Thiruavananathapuram, Saturday, July 30, 2011: Renowned film director Bharathan (14 November 1947 – 30 July 1998) was remembered on his thirteen death anniversary on Saturday.

Bharathan is noted for being the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam, along with Padmarajan, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and prolific filmmakers of Malayalam cinema and has directed more than 50 movies in multiple languages. He was born at Engakkadu near Wadakkancherry, in present day Thrissur district of Kerala, India.

After completing his diploma from the School of Fine Arts, Bharathan entered the world of Cinema as an art director for Vincent, an accomplished director of the time and the movie was Ghandarva Kshetram. He got the inspiration from his uncle, P. N. Menon — a veteran film director. After working as an art director and assistant director for a few movies, he made his directorial debut in 1974 with Prayanam, based on Padmarajan’s script. The movie received the national award for the best regional film in that year. It also marked the rise of two early proponents of middle-stream Malayalam cinema.

Film career:

The director showed a penchant for brilliantly portraying rustic life in rural Kerala. Bharathan has directed over 50 films in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. Starting his career in 1975 with Prayanam, Bharathan rode to fame with his off-beat Thakara, a film about a dumb-witted central character who falls in love with the village beauty. Some of his other memorable films include Rathinirvedam, Chamaram, Paalangal, Amaram, and Vaishali.[2]

He displayed a rare talent in treating sex without falling into vulgarity which was to later become the trademark of the so called Bharathan touch. His association with Padmarajan was the beginning of a golden era in malayalam cinema. Few more films came out from the duos partnership before Padmarajan became an independent director himself. Rathi Nirvedam and Thakara were the most noted among them with latter being considered one of his best.

In the early eighties he made several notable movies like Chaamaram, Marmaram, Paalangal, Ormakkayi, Kaatathe Killikoodu, and many more. They did well in theaters and set the trend for meaningful mainstream cinema. Other noted directors also followed suit. It was the romantic era of Malayalam cinema.

Not all of Bharathan’s films skirted with bold themes and controversy. In Oru Minnaaminunginte Nurunguvettam (1987), he tells the poignant story of a childless couple in their post retirement life. The film deals with the isolation and loneliness that comes with old age. The film was a departure from Bharathan’s usual style and proved to be a major commercial hit while garnering critical acclaim too.

His Vaisali (1988) is widely regarded as a modern day masterpiece in Malayalam cinema. Scripted by the iconic Malayalam novelist M. T. Vasudevan Nair, it was an adaptation of a sub-story told in the epic Mahabharatha. Another movie born from their association was Thazhvaram. The subject was revenge, a theme quite uncharacteristic of Bharathan movies.The style of the film was inspired by Classic Westerns with a brooding, reticent central character and expansive shots of barren landscape.

His more experimental films include Aaravam, more an arthouse than commercial venture, and Nidra, a film about the plight of a girl who is in love with a mentally deranged man.

Death:

Bharatan died at a private hospital in Chennai on 30 July 1998 following prolonged illness. He was suffering from liver cirrhosis. He was 51. He is survived by his actress wife KPAC Lalitha, a son and a daughter.