I have heard many people say that there was a springtime in our Malayalam cinema long ago when relationships, friendship and duty were valued. Today’s new filmmakers probably have no idea what a good time that was. There is a quote from Thikurishsi, the early hero of Malayalam cinema, about that good time.
“As it is said in Maveli Nadu, all people are one and the same, when Nazir Vana was there, we all the filmmakers lived with one mind. In the past, all relationships were as green as food eaten on green banana leaves. But now, all relationships are like paper plates that are thrown away when needed.”
There was a group of stars who used to visit the shooting floors of Madras in those days. While the shooting was going on inside, outside with the hot wind, Nazir sir gathered around him without any size, joking, laughing and reciting his sorrows. It was a good sight. It is from such a meeting that understanding the personal sorrows and difficulties of each one, Naseer sir, Madhu sir and Doctor Balakrishnan and many other famous director talents like IV Sasi, Hariharan, PG Vishwambharan, Joshi, Gopakumar, P Chandrakumar etc. came to the silver light of the cinema.
Among them, when I heard about P. Chandrakumar’s film entry, I felt the most interesting experience. When I heard the story of that young man, I wanted to meet the client, but for some reason it never happened. That’s when my friend and director Jaycee called me.
“Dear Dennis, my film Veedoru Swargam is starting tomorrow in Fort Kochi. I will be at Woodland Hotel tomorrow evening. Can you come to me? I have some things to talk to him about the film.
I arrived at the Woodlands Hotel the next evening as Jessie told me. The room is open to all. Someone is heard talking inside. At first I thought the actor would be Soman. I have heard many people say that Soman has the best friendship in Ernakulam with Jaycee. They had such a close relationship. Believing it to be Soman, I slowly knocked on the door and went into the inner room. Instead of Soma, there were two young men in the room. One can be seen copying the script for the shoot while the other is charting something.
Jaycee said loudly as she saw me laughing.
“Have you come to Kalura?”
Hearing that, the young people raised their heads and looked at me. Who is this party was on their faces.
Kaloor Dennisenna was the first person to call me Kalooran. Later that call spread to many people. Jessie introduced me.
Don’t you know Kalura? Chitrapournami is the editor of Cinemavarika.
The young people looked at me politely and laughed.
“This is my assistance. P. Chandrakumar and Sathyananthikad. Chandrakumar is the Chief Associate. “
When I heard the name Chandrakumar, I felt like a vine was wrapped around my legs. In any case, I did not ask anything there, thinking that the client would meet here for a few days and then conduct a detailed interview.
I wished both of them. That was the first time I met these two.
Jessie continued.
“Both are the promise of tomorrow.”
Chandrakumar and Sathyan Anthikad looked at me proudly and pretended to be humble after hearing Jaycee’s words of praise.
“We can sit outside and talk. Do not stop their work. The shooting should start after tomorrow.
Jessie got up and walked into the next room. Me too.
After we sat for a while and talked about ‘Veedaru Swarga’ and its creator, Jessie reminded me to come down.
“Won’t he come to Swichon?”
“of course”
I went to Swatchon and I went to Jaycee’s location two or three times. Chandrakumar organized the stills and other things for the matter to be given on Chitrapournami.
One day after noon when there was no shooting, Chandran and I got together and talked about many things. That was when Chandran told me openly about his film debut
Our closeness, which started on the location of the movie ‘Vedoru Swargam’ then, grew into a long friendship of forty-eight years. In 1980, when I came to the fore as a screenwriter, I also wrote the screenplays for the films ‘Sambhavam’ and ‘Ayudham’ for Chandran. In the meantime, our friendship was slowly flowing like a river flowing by itself, without any quarrel or quarrel between us.
Whenever Chandran sees me, he jokingly tells me that even if we fight with words, we don’t have to fight with our minds. Although time took forty-eight years from our lives, although the opportunity to see each other face-to-face or seek information was not possible due to various reasons, the sweet memories of those old days created resonances like a warm wind in my heart when I hung up the phone after an occasional phone call, gossiping in small sentences, the special voice of the moon and my naughty numbers. was going
I have written screenplays for many directors in my forty-five years of film career and heard their experiences, but I was surprised when I heard about Chandrakumar’s film entry. I don’t think there will be another boy like Chandrakumar who went to the big city of Madras to study cinema at the age of 14 when he was a teenager who had to study at a young age.
Chandran’s elder brother Gopakumar, director P. Chandran also made his film debut when Bhaskaran went as an assistant director with Mash. It was not the curiosity of a teenager who wanted to study film because his elder brother went to study film.
Now let’s come to the daily routine of Chandran’s movie entry.
Chandrakumar’s father was a well-known Ayurvedic physician from Palakkad. Even though it was the time when he entered the 10th standard, it was Chandran who was in front as his father’s medical assistant. So one day a gentleman named Vasumenon from Madras arrives at the hospital for treatment. Father begins treatment. After Chandran returns from school in the morning, Vasu Menon becomes his father’s main assistant in the rubbing process. After a week and a half of treatment, when Vasumenon was about to leave for Madras, he realized Chandran’s passion for cinema and asked.
Chandran seems to have a huge craze for the film. Who would you like to be in the movie?
Chandran said without thinking.
“Director”
“Um. Fine? But come to Chandran Madras. I’ll get an assistant with some good directors.”
Chandra was so happy to hear his words that he could not listen to any of his words.
It was then that Chandran came to know that Vasumenon was a big film producer, studio owner and director.
Since Chandran’s elder brother Gopakumar was in Madras, he did not stop to think about anything. A fortnight later, without even completing his 10th standard, Chandran boarded a train to Madras to discover the wonders of cinema.
Famous director, lyricist and producer P. Chandran’s first film entry was as an assistant to Bhaskaran Mash.
At that time, the shooting of ‘Ummachu’ directed by Bhaskaran Mash was going on. Madhusar is the hero. Chandran removes the assistant’s shirt by slapping him on the face. Since Chandrakumar’s elder brother Gopakumar Bhaskaran worked as Mash’s associate, Chandra was able to work as a co-director in about a dozen films directed by Mash like Veena, Udayam, Aratimanninthin Janmi, Vaara Prabhatham and Adi Shankaran. Also the then famous directors of Malayalam cinema such as Tikurissi, Adoor Bhasi, Hariharan AV Raj, P. G. Chandran has worked as assistant and chief associate in about fifty films including Vishwambharan, Doctor Balakrishnan, Gopakumar, Jaycee and Jayavijayan.
Perhaps there is no other filmmaker who has co-directed so many films. Chandran became a director for the first time with Doctor Balakrishnan’s ‘Manassaru Maili’. Doctor Balakrishnan made Hariharan a director through the movie ‘Ladies Hostel’. After Manasaru Mayil, Chandran did one more film called Jalatarangam by Dr. Balakrishnan. Jayan played the villain role in these two films.
It was during this time that Madhu Sir started Uma Studio in Thiruvananthapuram. Madhusar Chandrakumar was directed by Madhusar Chandrakumar, the first production of Astamayam under the banner of Uma Studios. The film was a huge success. Jayan played a positive role in that film. Chandran directed Madhu sir’s own films like Shuddhikalasam, Prabhatasandhya, Naam Ekan, Mini etc. Chandrakumar has directed the most films for Madhusar, around sixteen films. All were huge successes
Chandrakumar remembers with gratitude that he was able to reach all the heights only because of Madhu sir’s kindness and love.
Chandrakumar, who has produced more than fifty films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, is now preparing for a Newgen film.
(to be continued)