‘Kerala, an irreparable loss to Malayalam literature’: Condolences for MT Vasudevan Nair | India news

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Noted Malayalam writer and filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair died on Wednesday at a private hospital in Kozhikode, where he was admitted due to a heart attack. He was 91 years old. Political leaders, artists and the public mourned the loss of a literary genius who had devoted more than seven decades to enriching the cultural fabric of Kerala.

An irreparable loss for Kerala, the CM said
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called MT’s death “an irreparable loss to Kerala and particularly to the Malayalam literary world”. Reflecting The incredible contribution of MTMr. Vijayan said the author’s works, such as Randamuzham and Irutinte Athmavu, have elevated Malayalam storytelling to global recognition.

‘The genius that changed literature and cinema’: Priyanka Gandhi

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi also paid tribute to MT, describing him as a “genius who transformed literature and cinema into powerful mediums of cultural expression”. He added, “His story captured the depth of human emotion and the essence of Kerala’s heritage. A true patron of our arts and literature, his loss is deeply felt by the entire nation.”

Kamal Haasan reflects friendship
Senior actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan, who collaborated with MT in films like Kanyakumari and Manoratha, mourned the loss of a dear friend and mentor. He said, ‘We have lost a great writer. “MT Vasudevan Nair, a great figure in the world of Malayalam literature, has left us. My friendship with him as the producer of Kanyakumari, the film that introduced me to the Malayalam film world, has now crossed fifty years. That friendship continued till the recent release of Manorath.

“A unique and charismatic mind who contributed to all forms of writing has passed away. It is a great loss. It will sadden readers of South Indian literature and art lovers. My deepest condolences to the great writer.”

Tributes across the spectrum

The BJP Kerala unit tweeted, “Tribute to the genius who conquered heights in all the fields he touched.” Their message, originally shared in Malayalam, hailed MT as an “incomparable personality” who enriched Malayalam literature and cinema in a remarkable career.

Legendary Malayalam writer and film director MT Vasudevan Nair is leaving Malayalam after seven decades of writing. Salutations to the genius who conquered all the heights in his field pic.twitter.com/KJ6jOr1P75

— BJP KERALAM (@BJP4Keralam) December 25, 2024

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who had earlier sent prayers for MT’s recovery, tweeted his support to the bereaved family. “May this give them the strength to see our beloved ‘MT-Chetan’,” he wrote a few days before news of MT’s death broke.

In honor of the literary icon, the Kerala government has declared two days of state mourning. The Chief Minister’s office has informed that all cabinet meetings and government functions scheduled for 26th of November have been postponed. Madath Thekepat Vasudevan Nair, better known as MT, has left an extraordinary legacy in literature and cinema, with a career spanning more than seven decades. His intense works drew inspiration from agricultural life on the banks of the river Nila (Bharatpuzha), where he spent his childhood in an upper-caste Nair family.

As tributes pour in from around the world, Kerala collectively mourns the loss of one of its greatest cultural figures.

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