Palissery Narayanankutty Menon alias P. N. Menon (2 January 1926 – 9 September 2008) was an Indian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

in the

Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam' ...

. He is also famous as the Designer of Promotional Posters. Menon was also the uncle of another popular film director

Bharathan Bharathan (14 November 1946 – 30 July 1998) was an Indian film maker, artist, and art director. Bharathan is noted for being the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Padmarajan and K. G. George, in th ...

, being the younger brother of the latter's father. In 2001, he was honoured with the

J. C. Daniel Award The J. C. Daniel Award is Kerala's highest award in Malayalam cinema. It is presented annually by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, a non-profit institution under the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala, India. Insti ...

Kerala government Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...

's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Early life

Born in

Wadakkancherry Wadakkancherry is a major town in Thrissur, Kerala. Up until 1860, this area was part of Chelakkara Taluk. Now, it is the headquarters of Talappilly Taluk. Wadakkanchery obtained municipality status from the government by merging with the Mu ...

, he completed his studies at

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

and from School of Art in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

. He came to

when he was only 20 years old. He couldn't find any job in

, so travelled to

Salem Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...

and become a production boy in a Studio. But, after two-and-a-half years, the studio was shut down and went back to

. He got back to sketches, then painting, then doing magazine covers. One of his designing assignments was for one of Producer

B. Nagi Reddy Bommireddy Nagi Reddi (2 December 1912 – 25 February 2004) was an Indian film producer and director mainly in Telugu cinema. He set up Vijaya Vauhini Studios in Chennai, which was then Asia's biggest film studio. As his elder brother (who w ...

's magazines. The production house was so impressed with his talent that when they bought Vahini Studio in 1951,

Nagi Reddy Bommireddy Nagi Reddi (2 December 1912 – 25 February 2004) was an Indian film producer and director mainly in Telugu cinema. He set up Vijaya Vauhini Studios in Chennai, which was then Asia's biggest film studio. As his elder brother (who was ...

's son appointed him as a paid apprentice in the painting department. He got a job as an art director in an English play produced by the daughter of the then

Andhra Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

Chief Minister. They had three performances in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

, one for the then

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

Dr.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (; 5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975), natively Radhakrishnayya, was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He served as the 2nd President of India from 1962 to 1967. He also 1st Vice President of India from 1952 ...

, another for then

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...

and the third for then Army Chief

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

K. M. Cariappa ' Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa (28 January 1899 – 15 May 1993) was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army. He led Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He was appoin ...

. ''

Ninamaninja Kalpadukal ''Ninamaninja Kalpadukal'' (Bloodstained Footprints) is a 1963 Malayalam language film, directed by N. N. Pisharody and produced by N.K. Karunakara Pillai and Shobhana Parameswaran Nair. The lead role is played by Prem Nazir, with Ambika, Sheel ...

'' was his first movie Malayalam movie as the art director and his debut in the field of film direction in the 60s with the film '' Rosie'' (1965).

Career

Menon's ''

Olavum Theeravum ''Olavum Theeravum'' () is a 1970 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by P. N. Menon, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and produced by P. A. Backer. It stars Madhu and Ushanandini, with Jose Prakash, Philomina, and Nilambur Balan in ...

'' based on

M. T. Vasudevan Nair Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair (born 1933 July 15 ), popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He is a prolific and versatile writer in modern Malayalam literature, and is one of the masters of post-I ...

's script and released in 1970. It won the

Kerala State Film Award for Best Film The Kerala State Film Award for Best Film is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to the best film in Malayalam cinema. The awards are managed directly by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy under the Department ...

. Menon's boldest film is '' Kuttiyedathi'' (Eldest Sister), again based on a short story by

. Perhaps his most successful commercial film was ''

Chembarathi ''Chemparathy'' () is a 1972 Malayalam-language film directed by P. N. Menon and written by Malayattoor Ramakrishnan. It was produced by S. K. Nair (S. Krishnan Nair), a famous literary personality and the founder of '' Malayalanadu'' weekly. ...

'' (

Hibiscus ''Hibiscus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species ...

) which was based on a script by

Malayattoor Ramakrishnan K. V. Ramakrishna Iyer, better known by his pen name, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (27 May 1927 – 27 December 1997), was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, cartoonist, lawyer, judicial magistrate, and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of ...

and starred newcomers like Raghavan, Sudhir and

Roja Ramani Roja Ramani (also known as Chemparathy Shobana; born 16 September 1959) is an Indian actress who predominantly worked in Malayalam and Telugu films. She was a child actor and her debut movie was '' Bhakta Prahlada'' (1967) for which she receive ...

