MT Vasudevan Nair’s stories captured the beauty, pain, and contradictions of a changing Kerala
Madathu Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair, one of Malayalam’s favourite sons, departed this realm on Christmas day 2024. Lovingly known far and wide by just the initials MT, the peerless writer strode over Malayalam literature in the second half of the 20th century.
The MT myth famously began with a prize for Best Story for Valarthumrigangal (Pets) in a short story competition that was jointly conducted by the New York Herald Tribune, Hindustan Times and Mathrubhumi. The story centered around the performers in a circus and their lives, was later adapted into a movie.
Other than nine novels, every single one of which has been labelled a masterpiece at some time or other, dozens of short stories, memoirs, travelogues and other literary work, MT also wrote the screenplay for over 60 movies.
My introduction to MT came through movies. Having spent some of my formative years abroad, I was not as fluent in my mother tongue as I was in English. As a result, the reading that defined me was almost completely in English. I got around to reading some of MT’s work much later. However, I kept looking out for his new releases, knowing that the storylines would be something that would stand out from the run-of-the-mill stuff that was usually in theatres. I didn’t understand a lot of the socio-political undertones in his work, but I would always come out feeling that I just watched something extraordinary.
A decade or so ago, I started collecting CDs and DVDs of MTs movies. The price that Moser Baer had put them up for was the major draw. Then there was YouTube. A lot of Malayalam movies from the 70s and 80s were uploaded there. No one bothered to file a complaint or attempt to take them down. A few years ago, I started on a mission to review every movie that MT had written the screenplay for. A few were not available and possibly even lost forever. The mission is still underway, but the inspiration for the series has gone in search of different pages to write.
In the literary world, it is common to define the time period of a doyen as his or her era, epoch, or age. The same has been acknowledged for MT. I would classify his screenplays differently. There would be movies that were made before Murappennu (MT’s first screenplay that reached the screen) and there were those that came after.
A screenwriter who saw art in frames
Malayalam cinema must have had good movies before MT came by. But cinema in the early 1960s and before was primarily an entertainment vehicle. Hardly anyone considered them art. A lot of serious writers had refused to pander to the medium. MT had a different take. He saw a medium that could do much more, that could reach levels that had hitherto not been dreamt of, that could become art on par with stories and paintings. He also understood that cinema also had to be successful and had to reap a profit for those who put their hard-earned money into the venture. He just refused to believe that the two had to be mutually exclusive.
Murappennu (The Customary Bride) was adapted from one of MT’s own short stories. It introduces us to MT’s favourite playground—that of a traditional Nair family that has seen better times. It brings to fore the traditions and observances that play a major role in MT’s stories. Though the Vincent’s directorial skill had not aged very well, it remains a milestone for those who were around in the 1960s.
Iruttinte Athmavu (The Soul of Darkness) and Asuravithu (The Demon Seed) challenged the acting prowess of Prem Nazir, the evergreen hero of Malayalam movies. Olavum Theeravum (Waves and the Shore) is said to be the first art cinema in Malayalam.
MT first ventured into the direction with Nirmalyam (Remains). What a debut it was. Winning both the National Award for Best Feature Film and the first-ever National Award for Best Actor for P J Antony. Probably the tautest of MT’s screenplay till then, Nirmalyam tells the story of a velichapaadu (an oracle attached to a temple). P J Antony had shined in supporting roles in some of MT’s movies. Here he gets to be the centerpiece. The veteran does not disappoint.
Redefining heroes: MT’s journey with myths and legends
MT had a long association with I V Sasi, the blockbuster director who could only make a movie with familiar faces. These movies are not going to be on the top of any list of MT’s movies because Sasi was primarily interested in reaching the maximum audience possible, rather than achieving any artistic merit. However, these arguably helped cement MT’s legend in the minds of the common man.
The legendary Kamal Hassan made his leading man debut in a MT movie – Kanyakumari. There were others who got the roles that defined their careers, like Vineeth, Vilasini, Sri Vidya, P J Antony, Balan K Nair, among others. In the 1980’s release Vilkkanundu Swapnangal (Dreams for Sale) directed by M Azad, towards the end of the movie, a young man came to take on a pretty forgettable role. That was the last time he did anything unmemorable. He turned out to be MT’s alter ego and essayed most of MT’s autobiographical characters. His name was Muhammed Kutty. For four decades he has been wowing cinema fans under the moniker Mammootty.
Yet, MT’s most successful partnership in movies was not with any actor. It was with the director Hariharan. They made 11 movies together. Most of them are classics of Malayalam Cinema, but the pinnacle remains Oru Vadakkan Veeeragatha (A Northern Story of Valour). A complete retelling of one of traditional myths, Veeragatha was unlike anything the audience had experienced. MT had revised a popular story before in Randamoozham, which was Mahabharatha told from the point of view of Bheema. Veeragatha was MT at his iconoclastic best. Taking one of the most despised villains of Malayalam lore – Chandu, the cheat – MT told a very different tale, making him the unsung hero of the time. People refused to watch the movie because it went against what their beliefs were.
MT was less prolific in the 90s and the noughts. Still, any movie with his name, was always something to be awaited. In the 2000s, Malayalam cinema went through its darkest age. Story and realism, which were the hallmarks of Malayalam cinema, all but disappeared. Populism and misogyny ruled. Over the past few years, youngsters have started bringing about a sea-change. Hopefully, they learnt screenplays at MT’s school.
It is impossible to calculate the impact such a stalwart has on just one of the fields that he was a master of. There is no doubt in my mind. Malayalam cinema changed for the better since MT entered it. Hopefully, a lot of new viewers will experience the magic he was able to bring onscreen. I can’t help but feel grateful, to have lived through most of his seminal movies.
