MT Vasudevan Nair I saw my own childhood in MT’s story, says writer CV Balakrishnan

MT Vasudevan Nair Photo Credit: S. Mahinsa

Growing up in a village near Payyannur, I felt that MT Vasudevan Nair’s short stories about his childhood were cut out of my own environment. Our matriarchal background, childhood poverty and long absence of fathers had many similarities. I was moved to tears listening to his stories Oru Piranalinte Orama, Karkidakam and Ninte Ormaykk. Those stories and the MT writer played a big role in making me a writer. I still remember the speeches he gave at literary camps and other places. I was very happy when he published one of my short stories. Oru Maranavruthanam, in homeland While the editor of the newspaper.

I was introduced to him by NV Krishna Warrier at the Matrubhoomi office in Kozhikode. MT said that the second story submitted by me will also be published. After that I met him several times and we often discussed books, and he introduced me to new authors, such as Truman Capote and Pramoedya Ananta Tor.

He was an avid reader, who would be enthralled by the great books published around the world. I remember reading Gabriel García Márquez One Hundred Years of Solitude After he wrote about it. I can agree with him: this was the book that beat all the others. MT told me this novel critic M. was given to Krishnan Nair.

I admire MT’s dedication to writing. He never compromised. He strove tirelessly to achieve perfection. I was always amazed by his art, story and dialogue writing. Be it a film, a novel or a short story, it was his gift to come up with unforgettable dialogues. His sentences were equally powerful.

Among his novels, these are my favourites Asuravithu. Govindan Kutty is one of the strongest characters of all time in our story. No man has suffered as much as he has.

pen is another novel that I hold in high esteem. The depiction of the bridge is remarkable.

As someone who has also worked on film scripts, I am amazed at his script. He will remain our best screenwriter. One of the things that struck me most about his scripts was the way he turned his short stories into full-length feature films. It cannot be an easy process, turning a short story into a film that runs for more than two hours, as he did. Murappannu, Alkoottathil Thaniye, Irutinte Athamavu, Edwazhiile Poocha Mindapoocha, Kuttidethi, Opole and Anu Swantam Janakikutty.

For me, he was the best orator among all Malayalam writers. Listening to him was fun and educational.

(As told to PK Ajith Kumar)