(Sobhana) along with veteran actors like

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 ...

and

Rani Chandra Rani Chandra (1949 – 1976), born in Kochi, Kerala, was a Malayalam film actress and winner of the Miss Kerala Title. She died in a plane crash in 1976. She acted in several landmark films such as '' Nellu'' (Malayalam, 1974), ''Bhadrakali'' ...

. Another script of

named ''

Gayathri Gayatri (Sanskrit: गायत्री, IAST:Gāyatrī) is the personified form of the Gayatri Mantra, a popular hymn from Vedic texts. She is also known as Savitri, and bears the epithet of ''Vedamata'' (mother of the Vedas). Gayatri is ofte ...

'' which was directed by him was awarded the President's Special Film Award Medal for National Integration. Menon's film ''

Malamukalile Daivam ''Malamukalile Daivam'' (''The God Atop the Hill'') is a 1983 Malayalam film directed by P. N. Menon. The film is set in a tribal village in Kerala where religious superstition and ignorance maintain stasis. A relatively intelligent boy escapes ...

'', has won

National Award The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate ...

too. After a long period of absence lasting more than a decade, he directed a film, ''Nerkkuneraey'' ("Face to Face"), in (2004).

Poster Designer

Menon made a name as a versatile Poster Designer as well. He artistic posters always helped the film to gain attention of cinegoers. He has also done posters even for

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

films like ''

Anokha Rishta ''Anokha Rishta'' is a 1986 Hindi film, directed by prominent Malayalam director I.V. Sasi, written by Rahi Masoom Raza, and starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead, supported by Smita Patil, Sabeeha, Tanuja, Shafi Inamdar, Satish Shah and Karan Sh ...

'' starring

Rajesh Khanna Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a record ...

. Some of the Malayalam films he had designed posters are ''

Oomakkuyil ''Ooma Kuyil'' is a 1983 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by Balu Mahendra and produced by Joseph Abraham. The film stars Y. Gee. Mahendra, Aruna and Poornima Jayaram. The film has a musical score by Ilaiyaraaja. The film is a remake o ...

'', ''

Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal ''Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal'' (English: Woolly pods of Kakkothikkavu) is a 1988 Malayalam-language drama film produced jointly by Ousepachan Vaalakuzhy and Fazil, directed by Kamal and written by Fazil. The film is heroine-oriented ...

'', ''

Itha Innu Muthal ''Itha Innu Muthal'' is a 1984 Indian Malayalam-language comedy film directed by Reji (T. S. Suresh Babu), starring Shankar Panikkar, Shankar, Sreenath, Maniyanpilla Raju, Ranipadmini, with extended cameos by Mammootty and Mohanlal. The movie . ...

'', ''

Poomadhathe Pennu ''Poomadhathe Pennu'' is a 1984 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by Hariharan and produced by G. P. Vijayakumar. The film stars Prem Nazir, Unnimary, K. P. Ummer and M. G. Soman. The film's score was composed by G. Devarajan. Plot ' ...

'', ''

Aavanazhi ''Aavanazhi'' is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by I. V. Sasi, written by T. Damodaran. The film deals with social and political issues of that time. It stars Mammootty, Geetha, Seema, Sukumaran, Captain Raju, Janardan ...

'', ''

Amrutham Gamaya ''Amrutham Gamaya'' , (translation: ''Path to immortality'') is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and produced by P. K. R. Pillai. It features Mohanlal in the lead role, along wi ...

'' and ''

Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal ''Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal'' (English: The 1000 Sivarathries of Manivathoor) is 1987 Malayalam film, starring Mammootty and directed by Fazil. It was the last film of the eminent music director M. B. Sreenivasan, who died less than ...

''.

Personal life

His wife's name was Bharathi Menon and they had two daughters, named Rajasree and Jayasree. Popular film director

was his nephew, and was trained by him in direction. Bharathan predeceased his uncle.

Death

During his last years, Menon lived with his daughter in

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

. He suffered from many serious illnesses like

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

during this period. Finally, he died on 9 September 2008 aged 82, at a private hospital in Kochi. He was cremated with full state honours at Ravipuram Crematorium the next day.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

* 1970 –

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

: ''

'' * 1972 – Second Best Film: ''

'' * 1973 – Second Best Film: ''

'' * 1983 – Special Jury Award: ''

'' * 2001 –

National Film Awards

* 1973 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam: ''Gayathri'' * 1983 – Best Feature Film in Malayalam: ''Malamukalile Daivam''

Filmography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menon, P. N. 20th-century Indian film directors Malayalam film directors 1928 births 2008 deaths Kerala State Film Award winners People from Thrissur district Indian art directors Tamil film directors Film directors from Kerala J. C. Daniel Award winners