Prem Nazir, Malayalam cinema’s evergreen hero and its first superstar, was the eternal romantic and hero for a generation of viewers of Malayalam cinema. He defined the image of the hero and his professionalism and humanness is still the talk of tinsel town.
The actor, who hailed from Chirayinkeezh in Thiruvananthapuram district, was one of the most successful actors in Indian cinema. He holds two Guinness World Records – for playing the lead role in a record 524 films (501 in Malayalam and 23 in Tamil) and for acting with the same heroine, Sheela, in 100-plus films. He has acted in some 74 films of director B. Sasikumar. His Padayottam is Malayalam’s first 70 mm film and another film, Thacholi Ambu , was the first cinemascope…
“We felt that it was high time IFFK celebrated the genius that was Prem Nazir,” says actor-producer Manianpillai Raju, chairperson, exhibition committee of IFFK 2014, who is spearheading the initiative. “More than that, though, we wanted to celebrate the human being that Nazir sir was. You would be hard pressed to find an actor with such humility, grace and compassion, these days,” adds Manianpillai. He has worked with Nazir in over 20 films, beginning with Seemantha Puthran (1975).
“From that very first day when he gave me a handshake on the set of Seemantha Puthran and welcomed me to the industry, till his death on January 16, 1989, I have never seen him without that smile,” recalls Manianpillai.
If at last year’s fete there was a retrospective of the actor, this year, to mark the 25th year of his passing, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, which organises the annual fete, is setting up a one-of-a-kind photo exhibition of the actor.
The exhibition, ‘Nitya Haritha Smaranakal’ (Evergreen Memories) which is being put up at the lobby of New Theatre, one of the venues of the fete, will be inaugurated on December 13 by veteran actor Madhu.
For the photos, the Academy turned to veteran still photographer R. Gopalakrishnan. He is also a collector of Malayalam film memorabilia and a documentary filmmaker. “I have some four lakh photos of Malayalam film stars in my collection, including 400 photos from Nazir’s film’s itself. Nazir came into the industry when it was barely 14 years old. I first met Nazir sir when I was working as assistant cameraman in the film AriyappedathaRahasyam (1979). I still remember how he had a trunk full of safari suits in the boot of his ambassador, just in case there was an issue with costumes on set!” says Gopalakrishan, who is curating the exhibition.
He has chosen 125 photos plus a couple of posters of Nazir’s films and even a paper notice of one of his films to display at the exhibition. “Instead of single shots of the actor, we have focussed on photos of Nazir with his heroines, people from the film industry and outside,” explains Gopalakrishnan, on the phone from Chirayinkeezh, where he was clicking pictures of the actor’s home and his tombstone.
The exhibition includes photos from Nazir’s personal collection. For example, there is one of the actor with his family, his wife, Habeeba Beevi, his daughters Laila, Rasiya, and Rita, and his son and actor, Shanavas. “One of my other favourites is of the actor with his his parents, Akkode Shahul Hamid and Asmabeevi, and his extended family,” says Gopalakrishnan.
The folk at the New Theatre too take pride in their connection with the superstar, who has acted in over 25 movies for their sister concern, Merryland Cinemas. “In the early days, the production house’s artistes’ quarters were situated behind the theatre and whenever he used to shoot for Merryland, Prem Nazir used to hang out here. He was a constant presence of my childhood days and was a great friend of my elder brothers. We are thrilled to be part of the exhibition,” says S. Murugan, managing director of City Theatres that runs SreeKumar, SreeVishakh and New Theatre. A few photos of the superstar from Merryland’s collection will also be exhibited.
IN FOCUS Stills from landmark films such as Sakhakkale Munnottu , Vishappinte Vili , Nadi , Kallichellama , Eruttinte Athmaavu , and Padayottam , to name a few. Shots of the actor with popular heroines such as Sheela, Sharada, Unni Mary, Jayabharathi and Sreevidya [incidentally, he acted with 80 different heroines, yet another film record] Photos of Prem Nazir with major artistes such as Sathyan, K.P. Ummer, G.K. Pillai, T.R. Omana, and Rateesh, directors such as K.S. Sethumadhavan, producers like P. Subramaniam and technicians. |
“Instead of single shots of the actor, we have focussed on photos of Nazir with his heroines, people from the film industry and outside,” explains Gopalakrishnan, on the phone from Chirayinkeezh, where he was clicking pictures of the actor’s home and his tombstone.
The exhibition includes photos from Nazir’s personal collection. For example, there is one of the actor with his family, his wife, Habeeba Beevi, his daughters Laila, Rasiya, and Rita, and his son and actor, Shanavas. “One of my other favourites is of the actor with his his parents, Akkode Shahul Hamid and Asmabeevi, and his extended family,” says Gopalakrishnan.
The folk at the New Theatre too take pride in their connection with the superstar, who has acted in over 25 movies for their sister concern, Merryland Cinemas. “In the early days, the production house’s artistes’ quarters were situated behind the theatre and whenever he used to shoot for Merryland, Prem Nazir used to hang out here. He was a constant presence of my childhood days and was a great friend of my elder brothers. We are thrilled to be part of the exhibition,” says S. Murugan, managing director of City Theatres that runs SreeKumar, SreeVishakh and New Theatre. A few photos of the superstar from Merryland’s collection will also be exhibited.
