Venu Nagavally | |
|---|---|
 Venu Nagavally | |
| Born | N. S. Venugopal (1949-04-16)16 April 1949 |
| Died | 9 September 2010(2010-09-09) (aged 61) Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupations |
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| Spouse | Meera |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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Venu Nagavally (16 April 1949 – 10 September 2010) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and director best known for his work inMalayalam film industry. He has directed 12 films.[1] Son of writer, commentator, and broadcasterNagavally R. S. Kurup,[2] Venu has acted in about fifty films, directed films such asSukhamo Devi (1986),Sarvakalashala (1987),Lal Salam (1990), andAye Auto (1990),Aayirappara (1993) and scripted the commercially successfulKilukkam (1991). Venu Nagavally died atThiruvananthapuram on 9 September 2010.[3]
Venu Nagavally was born on 16 April 1949 as the son of the noted play writerNagavally R. S. Kurup and Rajamma. Ramachandran, Vasundara and Lalithambika are his siblings.[4] He completed his education fromGovernment Model Boys Higher Secondary School,Thiruvananthapuram andUniversity College Thiruvananthapuram. He had a bachelor's degree in Politics and a Diploma in journalism. Venu Nagavally died at KIMS hospital inThiruvananthapuram on 9 September 2010 due toliver cirrhosis. He was 61 at the time of his death, and was cremated with full state honours at Santhikavadam crematorium on the same day. He is survived by his wife Meera and son Vivek.[5]
Venu started his career as an announcer inAkashvani. He later sung a song in the movieChottanikkara Amma (1976) but was noticed only in 1978 when he acted in the movieUlkkadal (1979) directed byK. G. George, thus starting his acting career in movies.[6] His noted movies as an actor areShalini Ente Koottukari,Meenamasathile Sooryan,Pakshe, andChillu.
Venu's first movie as a director wasSukhamo Devi (1986) which he himself describes as his own tragical love story. Later he directed the superhit moviesLal Salam,Aey Auto,Aayirappara,Rakthasaakshikal Zindabad etc.Lal Salaam andRakthasaakshikal Zindabad revolved around the lives of the early Communist leaders of Kerala.[7] It was his directorial projects like "Sughamo devi", "Sarvakalashala", "Aey Auto" and "Lal Salam" that cemented Mohanlal's status as a superstar, in the late 1980s.[8] Venu has also written scripts for a few movies including thePriyadarshan directed blockbuster movieKilukkam.[9] His first movie as a script writer wasEe Ganam Marakkumo.
His oeuvre also had a strain of his left leanings; in addition to acting in films likeMeenamasathile Sooryan (about theKayyur revolt) and heading the production wing of a pro-left television channel, two of the films he directed –Lal Salam (1990) andRaksthasakhikal Zindabad (1998) – were an introspective look at the rise and fall of communist ideals. Venu examines these issues by dealing with the cracks in political movements, its hopes and later degeneration, create in human relationships.[10]
The movies for which he has sung songs includeChillu,Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki,Oru Painkilikatha out of which the song "Kochu Chakkarachi Pettu" from the movieEnte Ammu, Ninte Thulasi, Avarude Chakki became quite popular.[11]
| Year | Title | Starring |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Sukhamo Devi | Shankar,Mohanlal,Urvashi,Geetha |
| 1987 | Sarvakalashala | Mohanlal,Sukumaran,Nedumudi Venu,Seema |
| 1988 | Ayitham | Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumaran,Ambika,Radha |
| 1989 | Swagatham | Jayaram,Nedumudi Venu,Ashokan,Parvathi, Urvashi |
| 1989 | Lal Salam | Mohanlal, Geetha,Murali, Urvashi |
| 1990 | Aye Auto | Mohanlal, Rekha, Murali,Sreenivasan |
| 1991 | Kizhakkunarum Pakshi | Mohanlal, Shankar, Rekha, Murali |
| 1993 | Kalippattam | Mohanlal, Urvashi,Jagathy Sreekumar,Thilakan |
| 1993 | Aayirappara | Mammootty, Urvashi,Madhu,Narendra Prasad |
| 1995 | Agnidevan | Mohanlal,Revathi,Rohini Hattangadi,Captain Raju,Devan |
| 1998 | Rakthasakshikal Sindabad | Mohanlal,Suresh Gopi, Murali,Sukanya |
| 2009 | Bharya Swantham Suhruthu | Jagathy Sreekumar, Urvashi,Mukesh,Padmapriya |