An avant-garde producer
G.S. PAUL
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Sobhana Parameswaran Nair was honoured with the Premji Puraskaram for 2006.
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Photo: K.K. Najeeb
VETERAN FILMMAKER: Sobhana Parameswaran Nair.
Malayalam filmdom has benefited considerably from the contributions of a group of avant-garde producers of yore whose commitment to the medium was total. Driven by the urge for artistic creativity, they made films that turned out to be landmarks in the annals of Malayalam cinema. A surviving member of this group is the octogenarian Sobhana Parameswaran Nair who was recently honoured with Premji Puraskaram for 2006 by the Premji Smaraka Trust in Thrissur.
Parameswaran Nair appeared overwhelmed as he received the award from Arya Premji, the spouse of his long-time companion Premji. He remembered how his studio, `Sobhana,' in Thrissur in the Fifties was the meeting place of literary luminaries. And Premji used to frequent the studio during his leisure hours in Mangalodayam, where he was a proof-reader.
`Sobhana' was also a regular meting place for P. Bhaskaran, Basheer, Thakazhi, Ponkunnam Varkey, S.K. Pottekkat, Ramu Karyat, N.P. Mohammed, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, G. Vivekanandan, MRB, Parappuram, Thikkodiyan and N. Mohan.
"We used to assemble there for discussions. There was hardly any script or lyric that was not corrected after incorporating suggestions from everyone, irrespective of his role in the production," remembered Parameswaran Nair who made his entry into the world of cinema as a still photographer in `Neelakuyil.' He was actively involved in all stages of its production.
Flair for classics
Even a cursory glance at his main productions reveals how they reflected his flair for classic works. `Ninamanija Kaalpaadukal,' `Murappennu,' `Abhayam' and `Kallichellamma' are some of his films.
Parappuram's novel (`Ninamaninja Kaalpaadukal') had a contemporary relevance to those days of Chinese aggression and Parameswaran Nair was fascinated by it. `Abhayam' was another production that highlighted his passion for literature. Perumbadavu Sreedharan's story had a literary halo that was embellished by poems of Vallathol, G. Sankara Kurup, Balamani Amma and Sugathakumari. Parameswaran Nair explained how `G' used to regale himself with his own lines, `Sraantham ambaram,' for which music was scored by Dakshinamoorthy.
Parameswaran Nair enriched Malayalam cinema by introducing a host of writers and artistes. He roped in M.T. Vasudevan Nair as a scenarist in `Murappennu;' it marked MT's debut in filmdom. Actors like Madhu, Adoor Bhasi, Jyothilakshmi and Sreedevi, and vocalists Jayachandran and Bharmanandan were his finds. His association with Prem Nazir has been very long, starting from childhood. "While I aspired to become a cinematographer, Nazir wanted to be a famous actor," he remembered. When Nazir soared to dizzy heights of stardom, Parameswaran Nair produced films that won accolades.
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