Kochi: Malayalam screenplay writer, director, journalist, M T Vasudevan Nair (MT), 91, passed away at a private hospital tonight, reports said.
MT, who was in the hospital for the last 11 days due to health issues, suffered heart and kidney problems leading to his death.
MT started his career as a sub editor in Malayalam publication Mathrubhum in 1957i and shot into fame through his novels.
MT won the prize for the best short story in Malayalam at the World Short Story Competition conducted by The New York Herald Tribune when he was very young. His noted novels are Naalukettu, Manju, Kaalam, Asuravithu, Randamoozham.
He has directed seven films and penned screenplay for at least 54 films. MT won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Kadavu (1991), Sadayam (1992), and Parinayam (1994).
He has won highest literary award Jnanpith,
Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award and O. N. V. Literary Award. J C Daniel Award among others.
He was honoured with the Kerala Jyothi Award given by the Kerala Government in 2022.
He was the editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly for several years. Born in Kudallur village in Palakkad district in 1933, M T was the youngest of the four children born to T Narayanan Nair and Ammalu Amma. As his father was in Ceylon, he spent his early days in his father’s house in Punnayurkulam village in Thrissur.
After obtaining a degree in chemistry from Victoria College, Palakkad, in 1953, he started his career as a mathematics teacher in a school in Pattambi. Later, he took up a job in a Tutorial College, Palakkad, during 1955–56.
He worked as a sub editor in Mathrubhumi Weekly in 1957. He married writer Prameela in 1965 and they had a daughter Sithara who is in the US. He divorced after 11 years of marriage.
In 1977 he married dance artist Kalamandalam Saraswathy with whom he has a daughter, dancer Aswathy Nair.
M T passes away
