Malayalam legend MT Vasudevan Nair passes away

The famous Malayalam author MT Vasudevan Nair, who was famed for his lyrical nostalgia, died in Kozhikode on Wednesday at the age of 91.

After a cardiac arrest, he had been receiving care at Baby Memorial Hospital for the past eleven days.

He was taken off of ventilator support on Tuesday as his condition appeared to be improving, but on Wednesday night, it quickly worsened.

With works that included novels, short stories, screenplays, children's books, travel writing, and essays, MT, as he was often and lovingly known, made a lasting impression on Malayalam literature and film.

In addition to two documentaries, he directed six films, including the Malayalam cinema classic Nirmalyam (1973). This came after he made his cinematic debut with the script for Murappennu (1965), which was based on his own story Snehathinte Mukhangal. MT went on to write 44 other scripts, TNIE reported.

On July 15, 1933, Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair was born in Kudallur, a small village in Kerala's Palakkad district. He became closer to his mother, Ammalu Amma, as his father, Madathil Narayanan Nair, was stationed in Ceylon.

He finished his education at Malamakkavu Elementary School and Kumaranalloor High School. He graduated from Victoria College in Palakkad in 1953 with a degree in chemistry.

Later, he spent more than a year teaching in Pattambi Board High School and Chavakkad Board High School. From 1955 to 1956, he also worked at MB Tutorial College in Palakkad. He even held a gramasevak job.

He began working as a journalist for Mathrubhumi Weekly in 1957. After more than 38 years in journalism, he retired as editor of Mathrubhumi periodicals in 1997.

MT always regretted that he was unable to become a lecturer due to insufficient qualifications. He believed this would have given him more time to pursue his literary interests.

MT began writing throughout his school days. He used to write for Jayakeralam Magazine. His first book, Raktham Puranda Mantharikal, was released in 1952 while he was still in college.

During his final year of college, he rose to prominence after winning the prize for the best short story in Malayalam in the World Short Story Competition, which was organised by The New York Herald Tribune, The Hindustan Times, and Mathrubhumi, for his piece Valarthu Mrigangal. His novel Nalukettu won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 1958.

His works Nalukettu, Asuravithu, and Kaalam are magnificent representations of the matriarchal families once prevalent in Kerala, with its crumbling feudal institutions and values.

Randamoozham, MT's most famous work, is told from the perspective of Bheemasenan, the second Pandava.

The great man earned cult status among Keralites because of the broad scope of his works and a dazzling bouquet of films.

The majority of MT's protagonists were social outsiders, shunned by mainstream society.

"Perched on the margins of society as well as our everyday lives, such people have always been around in my village and elsewhere. I could see them in my neighbourhood, leading isolated and lonely lives," MT had said. "They do all that has to be done, but never seem to get noticed by anyone", was how he put it when asked how only the dejected and despairing lot seem to make it to his list of protagonists.

He preferred that his characters be humane. He attempted to remove the divine aura that typically accompanies mythical heroes. Perhaps this explains why he opted to depict Bheema in almost simplistic overtones.

"It's a story about an ordinary mortal's grief, one who has experienced the hurt of being cast away. It seeks to convey the pain of the one ignored. It's about the common man!" was the short brief that MT shared with his illustrator about Randamoozham.

He opted to depict the plain, rustic lives around him on the vast and varied canvas of a rural community. This effectively describes his heroes' inner struggles in early works such as Naalukettu (1958), Kalam (1969), and Asuravithu (1972). Perhaps Manj (1964) was the first exception, a lyrical masterpiece centred on a female heroine, Vimala.

MT's literary achievements garnered him a number of significant honours, including the Padma Bhushan in 2005, the country's third-highest civilian honours.

He also received the Jnanpith Award, Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Vayalar Award, Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vallathol Puraskaram, and JC Daniel Puraskaram.

His screenplays have garnered him four national awards and eleven state awards. MT was also named the best film director in Kerala three times.