Padmarajan

Padmarajan Biography

Padmarajan is regarded as one among the most talented film directors Malayalam has ever witnessed. He was like a bird that flew before the time and the rise of the new day. He will be always remembered for the finest drawings he has drawn on celluloid during the medieval ages of Malayalam cinema. When he died all of a sudden, it was something like an untold puzzle or mystery on screen, much similar to the story of Gandharava, the movie released just before his death. He is remembered most for the landmark movies he has given to Indian screen and powerful scripts which make us wonder now also. A few of his landmark movies with detailed script include – Namukku paarkkaam munthiri thoppukal, Desadanakili Karayarilla, Oridathoru fileman, Moonam pakkam, Innale, Jnan gandarvan, Arapatta kettiya gramathil, Koodevide and Thoovanathumpikal. Truth is that his heart touching stories stay in viewer’s mind even after decades – only a master can do that art!  His movies have finely used rain as a character in the background.

He was born in Harippad of Alappuzha district in 1946. He did his early schooling at Muthukulam, but later completed his studies at M.G. College and University College, Thiruvananthapuram. He later joined All India Radio as an announcer in 1965 at Thrissur, but later settled at capital city. He took a voluntary retirement when he was busy with his film shooting and it happened in 1986. In between he started writing novels too and his first novel Nakshathrangale Kaaval won Kerala Sahitya Academy award in 1972.   

He debut Malayalam as a scriptwriter for director Bharathan and later in 1980’s, he was compared with great director Bharathan. These two directors had some traits in common and that’s why people remember their works together. He wrote his first screenplay in the year 1975 for Bharathan’s debut movie Prayanam. As a director Peruvazhiyambalam was Padmarajan’s first work, based on his own written script. Thus began the amazing journey of Padmarajan as a director.

When he decided to do the movie ‘Jnan Gandharvan’ (I am Gandarv), many superstitious people advised him not to do it as they believed that Gandharva may curse him. He didn’t believe it. Many bad incidents took place during its shooting too. True or not – similar to story’s climax, this Gandharva too left the world soon after the completion of the movie! He died exactly one week after the movie release. His sudden and unexpected death was something like a shock to his admirers, and has not digested it even if it has happened 22 years ago.

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Updated: July 08, 2013