Adoor Bhasi

Adoor Bhasi was born on 1 March 1927 in Peringanadu, Adoor, Travancore, with a rich lineage to boast of. His father, E. V. Krishna Pillai, was a renowned Malayalam humourist writer, dramatist, pioneering short story writer and essayist, a lawyer and a Member of the then Travancore Legislative Assembly (M.L.C.). His mother, Maheshwari Amma, was the youngest daughter of C. V. Raman Pillai, one among the greatest Malayalam novelists, being the first historical novelist in Malayalam and author of Marthanda Varma, Dharmaraja, Premamritham, and Ramarajabahadur, pioneering dramatist, journalist and social activist.

Bhasi was the fourth of the seven children of his parents. His siblings (two sisters and four brothers) were the late Omana Amma, the late K. Ramachandran Nair alias Chandraji, Rajalakshmi Amma, K. Padmanabhan Nair, the late K. Sankaran Nair, who died young at the age of 18, and the late K. Krishnan Nair.[3]

His elder brother Chandraji became a film actor much before him. Chandraji entered the Film world of Bollywood and acted in a few Hindi films (Bimal Roy's Parineeta and Hrishikesh Mukherji's films) before moving over with his family to Madras to live with Adoor Bhasi. Chandraji was the manager of RK Studios owned by Raj Kapoor in Mumbai and has acted as villain in the popular Bollywood film Ashique alongside Raj Kapoor. Chandraji then acted in several Malayalam films like Chithram and became well known as an actor. His nephew, B. Harikumar, is a well-known novelist, satirist and actor in Malayalam and has acted in several TV serials and feature films.

Bhasi spent his childhood along with his parents in Trivandrum. He had his primary education in a missionary school—Vadakkekottaaram—in the capital city. After his father's premature death at the age of 44, Bhasi, along with his mother and siblings moved to his father's native village of Adoor and had his middle and high school studies in the English High School of Adoor. After his school education, he moved over to Trivandrum and lived with his maternal aunt. He then joined the Institute of Textile Technology and passed the professional course of diploma in Textile Chemistry. He did not attend any college for graduation. After acquiring the diploma, he was to do internship in a textile mill in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, but owing to financial difficulties, he could not pursue the prescribed internship. He then worked as an apprentice in the Lakshmi Textiles factory in Trivandrum, but could not secure a job in any textile mill in Travancore. He stayed put in Trivandrum and while staying with his eldest maternal aunt, B. Gourikutty Amma, for more than 12 years in Rosscote Bungalow, the house built by his maternal grandfather, C. V. Raman Pillai, began acting on the amateur stage and taking part in dramas broadcast by All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram station, along with leading stage actors of the time, like C. I. Parameswaran Pillai, Kainikkara Kumara Pillai, P. K. Vikraman Nair, T. R. Sukumaran Nair, Jagathy N. K. Achary, Nagavally R. S. Kurup, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, P. K. Veeraraghavan Nair alias Veeran, T. N. Gopinathan Nair, Aranmula Ponnamma, Mavelikara Ponnamma, and Pattom Saraswathi Amma.

During those twelve years, he also worked as the Manager of P. K. Memorial Press run by the well-known playwright, T. N. Gopinathan Nair, and also worked as the Manager of Sakhi weekly, edited by T. N. Gopinathan Nair, Rosscote Krishna Pillai and Kavalam Narayana Panicker. His friendship with T. N. earned for him many close contacts with writers and artistes in the professional world of Malayalam drama and films. That ultimately secured for him entry into the amateur stage and finally to the Malayalam film world.

Bhasi got his first chance in a small role in a Malayalam feature film, Thiramala, directed by P. R. S. Pillai. His first notable film was Chandrathara's Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961). In the year 1968, he acted in Viruthan Shanku, the first full-length comedy in Malayalam cinema by P. Venu. He went on to become one of the highly sought-after and inalienable actors and celebrities of Malayalam feature films of the 1960s and 1970s. He, along with S. P. Pillai and Bahadur formed the trio that contributed to rollicking comedy scenes in Malayalam films. Bhasi went on to act in over 700 films, mainly in supporting roles. He acted with almost all leading actors in Malayalam in his period, like Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Madhu, K. P. Ummer, Jayan, M. G. Soman, Sukumaran, Mammootty and Mohanlal.

He acted as the villain in Karimbana and Itha Oru Manushyan. He did double roles in Kottaram Vilkkanundu, Bhadradeepam and Lankadahanam. He got his first Kerala State Film Award for best actor in 1974 for Chattakkari. He first acted as hero in John Abraham's Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal (1978) and got the Kerala State Film Award for best actor in 1979. Later in 1984, he won the Kerala State Film Award for best actor for his performance in April 18 (1983). A memorial to Adoor Bhasi is being built by the District Panchayat of Pathanamthitta, the foundation stone for which was laid on 12 June 2009.

A film based on Bhasi's real-life is in the making with Dileep playing the lead role. It is based on a novel by B. Harikumar (his nephew) called Mareecham. The script work is by Harikumar himself and the film is produced and directed by Suku Menon. The location is planned out of Trivandrum and Adoor.

Adoor Bhasi is often considered one of the first film makers in South India to recognize the credentials of Kamal Haasan when he cast him as lead in his movie Adiyapadam, Kamal later became one of the greatest stars India has ever produced.

Adoor Bhasi was accused by several artistes including K. P. A. C. Lalitha and director P. Chandrakumar of being a villain in real life as well as drunk and a sadist after his death.[4][5]

Bhasi suffered from various health problems like diabetes and hypertension during his last years. He also suffered from kidney disease. Being a lifelong bachelor, he did not have any family support. The death of his co-star Prem Nazir in January 1989 shattered him very much. Nazir was not only Bhasi's co-star in many films, but was also a childhood friend. Finally, he died on 29 March 1990, aged 63. His death occurred on the eve of his father's 52nd death anniversary. He was cremated with full state honours at his home in Adoor.

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1974: Best Actor – Chattakkari (directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan)
• 1979: Best Actor – Cheriyachante Krura Krithyangal (directed by John Abraham)
• 1984: Second Best Actor – April 18 (directed by Balachandra Menon)

Filmfare Awards South:

• 1976: Best Actor – Raagam

• "Angaadi Marunnukal..." Amrithavaahini (1976)

• https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042955/http://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?category=actors&artist=Adoor%20Bhasi&limit=536
• Adoor Bhasi at IMDb