Poovankery Francis Mathews is an Indian author of

Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puduchery, is one of the six classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary text ...

and a

screenplay writer A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

in Malayalam film and Television industries. A Winner of a

National Film Award for Best Screenplay The National Film Award for Best Screenplay is one of the categories in the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with ...

and multiple State television and other literary awards including the

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel The Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel is an award given every year by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy) to Malayalam writers for writing a novel of literary merit. It is one of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award#Awards, twel ...

and

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story The Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story is an award given every year by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy) to Malayalam writers for writing a narrative, story of literary merit. It is one of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award#A ...

, he is known for his original style of writing. Literary works such as ''Muzhakkam'', ''Kadalinte Manam'', ''Adiyalapretham'', ''Iruttil Oru Punyalan'', and ''Chaavunilam'' and screenplays such as ''Sararaanthal'', ''Mikhayelinte Santhathikal'', ''Megham'', '' Kutty Srank'' and '' Ee.Ma.Yau'' are his major works.

Early years

Mathews was born in a Latin Christian family on 18 February 1960 in Ernakulam, Kerala to Francis of the Poovankery house and his wife Mary. After his early schooling in Don Bosco School and St. Augustine's School,

Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...

, he graduated in economics from St. Albert's College Kochi, in 1980 and secured his master's degree in Malayalam in 1982. He started writing at the age of 10 when he used to write and direct one- act plays. He took to short stories at the age of 16 and his short stories have been published in leading Malayalam publications like

Malayala Manorama '' Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew, it was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1888, and currently has a rea ...

, Kalakaumudi,

Mathrubhumi ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian freedom struggle against the British. The word "Mathrubhumi" translates to 'mother land'. ...

Madhyamam ''Madhyamam'' (meaning ''Medium'') is a Malayalam-language newspaper published in Kerala, India, since 1987.Bhashaposhini. He spent his regular career at Advocate General's Office of the

High Court of Kerala The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...

from where he superannuated in 2016.

Literary career

His first short story anthology, ''Njayarazhcha Mazha Peyyukayayirunnu'' (It Was Raining on Sunday), was published in 1986 by Current Books. His second work was a novel, ''Chaavunilam'' (Land of the Dead), based on the coastal life in Kochi and published in 1996 by DC Books, which won the

State Bank of Travancore State Bank of Travancore (SBT) was a major Indian bank headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and was a major associate of State Bank of India. SBT was a subsidiary of the State Bank of India, State Bank Group, but also had private sh ...

award for the best novel. Subsequent years produced two more short story collections, ''Jalakanyakayum Gandarvanum'' (the Mermaid and the Celestial Lover) and ''2004il Alice'' (Alice in 2004). In 2013, a short story anthology, ''Kathakal'' (Stories), and his memoirs, ''Theerajeevithathinu Oru Oppees'' (A Requiem for the Coastal Life), were published. His second novel, ''Iruttil Oru Punyalan'' (A Saint Shrouded in Darkness), was published in 2015, and two of its chapters were published by

weekly, prior to the official release of the book. The book has since been translated into

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

, under the title, ''Iruttil Oru Punithan'', by P. S. Ramesh.

Film and television career

Mathews debuted into screen writing with a documentary film, ''Keep the City Clean''. In 1991, he won the Kerala State Television Award for screen play, for the tele-series ''Sararaanthal'' (The Lantern), broadcast in

Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...

. He received his second state television award for ''Mikhayelinte Santhathikal'' (Descendants of Mikhayel), in 1993. Several works followed, which included ''Dr. Harischandra'' (1994), ''Roses in December'' (1995), ''Charulatha'' (1999), ''Aathma'' (2000), ''Edayanum Mankidavum'' (2003), Megham (2004), ''Mantharam'' (2005), ''Aa Amma'' (2006), ''Pakalmazha'' (2009) and ''Daivathinu Swantham Devootti'' (2012), the last one winning State television award for the best Series. He has also won the script writing competition held nationwide by

National Film Development Corporation of India The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) based in Mumbai is the central agency established in 1975, to encourage high quality Indian cinema. It functions in areas of film financing, production and distribution and under the Min ...

, for ''Naattukaaryam'', in 1993. Mathews' foray into big screen was in 1986 with the story of Thanthram (the Plot), a Mammooty starrer. This was followed by '' Puthran'' (the Son), a sequel to the successful tele series, ''Mikhayelinte Santhathikal''. The next was Kutty Srank, directed by Shaji N. Karun, which won him the

for the year 2010. ''Antichrist'', a Lijo Jose Pellissery project, with Prithviraj, Fahadh Faasil and Indrajith in lead roles, was put on hold after initial discussions. The next project, Ee.Ma.Yau, a Lijo Jose Pellissery film, was released in May 2018 and the film received good critical reviews. Another Lijo Jose Pellissery film has also been announced, with Mamootty in the lead role. Mathews also sat in the jury panel of the

Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...

for the year 2016.

Personal life

Mathews, a recipient of the

KCBC KCBC (770 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching radio format. It is Licensed to Manteca, California, with radio studios and offices in Oakdale. The station is owned by the Crawford Broadcasting Company ...

Yuvaprathibha (Young Talent) award (1999), is married to Shobha and the couple has two sons, Unni Mathews and Anand Mathews, both of whom are part of the 'Karikku' team. He has been employed with the Advocate General's Office, Ernakulam, and has since superannuated from service.

Awards and recognitions

Literary works

Tele-series and Documentaries

Filmography

References

External links

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mathews, P. F. Malayalam screenwriters Screenwriters from Kochi Malayalam-language novelists 1960 births Indian male novelists Indian male short story writers Living people Don Bosco schools alumni University of Kerala alumni 20th-century Indian short story writers 20th-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian short story writers Indian television writers Novelists from Kerala 20th-century Indian male writers 21st-century Indian male writers Best Original Screenplay National Film Award winners Indian male television writers