Kerala bade a tearful farewell to M T Vasudevan Nair, the numero uno of Malayalam literature who breathed his last on late Wednesday night at a corporate hospital in Kozhikode, a city which was immortalized by his presence. He has been honored with Jnanpith Award in 1995 for his comprehensive contributions to Malayalam literature. The President of India had decorated him with Padma Bhushan in 2005.
Ninety-one year old MT (as he is known) was ailing for some time due to age related issues and a team of doctors were attending to him on a round-the clock basis. M T is rated as the last of the titans of Malayalam literature . In addition to short stories, novels, and travelogues, he left the characteristic “MT Touch” in six feature films which he directed, by walking away with the best director award (three times) in the National Film Festival). One has lost count of the number of times he bagged the Kerala State Film Awards as a director and script writer. He has authored scripts for more than 60 films and all were run away hits.
Nirmalyam (Malayalam for Yesterday’s Offerings”), his first venture as a director bagged many national and international awards. P J Antony, who played the role of a village oracle was honored with Bharath award for perfecting the role in the movie which turned out to a trendsetter in Malayalam movies.
The novels authored by M T remain as fresh and interesting decades after they were published. Having born and brought up in a village on the banks of Nila, all his literary works feature people whom one meet in the day-to-day life in the countryside. The theses in his novels and short stories were based on the rising, disintegration and fall of the Nair ancestral families in Malabar.
His novel Randamoozham (The Second Turn) published in 1984 tells the story of Mahabharath as seen through the eyes of Bheem. There are no literary works attributed to MT which have gone unrecognized and it is said that he was the one who elevated Malayalam literature to the global arena.
The multi-faceted author leaves behind his wife Saraswathi and daughter Aswathi. MT had married Prameela Nair in 1962 but they were separated in 1978. The couple has a daughter Sitara born out of this marriage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the passing away of the celebrated writer and movie maker. “Saddened by the passing away of Shri MT Vasudevan Nair Ji, one of the most respected figures in Malayalam cinema and literature. His works, with their profound exploration of human emotions, have shaped generations and will continue to inspire many more. He also gave voice to the silent and marginalised. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” the PM wrote in X.
The Kerala Government has declared a two-day mourning as a mark of respect to MT. The last rites were performed at Smrithi Path, the Kozhikode corporation owned crematorium on Thursday evening in the presence of thousands of fans and well wishers of the last of the Titans in Malayalam literature.
