the
fullest. He stayed in expensive hotels, drank and bought whatever he felt
like. Once he bought four cars all at the same time.
Thikkurisi was married twice. First marriage broke up. The wife did not
like Thikkurisi's life style. His friendship with an actress in the drama
MAYA(Ampalapuza Meenakshi) finally lead to the marriage breaking up.
There are two daughters from that marriage. Shyamala Devi Kunjamma is
executive engineer in Eranakulam. Geethambika Kunjamma is a housewife in
Pujappura.
Thikkurisi had a son from his relationship with Ampalapuza Meenakshi.
This son , Rajahamsan lives with his mother in Madras.
Thikkurisi's second wife is Sulochana whom he met on the set of
NAVALOKAM. The only daughter from that marriage Kanakashri died
prematurely in an accident. It took it's tall on Thikkurisi. He became
depressed and even contemplated suicide at one point. He began to wear
saffron clothes after his daughter's death. He suffered several heart
attacks.
Thikkurisi wrote, directed and sang. Here is the lyrics of one of his
lovely songs for which music was provided by Dakshina Murthy. The song is
from the movie URVASI BHARATHI(1973).
KARKUNTHAL KETTILENTHINU VASANA THYLAM
NINTE VARNETTI THADATHILENTHINU SINDURA THILAKAM
KARKUNTHAL---
NINTE VARNETTI ------
MANANCHUM KANNILENENTHINORAJANAKUDU
NINTE THEN CHORUM CHUNDILENTHE CHEMPARATHI POOMOTTU
CHEMPARATHI POOMOTTU
KARKUNTHAL---
NINTE VARNETTI--
KALAMOZI NEE MOZIYUMPOL KUYIL NADAM
NINTE KANNADI KAVILIL KANAMEN RUPAM
KALAMOZI NEE----
NINTE KANNADI--
KONCHI KONCHI PUNCHIRICHAL PUNILAVETTAM
NINTE NENCHILENNO NOKKI POYAL
KANNINNU THEROTTAM
KANNININENNU--
KARKUNTHAL--
NNTE VAR---
MANNAM MANNAM NADAKKUMPOL ARAYANNA CHANDAM
ENTE MARIVILLE MAYELLE NEE ENTE SWANTHAM
MANNAM MANNAM---
ENTE MARIVILLE
NENMENI VAKA POOVO NIN MENI
NENMENI--
NEE ANEN SAUNDARYA SAMRAJYA RANI
SAMRAJYARANI--
KARKUNTHAL---
NINTE VAR----
MANANCHUM--
NINTE THEN CHORUM
CHEMAPARTHI
KARKUNTHAL
NINTE-----
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