Mullanezhi

Mullanezhi Neelakandan
മുല്ലനേഴി നീലകണ്ഠൻ നമ്പൂതിരി
File:Mullanezhi.jpg
Born	(1948-05-16)16 May 1948 Ollur, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Died	22 October 2011(2011-10-22) (aged 63) Thrissur
Resting place	Mullanezhi Mana at Avinissery, Ollur
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Mullanezhi
Occupation	Lyricist, poet, playwright, actor, teacher
Years active	1976–2011

Mullanezhi Neelakandan Namboothiri (1948–2011), popularly known as Mullanezhi, was a Malayalam poet, playwright, lyricist and actor from Thrissur in Kerala state of India. He was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award twice: in 1995 for the drama Samathalam and in 2010 for the poetry collection Kavitha. . He has penned more than 70 songs for 25 movies and also acted in films like Uppu, Piravi, Kazhakam and Neelathamara.

Biography

Mullanezhi was born in Mullanezhi Mana, Avinissery, Ollur on 16 May 1948. Though he began to write poems from his childhood, it was Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon, who discovered the poet in him and guided him in his life and career. Vyloppilly was also instrumental in prompting him join for Vidwan course, and thus to become a school teacher. He started his career as a teacher from Ramavarmapuram Government High School.

Throughout his life Mullanezhi wrote poems in which he was able to create a curious and fascinating blend of traditions: he belonged to the ‘old school' and had a firm grounding in Sanskrit and the folk traditions in music and literature. In his writings, this rootedness comes into vibrant contact with the new and the radical. He didn't deride his past or tradition in order to embrace the best of modern currents. Mullanezhi's important collections of poems are Mohapakshi, Raapattu, Naaranathupranthan and Penkoda. Mullanezhi was also a theatre activist. He led Agragami Theaters and wrote many plays, some of which have been collected in the anthology Samathalam. In theatre, he was inspired by the social reformist movement inaugurated by the likes of V. T. Bhattathiripad, M. R. Bhattathiripad, and Premji. He won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for his drama Samathalam in 1995 and his anthology of poems in 2010. He served as a director board member of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi from 1980 to 1983.

He became a film lyricist in 1976, by penning the song "Karukaruthoru Pennanu" for Njavalpazhangal by Azeez. He penned four songs in K. P. Kumaran's Lakshmi Vijayam, under the music direction of Shyam. Mullanezhi owns the pride of having worked with a variety of music directors like G. Devarajan, M. B. Sreenivasan, Raveendran, K. Raghavan, A. T. Ummer, Johnson, Jerry Amaldev and Vidhyadharan. His last film was Indian Rupee. He has penned more than 70 songs for 25 movies.

Mullanezhi entered the world of acting through the drama, Chaverppada (1970) in which he acted alongside Premji. He acted in a few films including Piravi, Uppu and Kazhakam.

He died on 22 October 2011 due to cardiac arrest. He was survived by wife Savithri and three children.

Partial filmography

As lyricist

1. Lakshmivijayam (1976)
2. Njavalppazhangal (1976)
3. Mela (1980)
4. Chora Chuvanna Chora (1980)
5. Kanikonna (1980)
6. Swarnnappakshikal (1981)
7. Amrithageetham (1982)
8. Njaanonnu Parayatte (1982)
9. Kaattile Paattu (1982)
10. Kinginikkombu (1983)
11. Rachana (1983)
12. Veenapoovu (1983)
13. Yathi Bhangam (1983)
14. Vellam (1985)
15. Ayanam (1985)
16. Kayyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu (1985)
17. Sanmanassullavarku Samadhanam (1986)
18. Kabani (2001)
19. Narendran Makan Jayakaanthan Vaka (2001)
20. Sundarikkutty (2003)
21. Bhakthajanangalude Sradhaykku (2011)
22. Kunjettan (2011)
23. Atha Mazha Atha Veyil (2011)
24. Indian Rupee (2011)
25. Namukkore Aakasham (2015)

As an actor

1. Ayanam (1985)
2. Uppu (1987)
3. Piravi (1989)
4. Bhoomi Geetham (1993)
5. Swaham (1994)
6. Kazhakam (1995)
7. Ee Puzhayum Kadannu (1996)
8. Kulam (1997)
9. Thattakam (1998)
10. Vanaprastham (1999)
11. Garshom (1999)
12. Shayanam (2000)
13. Neythukaran (2001)
14. Pulijanmam (2006)
15. Neelathamara (2009)
16. Sufi Paranja Katha (2009)
17. Mounam (2009)
18. Ekantham (2009)
19. Katha Thudarunnu (2010)
20. Jalachayam (2010)
21. Bhakthajanangalude Shradhaykku (2011)
22. Snehaveedu (2011)