Walking down the memory lanes…

To commemorate the great Malayalam film personalities who left us in the past year, 17^th International Film Festival of Kerala organized a special programme, ‘homage’, at Kairali Theater on the fifth day. In this special function, the associates of these legends shared their ever-loving memories of them. T Damodaran, Thilakan, Vindhyan, Navodaya Appachan, CP Padmakumar, Jose Prakash and TA Shahid were remembered here.

Director Priyadharshan who remembered T Damodaran, titled him as master in all fields. Worked together for four-five films, Priyadharshan pointed out his work with T Damodaran on Kalapani as the most memorable one. Director said that the Kalapani is just a small fraction of what Damodaran Sir have told him about the history of Andaman and Nicobar jails and of that period which the film represents. He also mentioned the great scriptwriter as the first one to write a political script in India, ‘Ee Nadu’.

Producer Gandhimathi Balan shared his memories about Thilakan. Balan mentioned Panchavadi Palam and Moonam Pakkam as the most memorable ones among the many he has associated with the ‘great actor’.  He recalled Thilakan to be an actor who was passionate about acting and films always. Thilakan was an actor who always dedicated himself fully to the role, he added. Producer also shared the days with the actor on the sets of Moonam Pakkam in Tamil Nadu.

“Vindhyan was a classical producer who did creative support to the film”, director Shyama Prasad remembered him. Shyama Prasad added that Vindhyan was a childhood friend for him and far more than a producer who always trusted and had complete faith in the director.

“Navodaya Appachan was my Papa”, TK Rajeev Kumar opined. Rajeev Kumar who was recollecting memories of the most innovative producer of all times titled him as ‘creative producer’. The director opened up the lanes of his memories with Appachan while remembering his call for him to associated with ‘My dear Kuttichattan’ while studying in Kerala University. He also added that Appachan who was a godfather for many easily identified the talent and caliber in others and helped them to bring it up.

TV Chandran commemorated Director CP Padmakumar who associated with all the 16 editions of IFFK.  Padmakumar was a filmmaker who associated with every serious discussion on cinema, said TV Chandran. He added that they first meet on the sets of Kanchana Sita and later participated in many International Film Festivals together. The calm, pleasant and loving person was one of the few directors who never gave ears for the praises on their own films, he concluded.

Menaka Suresh re-visited her lanes of memories with Jose Prakash. She retrieved Jose Prakash as the person who always thought positively and stood by her with all the care of an elder while her father passed away. Jose Prakash gave a new face to the villains in Malayalam cinema, she added.

Fond memories about scriptwriter TA Shahid was shared by director Jose Thomas. Shahid was bought to this field by his brother TA Razak to become a director but his passion towards writing made him a scriptwriter, Shahid remembers. Jose Thomas also added that both of them had talks to work on a new project and had meetings on this just before one month of his sad demise.

The function was chaired by K Manoj Kumar, Secretary KSCA. Jayanthi Narendran, deputy director (programmes), gave the vote of thanks.