In the 1930s,Kerala had about thirty cinema halls, but ironically no Malayalam movies. Tamil movies ruled the roost along with few Hindi movies. The two silent movies, “Marthandavarma” and “Vigathakumaran” which started during this period never saw the light of day.
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s brother, Alleppey Vincent played a major role in the development of Malayalam movies. His first venture, “ Vidhiyum Mrs. Nairum” was a flop, but his second film “Balan” was well acclaimed. The success of Balan, encouraged the the Tamil producer, Annamala Chettiyar to produce the next film “Jnanmbika”. Vincent approached his brother Kunjukunju Bhagavathar for casting the film. He wanted the expertise of his accomplished brother and his brilliant fellow artists for the film.
10th October 1939 marked the dawn of Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s career on the silver screen. With the advent of World War II, the crew had to face countless obstacles to complete the film. It took six months of relentless struggle to finally release the film in 1940. The film was a triumph both artistically and financially and is still considered a milestone in Malayalam movie history for its cinematography, music direction, sound editing etc. It was the first film to have a background score for its songs. Kunjukunju Bhagavathar acted as ‘Raveendran’ the lead character and the unexpected hero of the film. Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan, known as the pioneer of Malayalam Film Literature and Journalism, has described him as “ the first stunt star of Malayalam movie” for performing dangerous scenes in the film by himself. The songs of the movie became very famous and Kunjukunju Bhagavathar himself sang two solo songs and three duets.
In 1951, Udaya Studio released their first commercially super hit film “ Jeevitha Nauka”. This movie was a major breakthrough in Malayalam movies because it was the first Malayalam film to run in theatres for more than two hundred days (284 days to be exact). Also, the movie was remade in Tamil and Telungu and dubbed to Hindi. It also hit the collection records. Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar, along with the eminent actor Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, enacted the two major and equally important roles. “Jeevitha Nauka” was a family drama about two brothers’ love for each other. The songs of this movie were very popular and the most renowned one was the opening song “Aana thalayolam” which he sang with his daughter, Pushpam.
Even before the filming of “Jeevitha Nauka” was completed, Udaya Studio started another movie project, “Navalokam”, the screenplay for which was penned by the famous novelist Ponkunnam Varkey. The story was unique for it portrayed the hardships and sufferings of the struggling working class, which so far had never been theme for any Malayalam films. Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar played the role of a blind farmer. The film showcased some of the emotional and brilliant acting from both Kunjukunju Bhagavathar and Thikkurissy.
The first and the last comic role played by Kunjukunju Bhagavathar was in the movie, “Achan”, released in 1952 under the banner of Udaya Studio. His comic role won laurels. Kunjukunju Bhagavathar had taken a hiatus after his long thirty years of life in professional theatre when Kunjacko approached him to help coach his cast for the film “ Achan”, which he agreed. The then famed comedian Nanukuttan was supposed to play the role of a drama company manager who rescues the heroine from the streets when she was a child and trains and transforms her into a famous actress. Unfortunately, Nanukuttan who was already committed to a film project failed to show up for the shot and upon the earnest request of Kunjacko, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar decided to portray the role. The film was remade into a Tamil and Telungu and he himself acted in the comic role. Later, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar got many other offers and requests from producers and spectators, but he lovingly declined all saying it was difficult for comedians to make a public appearance.
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair donned the roles of writer,lyricist and director in a film “Sheriyo Thetto?” in 1953. Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s role was that of a notorious and unscrupulous moneylender which became very popular.
“Balyakalasakhi”, a film released by Merriland Productions in 1954 needs a special mention in Bhagavathar’s acting career on silver screen. Udaya and Merriland were two rivalling studios of that era. While filming of Balyakalasakhi was progressing, Udaya studio announced its next release, “ Snapaka Yohannan” which was a dream project of Subramaniam, the owner of Merriland. So he decided to include the story of Snapaka Yohannan ( St. John, the Baptist) as a play in his film Balyakalasakhi. Kunjukunju Bhagavathar appeared as Antipas and Jose Prakash, who later became well known for his antagonist roles in Malayalam movies, as Snapaka Yohannan. Though the play was an afterthought and extension, spectators welcomed it with open arms.
