Mullanezhi Neelakandan Namboothiri (1948–2011), popularly known as Mullanezhi, was a

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...

poet, playwright, lyricist and actor from

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...

state of

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. He was awarded the

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

twice: in 1995 for the drama ''Samathalam'' and in 2010 for the poetry collection ''Kavitha''. He wrote more than 70 songs for 25 movies and also acted in films like '' Uppu'', ''

Piravi ''Piravi'' ( en, italic=yes, The Birth) is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Shaji N. Karun. It stars Premji, Archana and Lakshmi Krishnamurthy. The film is based on the life of professor T. V. Eachara Warrier, whose son, ...

'', ''Kazhakam'' and '' Neelathamara''.

Biography

Mullanezhi was born in Mullanezhi Mana, Avinissery,

Ollur Ollur is a major suburban area and an old commercial town in the city of Thrissur of Kerala state, South India. It is about away from Swaraj Round on old National Highway 47 (India) towards Kochi. From ancient time onwards, Ollur was a major b ...

on 16 May 1948. Though he began to write poems from his childhood, it was Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon, who discovered the poet in him and guided him in his life and career. Vyloppilly was also instrumental in prompting him join for Vidwan course, and thus to become a school teacher. He started his career as a teacher from

Ramavarmapuram Ramavarmapuram is the northern suburb of Thrissur City in Kerala. This suburban area is home to several governmental and other institutions of national importance. The largest menhir type megalithic monument in granite in Kerala is found here. ...

Government High School. He voluntarily retired from Government Model Higher Secondary School for Boys,

on 2004. Mullanezhi's important collections of poems are ''Mohapakshi'', ''Raapattu'', ''Naaranathupranthan'' and ''Penkoda''. Mullanezhi was also a theatre activist. He led Agragami Theaters and wrote many plays, some of which have been collected in the anthology ''Samathalam''. In theatre, he was inspired by the social reformist movement inaugurated by the likes of V. T. Bhattathiripad, M. R. Bhattathiripad, and

Premji Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India. Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha a ...

. He won the

Kerala Sahitya Academy Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

for his drama ''Samathalam'' in 1995 and his anthology of poems in 2010. He served as a director board member of

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India. It was established on 26 April 1958, inaugurated by then Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The academy started a cultural centre at the Bahrain Kerala ...

from 1980 to 1983. He became a film lyricist in 1976, by penning the song "Karukaruthoru Pennanu" for ''Njavalpazhangal'' by Azeez. He wrote four songs in K. P. Kumaran's ''Lakshmi Vijayam'', under the music direction of Shyam. Mullanezhi worked with G. Devarajan, M. B. Sreenivasan, Raveendran, K. Raghavan, A. T. Ummer, Johnson, Jerry Amaldev and Vidhyadharan. His last film was ''Indian Rupee''. He has written more than 70 songs for 25 movies. Mullanezhi entered the world of acting through the drama, ''Chaverppada'' (1970) in which he acted alongside

. He acted in a few films including ''

'', '' Uppu'' and ''Kazhakam''. He died on 22 October 2011 due to cardiac arrest.

Partial filmography

As lyricist

# Lakshmivijayam (1976) #

Njavalppazhangal ''Njavalppazhangal'' is a 1976 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. M. A. Azeez and produced by M. K. Kunhi Mohamed. The film stars Mohan Sharma, Vidhubala, Sukumari and Balan K. Nair in the lead roles. The film has musical score by ...

(1976) #Mela (1980) #Chora Chuvanna Chora (1980) #Kanikonna (1980) # Swarnnappakshikal (1981) #Amrithageetham (1982) #Njaanonnu Parayatte (1982) #Kaattile Paattu (1982) # Kinginikkombu (1983) #Rachana (1983) #Veenapoovu (1983) #Yathi Bhangam (1983) #Vellam (1985) #Ayanam (1985) #Kayyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu (1985) # Sanmanassullavarku Samadhanam (1986) #Kabani (2001) # Narendran Makan Jayakaanthan Vaka (2001) #Sundarikkutty (2003) #Bhakthajanangalude Sradhaykku (2011) #Kunjettan (2011) #Atha Mazha Atha Veyil (2011) # Indian Rupee (2011) #Namukkore Aakasham (2015)

As an actor

#Ayanam (1985) #Uppu (1987) #

(1989) # Bhoomi Geetham (1993) #Swaham (1994) #Kazhakam (1995) #Ee Puzhayum Kadannu (1996) #Kulam (1997) #Thattakam (1998) #Vanaprastham (1999) #Garshom (1999) #Shayanam (2000) #Neythukaran (2001) #Pulijanmam (2006) #Neelathamara (2009) #Sufi Paranja Katha (2009) #Mounam (2009) #Ekantham (2009) #Katha Thudarunnu (2010) #Jalachayam (2010) #Bhakthajanangalude Shradhaykku (2011) #Snehaveedu (2011)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullanezhi 1948 births 2011 deaths People from Thrissur district Screenwriters from Kerala Male actors from Kerala Malayali Brahmins Malayalam-language writers Malayalam poets Malayalam-language dramatists and playwrights Malayalam-language lyricists Male actors in Malayalam cinema Indian male film actors Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon Memorial Government Vocational Higher Secondary School alumni 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Indian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian male actors 21st-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian male writers 21st-century Indian male writers