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on 2008/9/11 2:35:57
P N Menon, the man who pioneered new wave Malayalam cinema by taking the sets out of the four walls of the studio, died in Kochi yesterday at the age of 82.
He shot to fame with his path-breaking 1969 film Olavum Theeravum (The Waves and the Shores). Menon was active in filmmaking for four decades and his last film Nerku Ner (Face to Face) was released in 2004. He has more than 20 films to his credit.
The director had been ailing for the last few months and his memory started fading three months ago. The end came at 3.30pm in a private hospital. He is survived by his wife Malati and daughters Rajashree and Jayasree who were present at his bedside when he died.
His body was kept at his daughter’s flat in the city where several filmmakers and actors visited to pay their last respects. According to the family, he will be cremated today afternoon.
“It was Menon who laid the foundation for modern Malayalam cinema.
He inspired a generation of filmmakers to make good cinema in Malayalam,” ace director Adoor Gopalakrishnan said.
His film Olavum Theeravum broke away from tradition by using outdoor locations. M T Vasudevan Nair’s script and dialogues evoking local accents was also a refreshing experience for Kerala filmgoers.
Born in a poor family at Vadakkancherry in Thrissur, Menon took to cinema as a production boy in Chennai after completing his studies at the Trichur School of Arts at the age of 20. Later he was appointed as an apprentice in the painting department of producer B Nagi Reddy’s Vahini studio.
Menon worked as art director in several films including Ninamaninja Kalppadukal before taking the plunge as director. His debut film Rosie, most of which was shot outdoors, was released in 1965 but it failed to impress distributors.
His second film that came a year later - Olavum Theeravum is still regarded as one of the most realistic and sensitive films ever made in Malayalam. It won him the state government award for best film.
He also won national awards for his films Kuttiyedathi (Eldest Sister-1971), also based on a story by M T Vasudevan Nair, Gayathri and Malamukalile Daivam (The God Atop the Hill-1983).
His works include Maappusaakshi (1971), Panimudakku, Chemparaththi (1972), Darshanam, Chaayam (1973), Mazhakkaaru (1974), Odakkuzhal (1975), Udhayam Kizhakku Thannae (1976), Taxi Driver, (1978), Devathai (Tamil-1979), Anu (Tamil-1982), Malamukalilaey Daivam, Glimpses of Kerala (English), Asthram (1983), Padippura (1988) and Money Order (1990).
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