In 1959 and 1962, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar acted in the films “ Minnal Padayali” and “Vidhi thanna vilakku”. These two movies deserve special mentioning because Kunjukunju Bhagavathar acted along with the indomitable Sathyan. He acted as Sathyan’s father and father- in- law respectively.
Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s first love was always theatre. Therefore, he was not very keen to act on the silver screen. Considering his busy schedule and commitments with theatre, Bhagavathar used to decline most of the offers from the silver screen. Yet, he had to relent occasionally to the requests from his friends in film production. Kunjukunju Bhagavathar acted altogether in eight Malayalam movies.
While recounting the chronicle of his life on the big screen, one must not omit his association with the Tamil film “Genoa”,starring “M. G. Ramachandran”, widely known as “Makkal Thilakam M. G. Ramachandran”. When the movie was remade in Malayalam, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar was the dubbing artist for M.G.R. He remembers in his autobiography how M.G.R. was vehemently against the idea of using a dubbing artist and how he finally relented when he heard the dubbed reel. He was convinced and contented that Kunjukunju Bhagavathar would do justice to his role on the screen with his dubbing prowess.
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar used to demonstrate absolute dedication to his acting. He never allowed any stuntman to handle his dangerous stunts. When the heroine’s mother jumps into a lake and the hero rescues her by following her into the water in the film Jnanambika, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar was insistent that he would do the action himself. Similarly, in the film “Navalokam”, where he acted as a farmer who had lost his sight in a fire escapade, he absolutely denied the offer to use a stuntman when he was required to run inside a house in flames to rescue a paralysed man. He completed acting that scene with minor burn injuries. The movie also required the makeup artist to close both his eyes using glue and paint over it. During an act, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar had to walk on a narrow paddy field bund. He slipped and fell four or five times during the shooting which everybody thought was part of his acting whereas he humorously recollected later that it happened because he was completely blind. Likewise, in the film “Sheriyo Thetto?”, where the villain was pushed to death from the terrace of the house, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar decided to fall from the terrace without the aid of a stuntman so that the ingenuity of the act would not be lost. The scene was completed successfully, but he recalls in his memoirs that he had to undergo treatment for severe back pain from next day onwards. An amusing incident that he had recounted happened during the filming of “Achan” was the episode where the script required Kunjukunju Bhagavathar to finish eating a plate full of “palappam”, a traditional Kerala breakfast cuisine. Since the movie was made in three languages, the same scene had to be taken from different camera angles and each time he had to eat seven or eight “palappam”. He says after each shot, he would forcefully throw up and repeat the whole scene. It seems by the time the filming was completed, he had consumed around eighty palappam!
An episode from his autobiography, “Oru Nadande Athmakadha”, that is worth mentioning here is his experience in dubbing for M.G.Ramachandran for the film Genoa. The scene depicted the villain dragging the hero, a king, bound in chains to the royal court and the intense and ardent dialogue that the hero directed at the villain. Even after several attempts, Kunjukunju Bhagavathar was not content with his dialogue delivery. He felt they were not majestic or powerful enough to befit a king or vigorous enough to convey the emotions. So he requested the producer to bound him in chains so that he can enact the role and do justice to the dialogue. It was so impressive and successful that everybody, including M.G.R. was thrilled and gratified with the result.
It is his dedication to the profession that had helped him leave indelible impressions in the history of Malayalam film.
The annals of Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s acting career on silver screen can not be concluded without acknowledging the role played by few eminent personalities.
ALLEPPEY VINCENT
Pollayil Vincent Xavier, who was popularly known as Alleppey Vincent was the youngest brother of SKB. He was one of the pioneers of the Malayalam film industry. When Modern Theatres in Tamil Nadu announced their first Malayalam movie project Vincent played an active role. In fact the first shot of the first Malayalam talkie was of Vincent saying “Good luck to everybody”. Unfortunately the movie was never completed but it marked the dawn of Malayalam movies and the birth of avant-garde movie maker Alleppey Vincent. The next project by the Modern Theatre was the famous ‘Balan’ released in 1938. For this film he arranged the script writer and cast with the help of his elder brother K. B. He also recruited a Karachi director, Punjabi sound engineer, German cameraman, and Marathi makeup artist for the movie. He also played a major role, that of “Shanku”, in the movie.
