Bharathan

Infobox actor
name = Bharathan


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birthdate = 14 November 1947
birthplace = Engakkadu, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
deathdate = 30 July 1998
deathplace = Madras, Tamilnadu, India
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occupation = Director
yearsactive = 1974 - 1997
spouse = KPAC Lalitha
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children = Siddharth
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influenced = Middle-stream Malayalam cinema
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imdb_id = 0080245
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awards = Kerala State Film Awards
1975- Best Art Director ("Prayanam")
1979- Best Art Director("Various Films")
1980- Director of Second Best Film("Chamaram")
1980- Best Art Director("Chamaram")
1981- Best Art Director("Chatta")
1982- Director of Best Film("Marmaram")
1982- Director of Second Best Film("Ormakkayi")
1982- Best Director("Various Films")
1982- Best Art Director("Ormakkayi")
1984- Best Art Director("Ithirippoove Chuvanna Poove")
1987- Director Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value("Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam")
1992- Director Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value("Venkalam")

Bharathan (November 14, 1947 – July 30, 1998) is widely regarded as one of the most prolific film directors of Malayalam cinema. At the time of his passing, at the age of 51, he had directed more than 40 movies in several languages. He was born at Engakkadu near Wadakkancherry, in Thrissur district of Kerala, India.

Early career

After completing his diploma from the School of Fine Arts,(some websites showing he's a diploma holder from school of drama, but that's wrong he's from school of fine arts chembookkavu very close to town hall trichur now known as college of fine arts trichur) he entered the world of cinema as an art director for Vincent, an accomplished director of the time. The movie was 'Ghandarva Kshetram'. He got the inspiration from his uncle, P. N. Menon — a veteran film director. After working as an art director and assistant director for a few movies, he made his directorial debut on 1974 with 'Prayanam', based on Padmarajan’s script. The movie received the national award for the best regional film in that year. It also marked the rise of two early proponents of middle-stream Malayalam cinema.

First movie

In the very first movie, he displayed a rare talent in treating sex without falling into vulgarity which was to later became the trademarks of "Bharathan touch". One of the remarkable scenes in the movie is when the main character played by Kottarakkara - a Brahmin priest above 60 who recently married a girl well below the age of his daughter, visualizes the body of his young wife while decorating female deity with sandal (known as Chandanam Charthu). The darkness of sanctum sanctorum turns into his bedroom and Devi into his wife. While smearing sandal on the curves of stone idol, in his mind the hands were moving over the body of his young wife. Bharathan took the audience to an unknown realm. It was a shocking experience for the conservative Keralites.

Association with Padmarajan

His association with Padmarajan was the beginning of golden era in malayalam cinema. Few more films came out from the duo partnership before Padmarajan became an independent director himself. 'Rathi Nirvedam' and 'Thakara' were the most noted among them with latter being considered one of his best.

"Rathi Nirvedam" was an exclusive treatment of teenage sexual fantasy. An adolescent boy falls in love with an elder girl next to door, Rathi. In the consummation of their relation, with a midnight union in a deserted cobra shrine culminates in the death of girl by snake bite. The next day morning, feeling like a man, he sets out for the college. In "Thakara", he deals with life a mentally retarded youth and his association with the society. The portrayal of the characters :Thakara and Chellapanashari are so real that, they never fade from the memory of cine lovers even after decades. In fact, Padmarajan had adopted them from real life in his native place, Muthukulam. Later Bharathan remade the movie in Tamil – 'Avaarampoo'.

Romantic movies

In the early eighties he made several romantic movies like 'Chaamaram, Marmaram, Paalangal (the rails), Ente Upasana' and many more. They were not very remarkable, but did well in theaters and set the romantic trend. Other noted directors were also following the same suite. It was the romantic era of Malayalam cinema. Many people still cherish those years with nostalgic feeling. But the creative genius of Bharathan was not going to be contended with mere following of trends. He was to go well beyond it and set a territory of his own - unattainable for other.

In 'Oru Minnaaminungintaey Nurunguvettam', he is telling the story of a childless couple [Mash-(Nedumudi Venu) Teacher-(Sharada) ] in their post retirement life. The movie starts with the retirement day of a school teacher portrayed by Sharada. She is welcomed into the new life by her husband who retired a few years back. One day a girl (Parvathy) comes into their life. She is Sharada's old time neighbour's (M.S. Thripunnithura) daughter. They start to feel the joy of parenthood as the girl gave them love of a Daughter. In one fine moment when Nedumudi asked Sharada “ if she was to call you Amma..., then what will she call me...?” When he got the reply from his wife, he was looking for, they were to experience an unknown pleasure which transcends to the audience. The audience are made to leave theatre with a heavy heart when the couple are eventually alone in their life again and vanishes on the screen in beautiful grass covered valley. This film also contains beautiful songs such as "Mele Mele Mugapadam Thellothuki" and "Poovenam Poopada venam" . 'Oru Minnaaminungintaey Nurunguvettam' is also again viewed by Keralites to get the heavy nostalgic feeling it provides

Association with M.T Vasudevan Nair

It is still a mystery in the realm of creativity when art excels the artist. In case of Bharathan it was 'Vaisali'. It was the masterpiece from the craftsman -acclaimed as a classic painting on a wide canvas. Scripted by the well known writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair, it was an adaptation of a sub-story told in the epic Mahabharatha. In the epic story, Vaisali was an insignificant character – daughter of royal mistress, mastered in Vatsyayana Shastra. She was to attract Rishyashrunga, the son of great sage Vibhadanka, and bring him to the land of Lomapada to end the drought. Quite characteristic to his style, when M.T gave prominence to Vaisali, it was to achieve a new dimension. Bharathan, being an accomplished painter, knew how to blend the sensuousness of Vaisali's body with the wilderness of forest. The result was an unforgettable classic.

Another movie born from their association was 'Thaazhvaaram'. The subject was revenge between two old partners, a theme quite uncharacteristic of Bharathan movies. Death hides in the shadow of each frame and the fear of inevitable creeps into the mind of viewers. In the climax, duel between the rivals intensifies as they descend the hill and by the time they reach the valley, it culminates in the death of one. Even while treating revenge, his aesthetic eyes never misses the exquisiteness of female body [Sumalatha] and nature, the widely known trade marks of "Bharathan touch". This film also has a heart capturing song "Kannetha Doore Marutheeram".

Tamil cinema

Language was not a barrier for his genius. When he directed 'Thevar Magan' casting stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan and Kamal Hassan as a father-son duo, it was to become one of the finest movies in Tamil cinema. The movie was remade into many regional languages and bagged several national awards.

creenplays and lyrics

His creativity was not confined to film direction. He scripted screenplays, wrote lyrics and tuned songs for his films. To understand his accomplishment in music, one has to hear the mellifluous song from his 'Keli'; “Thaaram Valkannadi Nokki…"

He was a consummate artist and he died on 29 July 1998 at Madras.

Trivia

1. The person who is sitting and painting in the song "Ente Swapnathin" which was picturised on KJ Yesudas in the film "Achani" was Bharathan.

2. The drawings in the cave supposedly drawn by Rishyasrungan in Vaishali was undoubtedly drawn by Bharathan.

Filmography

References

External links

* [http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/bharathan.html cinemaofmalayalam.net: Profile]
* [http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/malayalamcinemamore.htm prd.kerala.gov.in: Malayalam Cinema Introduction]