Cheri Viswanath (9 August 1933 – 9 September 2014) was a

South indian South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

screenwriter, playwright, lyricist and journalist.

Biography

Many of his works were written under the pen name Cheri, which is derived from the name of his family Cheriyil in

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...

District in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

. He started his career as a playwright and journalist and was associated with the famous theatre group in South India called Kalanilayam. In a literary career spanning over 45 years, he had written 16 novels, 25 dramas and 19 radio plays and several lyrics for Malayalam movies. His song for the movie Thaalappoly (1977) was the biggest hit of the year. He had written screenplays for 20 feature films, directed by veteran film makers M.Krishnan Nair,

Madhu Madhu (Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or ''sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European ''*médʰu'', whence English '' mead''. Metaphorical use ''Madhu'' has been used for millennia si ...

Crossbelt Mani K. Velayudhan Nair, better known by his stage name Crossbelt Mani (22 April 1935 – 30 October 2021), was an Indian film director and cinematographer, who worked in the Malayalam cinema. He directed more than 40 Malayalam movies and worked as ...

and M.Mani. Viswanath worked as the Chief Editor for the Malayalam Dailies Thaniniram and Yeenadu for 45 years. He is the father of award-winning international film maker

Biju Viswanath Biju Viswanath is an Indian film director, director of photography, film editor and screenwriter. Across various genres, he has made numerous films in different languages, notably, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Irish, Swahili & Urdu. He has also ...

and Priya Prakash,

Veena The ''veena'', also spelled ''vina'' ( sa, वीणा IAST: vīṇā), comprises various chordophone instruments from the Indian subcontinent. Ancient musical instruments evolved into many variations, such as lutes, zithers and arched harps.< ...

Player.

Major works

Plays

Screenplays

Radioplays

*''Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal'' 1979 (Seven Wonderful Nights) *''Sasthram Prathikuttil'' 1980 (Science in the Accused Stand) *''Porutham'' 1980 (Harmony) *''Tharavadinte Manam'' 1981 (Family Honour) *''Siksha'' 1981 (Punishment) *''Punarvivaham'' 1983 (Remarriage) *''Nandi Veendum Varilla'' 1986 (Thanks I Won't Come Again) *''Doctor, Collector, Engineer'' 1986 *''Packup'' 1992

Kadhaprasangam

*''Neelasari'' (Blue Sari) 1969 (Kollam Babu) *''Marble Sundari'' (Marble Beauty) 1971 (Kundara Soman) *''Swayamvaram'' (Marriage) 1972 (Kundara Soman) *''Punarjanmam'' (Rebirth) 1973(Kundara Soman) *''Christ'' 1975 (Chenganoor Thankachan) *''Neelavelicham'' (Blue Light) 1976 (Viswambharam) *''Devatha'' (Goddess) 1977 (Chitaranjan Bhagavatar)

Novels

*''Avivahithayaya Bharya'' 1962 (Unmarried Wife) *''Ladies Hostel'' 1963 *''Snehabandam'' 1965 (Love Affair) *'' Vivahasammanam'' 1966 (Wedding Gift) *''

Kamadhenu Kamadhenu ( sa, कामधेनु, , ), also known as Surabhi (, or , ), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous cow of plenty who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often ...

'' 1967 (Wish Cow) *''Kanaljalam'' 1968 (Mirage) *''Randam Madhuvidhu'' 1970 (Second Honey Moon) *''Daivam Veetil Vannirunnu'' 1971 (God Came to House) *''Neelasari'' 1972 (Blue Sari) *''Melottu ozhukumma Puzha'' 1985 (The River That Flows Upwards)

References

External links

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mathrubhumi daily {{DEFAULTSORT:Viswanath, Cheri 1933 births 2014 deaths Writers from Kollam Malayali people Malayalam-language dramatists and playwrights Journalists from Kerala Malayalam screenwriters Malayalam-language lyricists Indian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian journalists Screenwriters from Kerala 20th-century Indian male writers