Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair, popularly known as M.T., is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He is a prolific and versatile writer in modern Malayalam literature, and is one of the masters of post-Independence Indian literature. At the age of 20, as a chemistry undergraduate, he won the prize for the best short story in Malayalam at World Short Story Competition conducted by The New York Herald Tribune. His first major novel Naalukettu, written at the age of 23, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958. His other novels include Manju (Mist), Kaalam (Time), Asuravithu and Randamoozham. The deep emotional experiences of his early days have gone into the making of MT's novels. Most of his works are oriented towards the basic Malayalam family structure and culture and many of them were path-breaking in the history of Malayalam literature. His three seminal novels on life in the matriarchal family in Kerala are Naalukettu, Asuravithu, and Kaalam. Randamoozham, which retells the story of the Mahabharatha from the point of view of Bhimasena, is widely credited as his masterpiece.
Kandukondain Kandukondain is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical film directed and co-written by Rajiv Menon. Based on Jane Austen's 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility, it features an ensemble cast of Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai and Abbas. Veterans Manivannan, Srividya and Raghuvaran play supporting roles. The film's soundtrack was scored by A. R. Rahman and the cinematographer was Ravi K. Chandran.
Thattil Antony Johnson, popularly known as Johnson Master, was an Indian film score composer and music director who has given music to some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema, including those for Koodevide, Namukku Paarkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam, Vadakkunokkiyantram, Perumthachan, Njan Gandharvan, Ponthan Mada, and Bhoothakkannadi. Regarded as one of the finest composers in the industry, he was noted for his lyrical and expressive melodies together with simple but rich tonal compositions of thematic music. Johnson is a recipient of National Film Awards twice and Kerala State Film Awards five times. He has composed music for more than 300 Malayalam films, the most by any composer except for Devarajan. He was the first music director from Malayalam cinema to be honoured with the National film Awards. He died of a heart attack in Chennai on 18 August 2011.
Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani is an Indian cricketer who played cricket for India and Karnataka as a wicket-keeper. In 2016, he was awarded the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour bestowed by BCCI on a former player. Kirmani was a member of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.
Shalini Ajith Kumar, known mononymously as Shalini is a former Indian actress and child artist who worked in Malayalam and Tamil films.
Kireedam (transl. Crown) is a 2007 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by A. L. Vijay in his directorial debut. The film is the Tamil remake of the 1989 Malayalam film of the same name. It stars Ajith Kumar in the main lead role alongside Trisha and Rajkiran, while Vivek, Saranya, Ajay, and Santhanam appear in supporting roles. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, while Tirru was the cinematographer.
Arabikkatha is a 2007 Indian Malayalam-language satirical-drama film directed by Lal Jose and written by Ikbal Kuttipuram. The film was a critical and commercial success in India and the United Arab Emirates. It deals with differences within the Communist movement, and was produced against a background of real-life splits in the ruling Communist Party in Kerala state, India. In the film, Mukundan, a hardcore communist, exposes the atrocities of Karunan, a cunning and corrupt politician.
Neelathamara is a 2009 Indian Malayalam-language romantic drama film written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by Lal Jose. It is the remake of the 1979 film of the same name, scripted by M.T. himself and directed by Yusuf Ali Kechery. The film was produced by Suresh Kumar under the banner of Revathy Kalamandhir. It stars Kailash and newcomers, Archana Kavi and Amala Paul in the lead roles. The film received good reviews and was a box-office hit.
Archana Jose Kavi is an Indian actress, YouTuber and a television host. She made her acting debut in film Neelathaamara (2009) scripted by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by Lal Jose.
Abbas Hasan is a United Kingdom-based French Canadian pop music artist and actor of South Asian heritage. He was named "the next big thing" in the Asian music and film scene by MTV India and Hello! magazine, and won Artist of the Year at the 2014 Anokhi Media Awards in Canada. He was named one of the UK's Top 5 Most Stylish Asian Men by the New Asian Post. He is the brand ambassador for the New York-based luxury watch company Nooka. Abbas's music has South Asian and Middle Eastern influences and he sings in English, Urdu, Hindi, and French.
Desadanam is a 1996 Indian Malayalam language musical drama film directed by Jayaraj. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. The story is about a young boy chosen to join a monastery. The film is a box office hit.
Best Actor is a 2010 Malayalam-language comedy drama film co-written and directed by Martin Prakkat. It stars Mammootty, Sruthi Ramakrishnan, Lal, Sreenivasan, Salim Kumar, Vinayakan, Nedumudi Venu, Joju George, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Master Sreedharan Nampoothiri and Sukumari. The film marks the debut of Prakatt as director. It was produced by Naushad under the banner of Big Screen. Several film directors made cameo appearances in the film. The film is all about the travails of a schoolteacher who dreams of being a film actor. It features cinematography by Ajayan Vincent, music by Bijibal and editing by Don Max.
Madhu Kaithapram was an Indian film director who worked primarily in the Malayalam film industry based in Kerala. He made his directorial debut with the feature film Ekantham in 2006 that won him the National Film Award for the best debutant director and followed it up with the critically acclaimed Madhya Venal (2009) and the family-drama Orma Mathram (2011). His last venture Velli Velichathil was released on 19 September 2014. He died on 29 December 2014. He was under treatment for diabetes.
Sivakumar Jayakumar, known professionally by his mononym Siva or Siruthai Siva, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, lyricist and cinematographer who works primarily in Tamil cinema industry.
Honey Bee is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy thriller film written and directed by Lal Jr.. The film features an ensemble cast including Asif Ali, Bhavana, Lal, Baburaj, Sreenath Bhasi, Archana Kavi, Balu Varghese, Vijay Babu, Suresh Krishna and Assim Jamal in the lead roles.
Korom Pulleri Vadhayarillathu Unnikrishnan Namboothiri was an Indian actor in Malayalam movies. He mainly handled comedy roles and grandfather roles. His role as Dileep's grand father in the Malayalam movie Kalyanaraman was well noted. P. V. Kunhikrishnan, a judge of the Kerala High Court is his son and the noted lyricist and music director Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri is his son-in-law. He died on 20 January 2021 at a private hospital in Kannur.
Parinamam is a 2003 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by P. Venu, starring Nedumudi Venu, Madampu Kunjukuttan and Kaviyoor Ponnamma in the lead roles.
Nirnaayakam is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written by Bobby–Sanjay and directed by V. K. Prakash. The film features Asif Ali and Prem Prakash in the lead roles and Nedumudi Venu, Malavika Mohanan, Tisca Chopra and Sanusha in supporting roles. It was produced jointly by Jose Simon and Rajesh George Under the banner Jairaj Films. The film was released on 5 June 2015.
Shwetha Bandekar is an Indian film and Tamil television actress who has appeared in Tamil and Telugu films and Tamil serials. She has appeared in films including Aalwar, Valluvan Vasuki, as well as in the Sun TV series Chandralekha.
Deepankuran Kannadimana, popularly known as Deepankuran Kaithapram, is an Indian musician who has often composed tunes for Mollywood projects. He is the son of popular Malayalam lyricist and musician Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.He is also the Grandson of Unnikrishnan Namboothiri who is a noted actor in Malayalam movies.
