imported>Krishnavilasom Bhageerathan Pilla at 06:05, 19 July 2021

2021-07-19T06:05:51Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = P. Narayankutty Menon
| image = P.N.Menon(director)Img.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|01|02|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Wadakkanchery]], [[Kingdom of Cochin]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|09|09|1926|01|02|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Kochi, India|Kochi]], [[Kerala]], India
| other_names =
| occupation = Director<br>Art Director<br>Promotional Poster Designer
| years_active = 1963–2008
| spouse = Bharathi Menon
| children =
| relatives = [[Bharathan]] (nephew)
}}

'''Palissery Narayanankutty Menon''' alias '''P. N. Menon''' (1928 – 9 September 2008) was an Indian [[film director]] and [[art director]] in [[Malayalam cinema]].<ref>http://www.malayalachalachithram.com/profiles.php?i=2289</ref> He is also famous as the Designer of Promotional Posters. Menon was also the uncle of another popular film director [[Bharathan]], being the younger brother of the latter's father. In 2001, he was honoured with the [[J. C. Daniel Award]], [[Government of Kerala|Kerala government]]'s highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.

==Early life==
Born in a poor family in [[Vadakkaanchery]], [[Kerala]], he completed his studies at [[Thrissur]] and from School of Art in [[Chennai]]. He came to [[Chennai]] when he was only 20 years old. He couldn't find any job in [[Chennai]], so travelled to [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] and become a production boy in a Studio. But, after two-and-a-half years, the studio was shut down and went back to [[Chennai]]. He got back to sketches, then painting, then doing magazine covers. One of his designing assignments was for one of Producer [[B. Nagi Reddy]]'s magazines. The production house was so impressed with his talent that when they bought [[Vijaya Studios|Vahini Studio]] in 1951, [[B. Nagi Reddy|Nagi Reddy]]'s son appointed him as a paid apprentice in the painting department.

He got a job as an art director in an English play produced by the daughter of the then [[Andhra Pradesh|Andhra]] Chief Minister. They had three performances in [[Delhi]], one for the then [[Vice president]] Dr.[[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], another for [[Prime minister]] [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] and the third for [[Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army|Army Chief]] [[Field Marshal (India)|Field Marshal]] [[Kodandera Madappa Cariappa|K M Cariappa]]. ''[[Ninamaninja Kalpadukal]]'' was his first movie Malayalam movie as the art director and his debut in the field of film direction in the 60s with the film ''[[Rosie (1965 film)|Rosie]]'' (1965).<ref>http://in.rediff.com/entertai/1998/sep/07menon.htm</ref>

==Career==
Menon's ''[[Olavum Theeravum]]'' based on [[M. T. Vasudevan Nair]]'s script and released in 1970. It won the [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film]]. Menon's boldest film is ''[[Kuttiyedathi]]'' (Eldest Sister), again based on a short story by [[M. T. Vasudevan Nair]].

Perhaps his most successful commercial film was ''[[Chembarathi]]'' ([[Hibiscus]]) which was based on a script by [[Malayattoor Ramakrishnan]] and starred newcomers like Raghavan, Sudhir and [[Roja Ramani]] (Sobhana) along with veteran actors like [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]] and [[Rani Chandra]]. Another script of [[Malayattoor Ramakrishnan]] named ''[[Gayathri (film)|Gayathri]]'' which was directed by him was awarded the President's [[National Film Awards|Special Film Award]] Medal for National Integration. Menon's film ''[[Malamukalile Daivam]]'', has won [[National Film Awards|National Award]] too.

After a long period of absence lasting more than a decade, he directed a film, ''Nerkkuneraey'' ("Face to Face"), in (2004).<ref>http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail/33382/Veteran-Malayalam-filmmaker-P-N-Menon-dead.html{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Poster Designer==

Menon made a name as a versatile Poster Designer as well. He artistic posters always helped the film to gain attention of cinegoers. He has also done posters even for [[Bollywood]] films like ''[[Anokha Rishta]]'' starring [[Rajesh Khanna]]. Some of the Malayalam films he had designed posters are ''[[Oomakkuyil]]'', ''[[Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal]]'', ''[[Itha Innu Muthal]]'', ''[[Poomadhathe Pennu]]'', ''[[Aavanazhi]]'', ''[[Amrutham Gamaya]]'' and ''[[Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal]]''.

==Personal life==

His wife's name was Bharathi Menon and they had two daughters, named Rajasree and Jayasree. Popular film director Bharathan was his nephew, and was trained by him in direction. Bharathan predeceased his uncle.

==Death==
During his last years, Menon lived with his daughter in [[Kochi, India|Kochi]]. He suffered from many serious illnesses like [[Alzheimer's disease]] during this period. Finally, he died on 9 September 2008 aged 82, at a private hospital in Kochi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/pnmenon.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513051706/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/pnmenon.html |archive-date=13 May 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.india-server.com/news/malayalam-filmmaker-pn-menon-passes-away-3633.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125081951/http://www.india-server.com/news/malayalam-filmmaker-pn-menon-passes-away-3633.html |archive-date=25 January 2009}}</ref> He was cremated with full state honours at Ravipuram Crematorium the next day.

==Awards==
===Kerala State Film Awards===
* 1970 – [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film|Best Film]]: ''[[Olavum Theeravum]]''
* 1972 – [[Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film|Second Best Film]]: ''[[Chembarathi]]''
* 1973 – Second Best Film: ''[[Gayathri (film)|Gayathri]]''
* 1983 – [[Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury Award)|Special Jury Award]]: ''[[Malamukalile Daivam]]''
* 2001 – [[J. C. Daniel Award]]

===National Film Awards===
* 1973 – [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam|Best Feature Film in Malayalam]]: ''Gayathri''
* 1983 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam: ''Malamukalile Daivam''

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Notes
|-
| 1965 || ''[[Rosie (1965 film)|Rosie]]'' ||
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Olavum Theeravum]]'' ||
|-
| 1971 || ''[[Kuttyedathi]]'' ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Panimudakku]]'' ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Chembarathi]]'' ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Mappusakshi]]'' ||
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Gayathri (film)|Gayathri]]'' ||
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Darsanam]]'' ||
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Mazhakkaaru]]'' ||
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Chayam (1973 film)|Chayam]]'' ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Odakkuzhal]]'' ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Taxi Driver (1977 film)|Taxi Driver]]'' ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Udayam Kizhakku Thanne]]'' ||
|-
| 1979 || ''[[Devathai (1979 film)|Devathai]]'' || Tamil film
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Archana Teacher]]'' ||
|-
| 1982 || ''[[Anu (1982 film)|Anu]]'' || Tamil film
|-
| 1983 || ''[[Malamukalile Daivam]]'' ||
|-
| 1983 || ''[[Kadamba (1983 film)|Kadamba]]'' ||
|-
| 1983 || ''Glimpses of Kerala'' || Documentary film
|-
| 1983 || ''[[Asthram]]'' ||
|-
| 1989 || ''Padippura'' ||
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Nerkku Nere]]'' ||
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menon, P. N.}}
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:Kerala State Film Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Thrissur district]]
[[Category:Indian art directors]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Kerala]]
[[Category:J. C. Daniel Award winners]]

P. N. Menon (director) - Revision history

imported>Krishnavilasom Bhageerathan Pilla at 06:05, 19 July 2021