Kothamangalam Subbu | |
|---|---|
 Kothamangalam Subbu in 1948 | |
| Born | Subbiah Mahalinga Subramanian (1910-11-10)10 November 1910 |
| Died | 15 February 1974(1974-02-15) (aged 63) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | actor, director, author, poet |
| Spouse | M. S. Sundari Bai (m.1945-1974) |
| Parent(s) | S. Mahalingam Iyer, Kanagammal |
Kothamangalam Subbu (bornS. M. Subramanian, 10 November 1910 – 15 February 1974)[1] was an Indian poet, lyricist, author, actor and film director based inTamil Nadu. He wrote the cult classic Tamil novelThillana Mohanambal and was awarded thePadma Shri. According to novelist Ashokamitran's memoirs, Subbu functioned as the No. 2 of the giantGemini Studios ofChennai (formerly Madras), South India for over three decades and was a close associate of movie mogulS. S. Vasan, who established those studios and published the popular Tamil weeklyAnanda Vikatan.
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Subbu's natural name was Subramanian. He was born in the village of Kannariyenthal, nearPattukkottai, Tamil Nadu. His parents were Subbiah Ganapadigal Mahalinga Iyer and Kangammal. After losing his mother when he was young, Subbu received patronage from his younger aunt. He could continue his studies only up to 8th grade. After marrying his kin, Subbu settled in Kothamangalam and worked as an accountant in a business concern. However, his interests shifted toward Tamil drama, acting, singing, and composing songs. By the late 1930s, Subbu received opportunities for acting in the then-blossoming Tamil movies in Madras.
Subbu directed the epic filmAvvaiyar in which the great artiste of those days SmtK. B. Sundarambal played the lead role. Ashokamitran had profiled humorously how this film took shape in the Gemini Studios. Subbu, with his wife Sundari Bai, played a minor role in the movie as the husband of an incorrigible lady who refuses to serve Avvaiyar food. Subbu also directedKannamma En Kadhali, that featured his wife Sundari Bai. Furthermore, Subbu acted as a hero inMiss Malini that was remade inHindi asMr. Sampath.Miss Malini was an adaptation of RK Narayan novelMr Sampath.Dasi Aparanji was another movie in which Subbu and Sundari Bai played the leads. In addition, Subbu has acted in Tamil moviesThiruneelakantar andPava Mannippu.[citation needed]
As a writer Subbu's most well-known work isThillana Mohanambal that was transformed into a popularly and critically successful Tamil movie, starringSivaji Ganesan andPadmini. Subbu was awarded the Padma Shri for authoring this novel, which originally appeared as a weekly serial in theAnantha Vikatan. Respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of music and satirical writing style, Subbu's tongue-in-cheek writing won the appreciation of many. He authoredRao Bahadur Singaram,Bandanallur Bama,Ponnivanathu Poonguyil,Miss Radha, andManju Virattu (a collection of short stories).[citation needed]
Subbu has written several novels using the pen name ofKalaimani and pennedGandhi Mahan Kathai narrating the life ofMahatma Gandhi in folklore form. He wrote about 120 radio plays forAll India Radio.[2]
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Ananda Vikatan magazine is currently republishing the works of this writer, lyricist, director and actor. As an exponent of the traditional folk form of narrating stories in Tamil Nadu, the Villu Pattu, Kothamangalam Subbu popularised the lives of many Indian luminaries using the Villu Paatu.[3][4]
Subbu's wife,Sundari Bai, was a popular actor, known for her versatility in playing character roles in movies such asKannamma En Kadhali,Sumathy En Sundari,Chandralekha,Bama Rukmani andAvvaiyar.[citation needed]
{{cite web}}:|last= has generic name (help)| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
