Paravoor Govindan Devarajan (1927–2006), popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was an Indian music composer and Carnatic singer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Indian film music. He scored music for more than three hundred Malayalam films, many dramas, and twenty Tamil and four Kannada movies. His collaborations with Vayalar Ramavarma produced the golden era of Malayalam film music and many of his compositions remain ever green classics in Malayalam. His music in the Tamil film Annai Velankanni has received many accolades. Devarajan received Kerala Government's Best Music Director award five times, among other honours. In 1999, he was honoured with the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.
Adoor Bhavani was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema, best known for her appearance in the National Award-winning film Chemmeen (1965), directed by Ramu Kariat. She had acted in about 450 films, including Mudiyanaya Puthran, Thulabharam, Kallichellamma, and Anubhavangal Paalichakal. Her last film was K. Madhu-directed Sethurama Iyer CBI. She was also a stage actress and was associated with popular theatre group KPAC.
Muraleedharan Pillai, popularly known as Murali was an Indian film, stage and television actor and author. He mainly appeared in Malayalam films and a few Tamil films. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Appa Mestry, a communist freedom fighter and professional weaver in the 2002 film Neythukaran. He was known for his powerful portrayal of character roles, lead roles and negative roles, widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Malayalam cinema.
Krishnan Raghavan, also fondly called Raghavan Master, was an Indian music composer who predominantly worked in Malayalam cinema and also a carnatic vocalist. Along with G. Devarajan, V. Dakshinamoorthy and Baburaj, Raghavan is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. He is regarded as the pioneer in contributing Malayalam film songs with its own tunes and styles. Till then, Malayalam film songs were in the tunes of popular Hindi and Tamil film songs and old classical kritis. Raghavan gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music. He composed around 400 songs in Malayalam cinema and was active in the Malayalam film industry for nearly four decades. In 1997, he was honoured with the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.
Maliyekkal Kochukunju Arjunan was an Indian film and theatre composer, known for his works in Malayalam cinema and the theatre of Kerala. He was fondly referred to as Arjunan Master.
Shantha P. Nair was a playback singer in Malayalam cinema. She was based in Thrissur, Kerala.
Poovachal Khader was a Malayalam lyricist from Kerala who worked mainly in Malayalam film industry. His first movie as a lyricist was Kaattuvithachavan (1973) but his first released movie was Chuzhi (1973). His last movie was Mothathi Kozhappa (2023).
A. Santha Kumar was an Indian Malayalam language playwright and screenplay writer from Kerala state, South India. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama in 2010 for the work Maram Peyyunnu.
Mavelikkara Ponnamma was an Indian actress in Malayalam movies. She was one of the prominent supporting actress in late 1970s and 1990s in Malayalam movies. She is noted for her performance in Ulladakkam (1991), Aakasha Kottayile Sultan (1991) and Ennodu Ishtam Koodamo (1992).
Arya Gopi is a Malayalam poet from India. She has written five books in Malayalam and one in English. She has won numerous awards and honours including Kerala Sahithya Akademi Kanakasree Award, Kerala Government Youth Icon Award, Kerala StateYouth Welfare Board Swami Vivekananda Yuva Pratibha Award, Vyloppilli Award, ONV International Yuva Award, Kakkad Award, VT Kumaran Master Award, etc.
P. S. Vidyadharan is a music composer and playback singer who works in Malayalam cinema. In 2013, he completed 60 years of his musical career.
Chakkalakal Lonappan Jose, is an Indian playwright of Malayalam literature. One of the pioneers of popular Malayalam theatre and a former chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Jose is the author of 36 plays, 75 one-act plays, one children's play and Ormakalkku Urakkamilla, his autobiography. He is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship and S. L. Puram Sadanandan Puraskaram of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.
Yashoda Palayad was an Indian playback singer and actress from Malayalam film industry in the 1960s’ and 70s.
Pirappancode Murali is a noted poet, lyricist, playwright, library activist and politician from Kerala, India. He represented Vamanapuram constituency in 10th (1996) and 11th (2001) Kerala Legislative Assemblies. He wrote lyrics for over fifty plays and wrote ten plays. He was one of the founders of theater troupe Sangha Chetana. He got many awards including Government of Kerala Award for Best Lyricist and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Playwright.
C. S. Radhadevi is a playback singer, dubbing artist, radio artist and actor from Kerala, India. Radhadevi has been in the field of Malayalam radio broadcasting for seven decades. She has sung in over thirty films in a span of 30 years. She has received many awards including Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, Gurupooja Award by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kerala Film Critics Award and the Kerala State Film Award for her Outstanding Contribution to Malayalam Cinema.
Karivellur Murali is a Malayalam language poet and playwright from Kerala, India. He has won many awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship.
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award is an award given by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Instituted in 1962, the awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts. The award consists of Rs. 30,000, a citation and a plaque. The recipients of the award are also conferred the title Kalasree.
K. P. A. C. Sulochana was a popular Indian Malayalam playback singer, theatre and film actress from Kerala. She was the famous singer in Kayamkulam KPAC. She has won several awards including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship. She has also wrote a book called Arangile Anubhavangal.
Trivandrum V. Surendran is a mridangam exponent from Kerala, India. He received several awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, and Madras Music Academy Award.
Chowallur Krishnankutty was an Indian lyricist, journalist, screenwriter and actor. He has penned hundreds of Malayalam devotional songs. The song Oru neramenkilum, from the Tharangini album Thulasi Theertham is the most popular of his lyrics. Krishnankutty had written screenplays and acted in several Malayalam films and also wrote the dialogues for the film Sargam. A recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Krishnankutty also served as the vice-chairman of the Kerala Kalamandalam.
