Prem Nazir
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Prem Nazir (born Abdul Khader; 7 April 1926 – 16 January 1989) was an Indian actor known as one of
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' ...
's definitive leading men of his generation. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential actors in the history of
Indian cinema The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ko ...
. A popular cultural icon of
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, Nazir is often referred to as ''Nithyaharitha Nayakan'' ("Evergreen Hero"). Nazir began his career as a stage actor and made his film debut with the 1952 film ''
Marumakal ''Marumakal'' () is a 1952 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film directed by M. K. Chari, written by Kedamangalam Sadanandan and produced by Paul Kallungal. The film marks the onscreen debut of Prem Nazir, who played the lead role, and al ...
''. He took on the stage name Prem Nazir on the sets of his second film, ''
Visappinte Vili ''Visappinte Vili'' () is a 1952 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan Rao and produced by Kunchacko and K. V. Koshi under the banner of K&K Combines. It stars Prem Nazir, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Kumari Thankam, Pankajavalli, ...
'' (1952). Nazir is noted for his performances in films such as ''
Murappennu ''Murappennu'' is a 1965 Malayalam-language drama film directed by A. Vincent and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The film stars Prem Nazir in the lead role with an ensemble supporting cast including Sharada, Madhu, Jyothilakshmi, K. P. Um ...
'' (1965), ''
Udhyogastha ''Udhyogastha'' is a 1967 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu and produced by P. K. Devadas and P. S. Das. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Madhu and Sharada in the lead roles. The film was scored by M. S. Baburaj. Plot Udhyogasth ...
'' (1967), ''
Iruttinte Athmavu ''Iruttinte Athmavu'' () is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by P. Bhaskaran and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair based on his own short story of the same name. It stars Prem Nazir and Sharada in lead roles with Thikkurissy Sukum ...
'' (1967), ''
Kallichellamma ''Kallichellamma'' is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. Bhaskaran. It is based on the novel of the same name by G. Vivekanandan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Sheela and Adoor Bhasi. It was released on 22 August 1969. S ...
'' (1969), ''
Virunnukari ''Virunnukari'' is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by P. Venu. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Sheela and Usha. Cast *Prem Nazir as Madhavankutty * Madhu as Sethu *Sheela as Radha *Jayabharathi as Shantha *Ambi ...
'' (1969), ''
Nadhi ''Nadhi'' ( en, River) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by K. Thamaraiselvan. The film stars Sam Jones, Anandhi and Karu Pazhaniappan in the lead roles. It was released on 22 July 2022. Cast * Sam Jones as Thamizh *A ...
'' (1969), '' C.I.D. Nazir'' (1971), ''
Anubhavangal Paalichakal ''Anubhavangal Paalichakal'' () is a 1971 Malayalam-language film scripted by Thoppil Bhasi and directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. The film stars Sathyan, Prem Na ...
'' (1971), ''
Taxi Car ''Taxi Car'' is a 1972 Indian Malayalam- language detective film, directed and produced by P. Venu. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sadhana, Vijayasree and Vincent in the lead roles. The film had musical score by R. K. Shekhar. Thie film is a s ...
'' (1972), ''
Azhakulla Saleena ''Azhakulla Saleena'' ( ml, അഴകുള്ള സെലീന) is a 1973 Indian Malayalam-language film, based on the novel of the same name by Muttathu Varkey, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan and produced by K. S. R. Moorthy. The film st ...
'' (1973), '' Nellu'' (1974), ''
Ariyappedatha Rahasyam ''Ariyappedatha Rahasyam'' is a 1981 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu and produced by Koshi Ninan, John Philip, Koshi Philip and Raji George. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, Jayabharathi and Jose Prakash in the lead roles. The film ...
'' (1981), ''
Vida Parayum Munpe ''Vida Parayum Munpe'' () is a 1981 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan, written by John Paul and produced by Innocent and David Kachappilli. The film stars Prem Nazir and Nedumudi Venu in lead roles, while Lakshmi, Innocent, Bha ...
'' (1981), '' Padayottam'' (1982), and ''
Dhwani ''Dhwani (ധ്വനി)'' (meaning sound, melody or music) is a 1988 Malayalam-language musical romance film directed by A. T. Abu. It was the last completed film of veteran actor and evergreen hero of Malayalam cinema Prem Nazir who died o ...
'' (1988). Nazir won the
Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury Award) The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Ch ...
for his role as Madhavan Kutty in ''Vida Parayum Munpe''. The
Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
honoured him with the
Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
the third highest civilian honours respectively, for his contribution towards the arts. He died due to
measles Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than , cough, ...
on 16 January 1989 at the age of 62. Nazir holds the
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for playing opposite the same heroine in 130 films (with
Sheela Sheela Ravichandran (Born 22 March 1945) is an Indian actress and director who appears predominantly in Malayalam cinema. Paired with Prem Nazir, they hold the Guinness World Record for acting in the largest number of films (130) together as h ...
), and previously held the record for playing the lead role in a record 720 films. He also holds two other acting records; for acting opposite eighty heroines and for acting in lead roles in 30 films which were released in a single year (1973 and 1977).


