Madhu | |
|---|---|
 Madhu in 2008 | |
| Born | Madhavan Nair (1933-09-23)23 September 1933 (age 92) |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | Jayalakshmi (died 2014) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | R. Parameswaran Pillai (father) Thankamma Pillai (mother)[2] |
| Awards | J. C. Daniel Award (2004) Padma Shri (2013)[3] |
| Website | www |
Madhavan Nair (born on 23 September 1933) commonly known by hisstage nameMadhu, is an Indian actor, director, producer, former college lecturer and former film studio owner, who works inMalayalam cinema and a certain number of Hindi and Tamil films.[4][5] He was a prominentlead actor during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and has acted in more than 400 films. Madhu has also directed 12 films, produced 15 films and at one time owned the Uma Film Studio. He was awarded thePadma Shri by theGovernment of India in 2013 for his contributions towards the arts. He was honored with theJ. C. Daniel Award by theGovernment of Kerala in 2004, for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam films.[6] He is the president ofIndian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) Kerala Unit.[7][8][9]
Mini, a children's movie produced by him, bagged theIndira Gandhi National Award for Best Film on Family Welfare, at the 43rd National Film Awards in 1995. He is the inaugural winner of theFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam for his performance inSwayamvaram (1972), and has received three moreFilmfare awards and is also the recipient of fiveKerala State Film Awards. Madhu starredChemmeen won thePresident's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film in 1965, becoming the first Malayalam film to win the title.
He was born on 23 September 1933 at Gowreesapattom in the erstwhileTravancore. His father, R. Parameswaran Pillai (hailed fromPadmanabhapuram, near Thuckalay inKanyakumari),[10] was the erstwhile Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram and his mother Thankamma Pillai was a housewife.[11] He has four sisters. He had his primary schooling up to the fourth standard at Kunnukuzhi L.P. School, fifth class (preparatory) atS. M. V. School, 1st form to 3rd form at Pettah Middle School and fourth form to sixth form (SSLC) atSt. Joseph's High School. He did a pre-university degree atMahatma Gandhi College and graduated in Hindi fromUniversity College. He did his postgraduation in Hindi fromBanaras Hindu University (BHU).[12][13]
He was married to Jayalakshmi till her death in 2014. They have a daughter, Dr. Uma J. Nair.[14][15]
He started his career as aHindi lecturer inS. T. Hindu College and thenScott Christian College atNagercoil.[16][17][10] During that time he chanced upon a newspaper advertisement inviting applications for theNational School of Drama course. While studying at NSD, he became acquainted withRamu Kariat, who offered him a role in his forthcoming filmMoodupadam. After completing the course, Madhu went toChennai toscreen test for Karyat's film. While there, in 1963, he was offered a role inN. N. Pisharody's film,Ninamaninja Kalpadukal and this became his debut.[16] In the movie, he portrayed Stephen, a brave soldier of theIndian army who sacrifices his life, on the battle field, for his motherland. The role and the movie were well received by the public.Moodupadam, for which he had come to Chennai for the make up test, became his second film. From thereon, there was no looking back.
He has expressed all facets of life through his various acting roles. Perhaps his most notable role during his early career was in Kariat'sChemmeen, which won the President's Gold Medal. Madhu entered Malayalam cinema at a time when lead roles were dominated by actors likePrem Nazir andSathyan and created a niche for himself. One of his early films where he made a mark wasBhargavi Nilayam, a suspense movie, where he is the only actor on screen during the first half of the movie. Followed byUdhyogastha,Virunnukari, andVeettu Mrugam, byP. Venu. Madhu has brought to life on screen, memorable characters from the works of eminent writers in Malayalam;Vaikom Muhammad Basheer,Thakazhi,P. Kesavadev,Uroob,Ponkunnam Varkey,S. K. Pottekkatt,Changampuzha,M. T. Vasudevan Nair, G. Vivekanandan,N. N. Pisharody andC. Radhakrishnan, to name a few.
In an acting career spanning over five decades, Madhu acted in over 370 films.[18] Although he was a big star in commercial films, he also acted in parallel movies. Such parallel movies includeAdoor Gopalakrishnan'sSwayamvaram,P. N. Menon'sOlavum Theeravum, etc.
Madhu also proved his talents as a filmmaker and director. His first directorial venturePriya, released in 1970, was a trendsetter inMalayalam.[16] The film won the Kerala Government award for the second-best film that year. Madhu directed twelve movies, including hit films likeSindooracheppu,Manya Shree Vishwamitran,Neela Kannukal,Akkaldama,Kamam Krodham Moham,Theekanal,Dheerasameere Yamunathere,Aaradhana,Oru Yuga Sandhya andUdayam Padinjaru. He was also the producer of several of these films. He produced fifteen movies includingKaithapoo,Asthamayam,Shudhi Kalasham,Prabhatha Sandhya,Vaiki Vanna Vasantham,Archana Teacher,Grihalakshmi,Njan Ekananu,Rathilayam andMini. He also produced and directed a movie in English 'Sunrise in the West', which was shot entirely in the USA. He was instrumental in introducing a number of talented actors, directors, lyricists, producers, singers and other technicians to the Malayalam filmdom. He was the owner of the once-renownedUma studio at Puliyarakonam in Thiruvananthapuram.[16]Mini produced by Madhu won theNational Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare, at the 43rd National Film Awards in 1995. The film focuses on the social issue of alcoholism.
Madhu was one of the lead actors in the Hindi filmSaat Hindustani, which was the debut movie of the Bollywood actorAmitabh Bachchan in 1969.[16] His other Hindi films are 'Chakachak' directed bySai Paranjpye andMaiyya directed by Anil.
Madhu has also done three Tamil films, asRajinikanth's father inDharma Dorai,Oru Ponnu Oru Paiyan andBharatha Vilas.
Madhu has so far acted in more than 400 movies includingMalayalam,Hindi andTamil languages and directed 12 movies.[19]
