MT Vasudevan Nair, the renowned Malayalam writer known for his lyrical nostalgia, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91 in Kozhikode.

He breathed his last at Baby Memorial Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for the past 11 days after suffering a cardiac arrest. While his condition showed signs of improvement on Tuesday as he was removed from ventilator support, it deteriorated rapidly on Wednesday night.

MT, as he was popularly and affectionately known, left an indelible mark on Malayalam literature and cinema, with contributions spanning novels, short stories, screenplays, children’s literature, travel writing, and essays.

He directed six films, including Nirmalyam (1973), a classic in Malayalam cinema, along with two documentaries. This after foraying into the film industry with the script for the movie Murappennu (1965), which was an adaptation of his own story Snehathinte Mukhangal. MT went on to write 44 other screenplays.

Who can forget the iconoclastic scene of an oracle spitting on the face of a goddess-idol in Nirmalyam, his directorial debut? In an age of increasing intolerance, such display of creative valour half a century ago provided a telling narrative of what Kerala once was.

“Can’t even imagine such a film being made today!” was how noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan put it.

Early days

Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair was born on July 15 in 1933 in Kudallur, a small village in Palakkad district, Kerala.

His father, Madathil Narayanan Nair, was based in Ceylon, and this made him draw closer to his mother, Ammalu Amma. He completed his schooling from Malamakkavu Elementary School and Kumaranalloor High School. In 1953, he obtained a degree in chemistry from Victoria College, Palakkad.

He later taught at Pattambi Board High School and Chavakkad Board High School for over a year and also worked in MB Tutorial College, Palakkad in 1955-56. He even worked as a gramasevak.

In 1957, he joined Mathrubhumi weekly as a journalist. After more than 38 years in journalism, he retired as the editor of Mathrubhumi periodicals in 1997.

MT always rued the fact that he was unable to become a lecturer due to inadequate qualifications. He believed that would have allowed him more time for his literary pursuits.

Wielding the pen

MT started writing during his school days.

He used to write for Jayakeralam magazine. In 1952, during his college days, his first book Raktham Puranda Mantharikal was published.

During his final year in college, he shot to fame when he won the prize for the best short story in Malayalam at the World Short Story Competition conducted by The New York Herald Tribune, The Hindustan Times and Mathrubhumi for his story Valarthu Mrigangal.

His novel Nalukettu bagged the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 1958.

His novels Nalukettu, Asuravithu and Kaalam are brilliant depictions of the matriarchal families prevalent once upon a time in a Kerala with its deteriorating feudal structures and values.

Randamoozham, MT’s most celebrated work, is written from the perspective of Bheemasenan, the second Pandava.

Through Randamoozham, he opted for a subtle retelling of a well-known story by excluding the divine elements and incorporating a more realistic characterisation of Bheema. Randamoozham was thus able to capture the hearts of the readers who could well empathize with all that Bheema had to undergo.

Unique in influencing Malayali sensibilities

As The New Indian Express recounted in a tribute on his 90th birthday, perhaps there was no one else who had influenced a Malayali’s sensibilities like MT.

The great man enjoyed a cult status among Keralites through the wide canvas of his writings coupled with a brilliant bouquet of films.

Changampuzha Krishna Pillai – celebrated romantic poet of yesteryears – could be the only other writer whose name remains etched deep in the hearts of Malayalis.

Most of MT’s protagonists were social outcasts, people ignored by mainstream society.

“Perched on the margins of society as well as our everyday lives, such people have always been around in my village and elsewhere. I could see them in my neighbourhood, leading isolated and lonely lives,” MT had said. “They do all that has to be done, but never seem to get noticed by anyone”, was how he put it when asked how only the dejected and despairing lot seem to make it to his list of protagonists.