The commercial success of “Balan” encouraged the Tamil producers to entrust the next film with Alleppey Vincent. The film was “Jnanambika” which witnessed the entry of SKB into the silver screen. It was a technically superior black and white film with remarkable cinematography and sound recording. The first time in Indian film history two brothers appearing together on silver screen playing major roles must have been Vincent and his brother Sebastian in Jnanambika..
Afterwards Vincent became actively involved in politics in Kerala and became a prominent leader. But he left that scenario and flourishing career for art and film making, and started Udaya pictures, a historic and magnificent milestone in Malayalam Film industry. A sojourn of three and half years in Tamil Nadu for the big budget film “Genoa” starring M.G.R as the hero and Vincent as the villain cost him the partnership of Udaya studio.
Vincent wanted to start a production house and studio as a cooperative society undertaking. With the help of his childhood friend and minister T.V. Thomas, and K.R Gowri Amma, the then revenue minister, Vincent started at Aluva in the picturesque grounds, Ajantha Studios in 1957, the first ever studio in the cooperative sector in the country. In a span of ten years the studio contributed 100 movies to Malayalam filmdom, many of which were made by celebrated directors. Unfortunately the studio plunged into a crisis and Vincent was forced to be a mute witness to its end.
Many famous actors of yesteryears owe their acclaim to Vincent for giving them an entree or opening their doorway into filmdom. He was a genius in identifying the latent talent in aspiring actors and the Malayalam film industry got numerous artists like Ms. Kumari, K. S. George, M.M. Raja of a bygone era to Unni Mary and Lissie of yesteryears.
His sole aim was to transplant Malayalam film from the neighbouring state to its rightful abode in Kerala, to give it originality, and enhance its quality. His dream was to provide better working space for the artists and technicians of the Malayalam film industry and he dedicated his entire life to this by offering overt and covert support and guidance to the industry for half a century. No wonder he had been titled “Malayalam cinemayude Snapakan”- “The Baptist of Malayalam film” by Dr. Sebastian Paul, former Member of Parliament and a well known media critic and cultural activist.
SATHYAN
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar and Sathyanesan Nadan’s first encounter was by chance when Nadan was working as a Sub Inspector of police in Aleppey police station, and he was searching for an escaped criminal. But later he approached K. B seeking a chance in films because his heart was in acting and not in policing. It must have been their common love for the art and film that made them lifelong friends. K. B introduced Sathyan to Kunjacko. But Kunjacko denied him outright any role in his films because he was not impressed with his looks. Soon Sathyan got transferred to Thiruvananthapuram and Subramanyam of Merril and Pictures gave him his first break in his movie, “Baalyakaalasakhi.” Thus started the acting career of one of the most talented and influential actors of Malayalam films. It was during the peak of his acting career that SKB got an invitation to act along with him in two movies in 1959 and 1962 as his father and father-in-law respectively. Bhagavather remembered that he could play both roles quite naturally because he had a fatherly affection for Sathyan and Sathyan always treated him with the respect and love owed to a father figure. The duo kept that special bond alive until Sathyan’s untimely death in 1971 which was a great blow to SKB. In his book “kaladevikezhunnu” about artists long gone he paid a very touching and loving tribute to Sathyan.
The love and reverence for art and stage was retained by his sons, Chakkochan, and advocate P.B. Das.
Chakkochan
Chakkochan was a Municipal councillor of Alappuzha Municipality. He was a stage artist for three years in Aleppey Theatres and had acted in several plays.
Adv.P.B. Das
Adv. P.B.Das, who retired as a Manager from Central Bank of India, was an actor and singer. He had acted in a few plays and also in a number of movies. In fact, he was fortunate to share the stage with his father in a play, “..” He had shared the screen with prominent actors like Prem Nazir. But unfortunately his work and other commitments compelled him to relinquish his acting career. But he took great care to preserve his father’s repertoire which later became a rich source of information. Through his efforts Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar’s legacy lives on for generations.
References:
Oru Nadande Aatmakadha by Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar
Kalavediyil by Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar
Nadaka Smaranakal by Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar
Rajapart by Dr. K. Sreekumar
Sebasstian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar : A biography by Dr. Sreekumar
Cinema: Charithravum Kalavum by Dr. Aravindan Vallachira.
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathr by Nelson FernandedEnde Atmakadha by Alleppey Vincent
Ende Diary by T.N. Gopinathan Nair
Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar – Wikipedia
Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema