Venu Nagavally (16 April 1949 – 10 September 2010) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and director best known for his work in Malayalam film industry. He has directed 12 films.[1] Son of writer, commentator, and broadcaster Nagavally R. S. Kurup,[2] Venu has acted in about fifty films, directed films such as Sukhamo Devi (1986), Sarvakalashala (1987), Lal Salam (1990), and Aye Auto (1990), Aayirappara (1993) and scripted the commercially successful Kilukkam (1991). Venu Nagavally died at Thiruvananthapuram on 9 September 2010.[3]

Venu Nagavally
Venu Nagavally
Born
N. S. Venugopal

(1949-04-16)16 April 1949
Died9 September 2010(2010-09-09) (aged 61)
NationalityIndian
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film director
  • screenwriter
SpouseMeera
Children1
Parents

Early life

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Venu Nagavally was born on 16 April 1949 as the son of the noted play writer Nagavally R. S. Kurup and Rajamma. Ramachandran, Vasundara and Lalithambika are his siblings.[4] He completed his education from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram and University College Thiruvananthapuram. He had a bachelor's degree in Politics and a Diploma in journalism. Venu Nagavally died at KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on 9 September 2010 due to liver cirrhosis. He was 61 at the time of his death, and was cremated with full state honours at Santhikavadam crematorium on the same day. He is survived by his wife Meera and son Vivek.[5]

Career

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Venu started his career as an announcer in Akashvani. He later sung a song in the movie Chottanikkara Amma (1976) but was noticed only in 1978 when he acted in the movie Ulkkadal (1979) directed by K. G. George, thus starting his acting career in movies.[6] His noted movies as an actor are Shalini Ente Koottukari, Meenamasathile Sooryan, Pakshe, and Chillu.

Venu's first movie as a director was Sukhamo Devi (1986) which he himself describes as his own tragical love story. Later he directed the superhit movies Lal Salam, Aey Auto, Aayirappara, Rakthasaakshikal Zindabad etc. Lal Salaam and Rakthasaakshikal Zindabad revolved around the lives of the early Communist leaders of Kerala.[7] It was his directorial projects like "Sughamo devi", "Sarvakalashala", "Aey Auto" and "Lal Salam" that cemented Mohanlal's status as a superstar, in the late 1980s.[8] Venu has also written scripts for a few movies including the Priyadarshan directed blockbuster movie Kilukkam.[9] His first movie as a script writer was Ee Ganam Marakkumo.

His oeuvre also had a strain of his left leanings; in addition to acting in films like Meenamasathile Sooryan (about the Kayyur revolt) and heading the production wing of a pro-left television channel, two of the films he directed – Lal Salam (1990) and Raksthasakhikal Zindabad (1998) – were an introspective look at the rise and fall of communist ideals. Venu examines these issues by dealing with the cracks in political movements, its hopes and later degeneration, create in human relationships.[10]

The movies for which he has sung songs include Chillu, Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki, Oru Painkilikatha out of which the song "Kochu Chakkarachi Pettu" from the movie Ente Ammu, Ninte Thulasi, Avarude Chakki became quite popular.[11]

Filmography

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Actor

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Ulkkadal Rahulan
Shalini Ente Koottukari Prabha
1980 Aniyatha Valakkal Ravi Shankar
Ishtamanu Pakshe
Kalika Sadhan
Akalangalil Abhayam
1981 Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla Rahim
Kaloopasana
Tharattu Unni
Archana Teacher
Kolangal Cheriyan
1982 Oru Vilipadakale Vishnu
Kattile Pattu Devan
Kilukilukkam Murali
Yavanika Joseph Kollapally
Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam
Chillu Ananthu
1983 Eenam
Premnazirne Kanmanilla
Parasparam Vishwanathan
Rugma
Kathi
Oru Swakaryam Chandran
Omanathinkal
Prasnam Gurutharam Venu
Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback
April 18 Advocate Thomachan
Adaminte Variyellu Gopi
1984 Panchavadi Palam Jeemudhavahanan
Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla Joy
Velichamillatha Veedhi
Swantham Sarika Murali
Thirakal Balan
Ente Nandinikutty
Oru Painkili Kadha Gopi
1985 Puzhayozhukum Vazhi Hari
Oru Kudakeezhil Unni
Uyarukm Njan Nadaake Vivek
Meenamasathile Sooryan Matathil Appu
Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki Shakthi
Adhyayam Onnu Muthal Rameshan Nair
1986 Sunil Vayassu 20 Jayakumar
Sukhamo Devi Man at the bar Cameo
Oru Katha Oru Nunnakkatha
Meenamaasathile Sooryan Appu
Vartha Devan
1987 Arinjo Ariyatheyo
Theertham Radhakrishnan
1988 Moonnam Pakkam Jayan
1989 Crime Branch
Devadas Devadas
1994 Pakshe Unniyettan
Pavam IA Ivachan
Minnaram Baby
1998 Harikrishnans Vishwambharan
2004 Wanted Krishnadas
Sathyam Chief Minister
Kaazhcha Magistrate
2005 Deepangal Sakshi Advocate
Pauran Chief Minister
2006 Pathaka Shekharji
Out of Syllabus
Photographer
Baba Kalyani V. Ninan
2007 Anchil Oral Arjunan Padmanabhan
Heartbeats
Indraneelam
2008 Roudram Doctor
2009 Bhagyadevatha Anto
2010 College Days Rohit Menon's father
2013 Careebeyans Joseph Posthumously

As director

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Year Title Starring
1986 Sukhamo Devi Shankar, Mohanlal, Urvashi, Geetha
1987 Sarvakalashala Mohanlal, Sukumaran, Nedumudi Venu, Seema
1988 Ayitham Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumaran, Ambika, Radha
1989 Swagatham Jayaram, Nedumudi Venu, Ashokan, Parvathi, Urvashi
1989 Lal Salam Mohanlal, Geetha, Murali, Urvashi
1990 Aye Auto Mohanlal, Rekha, Murali, Sreenivasan
1991 Kizhakkunarum Pakshi Mohanlal, Shankar, Rekha, Murali
1993 Kalippattam Mohanlal, Urvashi, Jagathy Sreekumar, Thilakan
1993 Aayirappara Mammootty, Urvashi, Madhu, Narendra Prasad
1995 Agnidevan Mohanlal, Revathi, Rohini Hattangadi, Captain Raju, Devan
1998 Rakthasakshikal Sindabad Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Murali, Sukanya
2009 Bharya Swantham Suhruthu Jagathy Sreekumar, Urvashi, Mukesh, Padmapriya

Writer

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  • Bharya Swantham Suhruthu (2009) (screenplay)
  • Vishnu (1994) (screenplay and dialogue)
  • Aayirappara (1993) (writer)
  • Kalippattam (1993) (writer)
  • Kilukkam (1991) (writer)
  • Kizhakkunarum Pakshi (1991) (screenplay and dialogue)
  • Aye Auto (1990) (writer)
  • Ardham (1989) (writer)
  • Sarvakalasala (1987) (screenplay and dialogue)
  • Sukhamodevi (1986) (writer)
  • Gayathri Devi Entae Amma (1985) (Screenplay)
  • Guruji Oru Vaakku (1985)
  • Daivathae Orthu (1985)
  • Ee Gaanam Marakkumo (1978) (screenplay)

Television

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  • Ente Manasaputhri (Asianet)
  • Kadamattath Kathanar (Asianet)
  • Mizhi thurakumbol (Surya TV)
  • "Thinkalum Tharakangalum" (Amrita TV)
  • Marubhumiyil pookkalam
  • Ekaakini
  • Arohanam
  • Chitta (Surya TV)
  • Thanichu (Asianet)
  • Ohari
  • Kurukhetram
  • Gandhari
  • Mangalyam (Asianet)
  • Manaswini (DD Malayalam)
  • Thalolam (Asianet)
  • Ellam Mayajaalam (Asianet)
  • Kannan Vannengil (Surya TV)

References

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  1. ^ ആന്റണി, സാലു (16 March 2018). "മാനുഷികത നിറഞ്ഞ നാഗവള്ളി ചിത്രങ്ങൾ : Director Special". Deepika (in Malayalam). Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Manorama Online | Movies | Nostalgia |". www.manoramaonline.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Malayalam Cinema Bids Adieu To Venu Nagavally". 9 September 2010. Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  4. ^ "Nagavally R.S.Kurup dead". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 28 December 2003. Archived from the original on 9 January 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  5. ^ "Malayalam Cinema Bids Adieu To Venu Nagavally". 9 September 2010. Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  6. ^ "വേണു നാഗവള്ളി അന്തരിച്ചു". Malayala Manorama (in Malayalam). Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  7. ^ "Malayalam actor and director Venu Nagavally dies". 9 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Writer, actor, director Venu Nagavally dead". 9 September 2010.
  9. ^ "Malayalam actor, director Venu Nagavally dead". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  10. ^ "The unconventional hero". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
  11. ^ "ആ സ്‌നേഹത്തണലില്‍, Flash Back - Mathrubhumi Movies". www.mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 20 November 2011.
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