M. N. Nambiar

Infobox actor
name = M.N.Nambiar


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birthdate = 7 March, 1919
location =flagicon|India Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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birthname = Manjeri Narayan Nambiar
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"M N Nambiar" a veteran villain actor from Kollywood, he has been in the film industry for more than 50 years.

M.N. Nambiar (Manjeri Narayan Nambiar) is a veteran of theatre and considered a legend in cinema. He is acknowledged to be one of the oldest actors from the pre-war era who remains in the industry today. He remains humble despite having worked with seven generations of actors.

A God fearing person, Nambiar is completely opposite to the villains that he has portrayed all these years.

Born on March 7 1919 in a Nambiar family of Kannur, Kerala, his interest in acting starting when he was 13, when he joined Nawab Rajamanikkam's troupe. From then on acting became the only thing that occupied him. His first film was 'Bhaktha Ramadoss', shot in 1935 in Hindi and Tamil, where he played a villain. Though he started as a hero but started donning the role of a villain - so much so that today his name is almost eponymous with the Kollywood villain. Nambiar has worked with seven generations of actors from Balaiyah to Manoj (Bharathiraaja's son).

His first pay was Rs.3 in the "Boys Company." He would retain Re 1 and send Rs.2 to his mother. A man of very limited needs, he has not eaten outside of his house and is a pure vegetarian. He is extremely health conscious.

A majority of the more than 1000 films that he has done is in Tamil, though he has acted in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi, besides an English film `Jungle' (with Rod Cameron, the film's hero, directed by William Burke) in which he appears in a few brief scenes. The film was released in 1952. The Hindi film he acted in was a remake of the Tamil `Kanavane Kankanda Deivam.'

After becoming popular in Tamil films he started his own drama troupe called Nambiar Nataka Mandram. They staged two plays — `Kaviyin Kanavu' and a comedy play `Kalyana Supermarket.'

M.N. Nambiar is an ardent devotee of Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan. He has had a long association with the temple, and visited the shrine more than 65 years over the last half a century; this has led to him being called Maha Guruswamy.

His favourite films remain `Aayirathil Oruvan' with MGR, `Ambikapathi' with Sivaji Ganesan, `Missiyamma' with Gemini Ganesan, `Nenjam Marappathillai' directed by Sridhar and `Thooral Ninu Pochu' with Bhagyaraj. This was the film that made him do character roles, something that he continues to do till now. Another film which is unfogettable is `Thigambarasamiyar' where he did 11 roles. He also acted as hero in two films `Kalyani' and `Kavitha' produced by Modern Theatres.

He has done stage, films and also serials such as `Velan.' When it comes to acting, he supposedly likes all the actors; but of special mention are M.R.Radha and Savithri. Both, in his opinion, were brilliant in their own way.

Select filmography
*Aayirathil oruvan
*Uthama Puthiran
*Ambikapathy
*Enga veetu pillai
*Mannavan vandhanadi
*Sarvaadhikari
*Thural ninnu pochu
*Pallandu vaazhga
*Swamy ayyappan
*Ninaithadai mudippavan
*Ulagam sutrum vaaliban
*Savale samali
*Raja Raja Cholan
*Nenjam marappadhillai
*En thambi
*Paasa malar
*Anbe vaa
*Makkali petra magaraasi

Nambiar has 2 sons and a daughter,son Sukumaran Nambiar is a senior BJP leader, and resides in Gopalapuram, Chennai.

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