Kochi, India: MT Vasudevan Nair, a legendary writer from Kerala, India, has passed away at the age of 91. He died in a hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala, after being admitted due to breathing difficulties.
Nair, affectionately known as MT, was a prominent figure in Malayalam-language literature, as well as an acclaimed film director and screenwriter. He is remembered for his exceptional contribution to literature and cinema, earning several prestigious awards, including India’s highest literary honor, the Jnanpith.
Born in 1933 in Palakkad, Kerala, Nair developed a passion for reading despite his family’s discouragement. He began writing at a young age, with his work being published in magazines.
MT later studied chemistry in college and taught mathematics to school students before joining the Mathrubhumi weekly magazine, where he became an influential editor and writer. Nair is credited with discovering and publishing many young writers who went on to achieve fame.
His novel Naalukettu (Four Blocks), a poignant story about the decline of a joint family, won one of Kerala’s highest literary awards in 1959. Nair later adapted the novel into a television film for the Doordarshan channel, which won a state award.
MT’s other notable work, Randamoozham (The Second Turn), a retelling of the Mahabharata from the perspective of the character Bhima, is considered a classic of Indian literature.
Beyond his literary achievements, Nair had a prolific career in Malayalam cinema as a screenwriter and director. He won several national and state awards for his work, including for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (A Northern Ballad of Valour), a film set in 16th-century Kerala, where he retold a popular folktale, challenging traditional notions of villainy and honor. The film is now considered a classic in Malayalam cinema.
Recently, Nair’s short stories were adapted into an anthology series, Manorathangal, featuring prominent actors such as Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Fahadh Faasil.
Mohanlal, who starred in the series, described Nair as “Kerala’s pride,” noting that his dialogues were essential to understanding the core message of the stories.
Throughout his life, Nair remained an avid reader, constantly sharing his passion for literature from around the world. His death marks the loss of a giant in Indian literature and cinema.
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