Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai (1900–1979) was a Malayalam dramatist, poet, screen play writer and actor who was well known in the role of Ashaan in Kavyamela. He was born in 1900 in Muthukulam, a small village near Haripad in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India. Known as the Akshara Guru of Malayalam talkie films, he wrote the screenplay and dialogues of Balan, the first Malayalam talkie and Jeevithanauka, the first box office hit in the Malayalam film industry. He is also the author of about 55 dramas and dozens of film stories and screenplays. In 1968, he acted in Viruthan Shanku, the first full-length comedy in Malayalam cinema directed by P. Venu. He acted in around 150 Malayalam films and wrote Tataka Parinayam Kathakali. An award named Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai Puraskaram has been instituted by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai Samraka Samithi in honour of him.
Kannum Karalum is a 1962 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan, produced by A. K. Balasubramaniam under the banner of Saravanabhava Pictures. The film stars Sathyan, Ambika Sukumaran and Kamal Haasan, while Sukumari and debutant Vinodini play supporting roles. It was about a child Babu writing letters to his mother who he thought was in heaven.
Ragini was an Indian actress and dancer. She was the youngest of the Travancore Sisters; Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini. She started her acting career in the mid-1950s along with her sister Padmini and has acted in movies of different Indian languages, including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. She also starred opposite Shammi Kapoor in film Mujrim (1958). She played the role of Parvati opposite Trilok Kapoor who played Shiva in the 1962 film Shiv Parvati. The era of dance in Hindi cinema is considered to have begun with the entrance of Ragini and other South Indian actresses. Ragini died of breast cancer in 1976. She had acted in many dramas also.
Viyarppinte Vila is a 1962 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by T. E. Vasudevan. The film stars Sathyan, Adoor Bhasi, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Kedamangalam Sadanandan in lead roles. The film had musical score by V. Dakshinamoorthy.
Kallipennu is a 1966 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by P. A. Thomas. The film stars Sathyan, Adoor Bhasi, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai. The film had musical score by B. A. Chidambaranath.
Bhagyamudra is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film written by S. L. Puram Sadanandan and directed by M. A. V. Rajendran. It stars Prem Nazeer, Meenakumari, Adoor Bhasi, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai, Manavalan Joseph, Kottayam Shantha, Kalavathi, G. K. Pillai, K. R. Vijaya, Sukumari, C. R. Lakshmy, Devaki and Baby Shakeela. The movie is a remake of the 1954 Bengali movie Chheley Kaar.
Pavappettaval is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. A. Thomas. The film stars Sathyan, Kamaladevi, Sukumari and Adoor Bhasi. The film had musical score by B. A. Chidambaranath. It is a remake of the 1941 Telugu film Devatha.
Ollathumathi is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan, produced by M. P. Chandrasekhara Pillai, starring Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Madhu and Sheela. The film has a musical score by L. P. R. Varma.
Velliyazhcha is a 1969 Indian Malayalam film, Vellikizhamai (Friday) story written in Tamil by Swathi and translated in Malayalam by S. L. Puram Sadandan, directed by M. M. Nesan and Swathi Ranga Chary and produced by Solar Pictures owned by Swathi family. The film stars Sathyan, Madhu, Sharada and Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai in the lead roles. The film had musical score and songs composed by M. S. Baburaj. It marked the debut of Malayalam cinema's music director Raveendran as a singer.
Vazhve Mayam is a 1970 Malayalam-language film, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. Sathyan plays the lead role. The film also has Sheela, Sankaradi, K. P. Ummer, Bahadoor, Adoor Bhasi, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Khadeeja, N. Govindan Kutty, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai, C. A. Balan, Kuttan Pillai and Philomina. Sankarady won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his performance in the film. It has had a long lasting impact on Malayalam cinema, and was screened as part of the Sathyan retrospective at the 17th International Film Festival of Kerala held at Thiruvananthapuram. It was a Super Hit movie.
Nairu Pidicha Pulivalu is a 1958 Malayalam film directed by P. Bhaskaran and written by Uroob based on his own story "Business". Ragini and Sathyan play the lead roles, while Prema, Pankajavalli and T.S. Muthayya appear in major supporting roles. The film received a certificate of merit at the National Film Awards.
Snehaseema is a 1954 Malayalam film, directed by S. S. Rajan and written by Ponkunnam Varkey based on his own novel of the same name, which is a retelling of L. A. Tennyson's Enoch Arden in the context of Kerala culture. The lead roles were played by Sathyan, Padmini, G. K. Pillai, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai, S. P. Pillai, P. J. Cheriyan, Baby Lalitha and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. It received a certificate of merit at the 1st National Film Awards.
Lokaneethi is a 1952 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by R. Velappan Nair and produced by Swami Narayanan. The film stars Sathyan and B. S. Saroja. The film had musical score by V. Dakshinamoorthy.
Thaskaraveeran is a 1957 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by Shri Ramulu Naidu. The film stars Sathyan and Ragini. The film had musical score by C. Ramchandra and S. M. Subbaiah Naidu. The movie was a remake of the director's own 1954 Tamil movie Malaikkallan.
Vivahitha is a 1970 Indian Malayalam film, directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by A. L. Sreenivasan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Padmini and Sukumari in the lead roles. The film had musical score by G. Devarajan. The film was a remake of the Hindi film Gumrah (1963).
Palunku Pathram is a 1970 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by A. L. Sreenivasan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Padmini and Sukumari. The film had musical score by G. Devarajan. It is a remake of the Tamil film Kai Kodutha Deivam.
Saraswathi is a 1970 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and produced by A. L. Sreenivasan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai and Ragini. The film was scored by M. S. Baburaj.
Checkpost is a 1974 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by J. D. Thottan. The film stars Sathyan, Adoor Bhasi, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai. The film had musical score by P. S. Divakar.
Kayamkulam Kochunni is a 1966 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film written, produced and directed by P. A. Thomas. Dialogues were written by Jagathy N. K. Achary. It is based on the life of the 19th century thief Kayamkulam Kochunni, who is known for stealing from rich and giving to poor. The film stars Sathyan, Adoor Bhasi and Manavalan Joseph and K. J. Yesudas. The soundtrack was composed by B. A. Chidambaranath.
Koodappirappu is a 1956 Malayalam film produced by Rasheed and directed by J. D. Thottan under the banner of Kadeeja Production. The story was written by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai. This was the debut for both Vayalar Rama Varma and to actress, Sukumari Nair.
