Sreekumaran Thampi

Sreekumaran Thampi
Thampi in 2018
Born	(1940-03-16) 16 March 1940 Haripad, Alleppey, Travancore (present-day Kerala, India)
Residence	Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Occupation	Lyricist, film director, film producer, screenwriter, poet
Years active	1966–present
Spouse(s)	Rajeswari
Children	Rajkumar Thampi, Kavitha
Parent(s)	Krishnapillai, Bhavanikutty Thankachi

Sreekumaran Thampi (born 16 March 1940)^[1] is a lyricist, director, producer, and screenwriter in Malayalam cinema. He also writes poetry and is a recipient of the prestigious Vallathol Award.^[2]

Film career

Thampi was introduced to the Malayalam film industry in 1966 by P. Subramaniam as a lyricist in the film Kaattumallika. He has produced 25 films, directed 29, and written scripts for 85 films in Malayalam besides writing thousands of songs. He is also the author of the well-known literary work Prem Nazir Enna Prema Gaanam. He won the National Award for Best Book on Cinema film (Kanakkum Kavitayum) whilst his films Gaanam and Mohiniyattam won Kerala State Awards.^[3]

He is a songwriter, screenplay writer, film producer, director and musician, but says he is more of a lyricist than a filmmaker. His songs include "Chandrikayilaliyunna Chandrakaantham", "Hridayasarasile pranayapushpame" and "Swonthamenna padathinendhartham". His films Chandrakantham, Gaanam, Mohiniyattam, Maalika Paniyunnavar, Jeevitham Oru Gaanam and Ambalavilakku became artistic successes. His successful box office films include Naayattu, Aakramanam and Idi Muzhakkam.

Thampi is widely known as "Hrudaya Ragangaluday Kavi" (Poet of Love Songs), as the majority of his songs invoke romantic moods. He is known for his obstinate and uncompromising attitude to his work and strives to make his songs blend with the scene.

Thampi has written four novels - Kakkathampuraatti, Kuttanad, Kadalum Karalum and Njanoru Kadha Parayam and collections of poems Engineerayuday Veena, Neelathaamara, En Makan Karayumpol, Sheershakamillatha Kavithakal, Achante Chumbanam , Ammakkoru Tharaattu.Puthralaabham and Avaseshippukal. His collection of 1001 selected songs, titled Hridaya Sarassu, had three editions in two years. Now going to its sixth Edition. His selected Poems are published in Hindi with the title " SREEKUMARAN THAMPI KI KAVITHAYEM " by ABHAYA PRAKASAN,KONPUR, U.P.

Personal life

Thampi was born in Haripad, Alappuzha District, on 16 March 1940 to Kalarikkal Krishna Pillai (from Thonnackad near Mavelikara) and Karimpalayathu Bhavaniamma Thangachi (From Puluththitta Koyikkal Haripattu , related to the Royal House ). It is heard that his ancestors shifted from Chirakkal in Kannur district to Haripad ^[1] He completed his schooling from Haripad government school. He is a graduate in mathematics from Sanathana Dharma College Alleppey and civil engineer, graduated from Govt. Engineering College, Thrissur.^[4]

His siblings are the renowned novelist late P. Vasudevan Thampi^[5] who wrote novels like Sreekrishnaparinthu (which became a hit Malayalam film), Advocate P. Gopalakrishnan Thampi, the former Director General of Prosecutions (Kerala),and former chairman of Kerala Bar Council, Thulasi Gopinath and Prasannavadanan Thampi, former Vice President of Oracle Financial Systems Software Ltd.^[6] Thampi is married to Rajeswari and they havea daughter (Kavitha). His wife and daughter have also dabbled in the arts.^[7] He also had a son, Rajakumaran Thampi (also known as Raj Aditya) was an erstwhile associate of Priyadarshan and later directed some movies in the Telugu film industry, until his sudden death in Secundarabad in March 2009.^[8] Sreekumaran Thampi has three grand daughters Thanmaya, Varada and Thanaya. He is settled in Chennai and his office is in Trivandrum.

Awards

Thampi receiving the J. C. Daniel Award in 2018

National Film Award:

• 1989 - Best Book on Cinema (book - Cinema, Kannakkum Kavithayum)

Kerala State Film Award:

• 1971 - Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyricist (film - Vilakku Vangiya Veena)
• 1976 Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic value Film. Mohiniyattam.
• 1981 - Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value (film - Gaanam)
• 2011 - Best Lyricist (film - Naayika)

Filmfare Award – Malayalam:

• 1976 - Best Director (film - Mohiniyattom)

Vallathol Award:^[9]

• 2016

J. C. Daniel Award^[10]

• 2017

Television serials

As Producer Director Mohana Darsanam ( D.D. Trivandrum.) Melappadam ( D.D. Trivandrum ) Akhara nruththam ( D.D.Trivandrum ) Kalayum Kalavum ( D.D.Trivandrum ) Akshayapathram ( Asianet ) Sapathni ( Asianet ) Akkarappacha (Asianet ) Dampathya Geethangal(Asianet ) Ammathampuratty ( Asianet ) Aliyanmarum Penganmarum.(Amrita TV ) Koyambaththoor Ammayi ( Amrita TV) Paattukalude Paattu ( Surya TV ) Bndhuvaru Sathruvaru ( Mazhavil Manorama )

As actor

• Nilavum Nakshathrangalum

Filmography

Year	Film	Credited as
		Director	Producer	Story	Screenplay	Dialogue	Lyricist	Musician
1974	Chandrakaantham	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1974	Bhoogolam Thiriyunnu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1975	Thiruvonam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1976	Mohiniyaattam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1978	Etho Oru Swapnam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1979	Maalika Paniyunnavar	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1979	Simhaasanam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1979	Puthiya Velicham	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1979	Venalil Oru Mazha	Y			Y	Y	Y
1979	Jeevitham Oru Gaanam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1980	Idimuzhakkam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1980	Ambalavilakku	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1980	Swantham Enna Padam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1980	Naayattu	Y			Y	Y	Y
1981	Munnettam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1981	Arikkaari Ammu	Y			Y	Y	Y
1981	Munnettam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1981	Aakramanam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1981	Ammakkorumma	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1982	Enikkum Oru Divasam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1982	Gaanam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1982	Irattimadhuram	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1983	Aadhipathyam	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1985	Vilichu Vili Kettu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1985	Ore Raktham	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
1986	Yuvajanotsavam	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
1986	Amme Bhagavathi	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y
1993	Bandhukkal Sathrukkal	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
2015	Ammakkoru Tharattu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

References

External links

• Official website