M. T. Vasudevan Nair (1933-2024) | A look at his best cinematic creations

Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989)

Mammootty plays a warrior, Chandu – an orphan raised by his uncle. His rivalry with his jealous cousin Aromal forms the crux of this historical drama directed by Hariharan. The films won five National Film Awards, including Best Screenplay for MT

Kadavu (1991)

Written and directed by MT, the film centres around Raju, who is taken under the wing of ferryman Beeranikka, after being abandoned by his mother. One day, Raju meets a girl on the ferry, whom he goes in search of after she leaves an ornament behind

Sadayam (1992)

Sathyanathan is an unremorseful convict charged with the murder of two men and two young girls. Sathyan has no interest to live and his story unfolds as he is hanged to death. This film also bagged MT a National Film Award for Best Screenplay

Parinayam (1994)

Loosely inspired by the life of Kuriyedathu Thathri, the film narrates the story of Unnimaya, a 17-year-old married to a man in his sixties. But problems arise when she falls in love with Kathakali artist Madhavan and becomes pregnant with his baby

Olavum Theeravum (1970)

Based on MT’s own short story of the same name, the story follows Baputty, who falls in love with his dead friend’s sister, but her mother is unsupportive of the union and tries to get her married to the wealthy Kunjali

Perumthachan (1991)

Raman Perumthachan is an expert carpenter and sculptor, an exemplary citizen, and completely happy with his life, whereas his son, Kannan Vishwakarman, could not be more different. Raman tries to control his son’s rebellious nature and bring him back to the right path

Nirmalyam (1973)

The film narrates the story of a family, taking care of a neglected temple, and living off of the scanty income they get from it. Aside from writing the screenplay, MT also directed the film

Panchagni (1986)

Indira, a Naxal activist, is serving a life sentence and is released on parole to visit her family for the last time. When her family rejects her, she finds solace in a journalist who tries to reverse her sentence

Bandhanam (1978)

Written and directed by MT, Unnikrishnan is a clerk living a mundane life. He develops feelings for his colleague Sarojini, who reciprocates the same, but he does not express it. He takes a month off to visit his step-mother and step-sister but returns to saddening news

Oru Cheru Punchiri (2000)

Retired estate manager Krishna Kuruppu and his wife Ammalukutty, a very happy couple, reject their children’s plea to sell their ancestral property and live with them in the city. The film was, both, written and directed by MT