Early life

Nazir was born in
Chirayinkeezhu Chirayinkeezhu is a town in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It was also hometown of famous Malayalam Film actor Prem Nazir . It is the seat of Chirayinkeezhu taluk. Anjengo Fort The well known Anjengo Fort (''Anchu ...
in the princely state of
Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...
(now in
Thiruvananthapuram district Thiruvananthapuram District (), is the southernmost district in the Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, which is also Kerala's administrative centre. The present d ...
of
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
), to Akkode Shahul Hamid and Asuma Beevi on 7 April 1927 in
Rowther Rowther (anglicised as ''Irauttar'', ''Rawther, Ravuttar'' ''Ravutta'', ''Rahtore'', ''Ravuthar'') is a Tamil Speaking Muslim community from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Rowthers are Tamil tribes converted to islam by Preacher Nath ...
Family. He had two brothers -
Prem Nawas Prem Nawas (born Abdul Wahab) was an Indian actor and producer in Malayalam cinema, and the younger brother of Malayalam cinema actor Prem Nazir. His parents were Shahul Hameed and Asmabeevi. He lost his mother at a very young age, and his fath ...
(Abdul Wahab) - and Ashraf and six sisters - Sulekha, Arifa, Aneesa, Umaiba, Sunaisa and Suhara. His mother died when he was very young, and his father remarried a woman of the same name. He completed his formal education from
Kadinamkulam Kadinamkulam is a panchayat and the northern suburb of Trivandrum City. It is one of the residential and industrial area of Trivandrum City in Kerala, India. It is situated 22 km north of Trivandrum, 20 km from Varkala, 20 km fro ...
Lower Primary School, Sri Chithiravilasam School,
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
,
SD College, Alappuzha Sanatana Dharma College or S. D. College is an educational institution in Alappuzha, Kerala, India, affiliated with the University of Kerala. It is one of the oldest affiliated aided colleges under the University of Kerala. The college has been r ...
, and
St. Berchmans College St. Berchmans College, Changanassery (Autonomous), also known as SB College, is one of the first Autonomous Colleges in Kerala. One of the most famous colleges in India, the college has a strength of 3000 students with 800 hostlers. Currently, ...
,
Changanassery Changanassery or Changanacherry is a municipal town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India. History The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam era d ...
. By the time he completed his education, he had become an experienced drama artist.


Career


Entry into cinema

Prem Nazir had his acting debut as Shylock in the play ''
The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...
'' (1951), when he was a student at SB College, Changanacherry. He won the best actor award for this role in the play directed by Sheppard. His first film was ''
Marumakal ''Marumakal'' () is a 1952 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film directed by M. K. Chari, written by Kedamangalam Sadanandan and produced by Paul Kallungal. The film marks the onscreen debut of Prem Nazir, who played the lead role, and al ...
'' (1952), directed by S. K. Chari and produced by Paul Kallungal. He was credited as Abdul Khader in this film. He got his career break with ''
Visappinte Vili ''Visappinte Vili'' () is a 1952 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan Rao and produced by Kunchacko and K. V. Koshi under the banner of K&K Combines. It stars Prem Nazir, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Kumari Thankam, Pankajavalli, ...
'' (1952), his second film, made for K&K Combines (Udaya Studio) by Telugu director Mohan Rao. It was on the set of this movie he was renamed to Prem Nazir by
Thikkurussi Sukumaran Nair Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair (16 October 191611 March 1997) was an Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padma Shri fro ...
. Prem Nazir started his career when drama was the most popular visual medium and film making at its infancy. He began acting for the Excel Productions (Udaya Studio) and most of his films were for the Udaya and
Merryland Studio Merryland Studio is an Indian film studio based in Trivandrum, Kerala. It was the second film studio in Kerala, established in 1950 by former Trivandrum mayor and businessman P. Subramaniam. He produced 70 films, 59 of them directed by himself ...
s.


1950s: Rise to stardom

With the arrival of Nazir, there was a new screen personality, a new debonair actor who could be a youth heart throb. Prem Nazir acquired the halo of a romantic hero and a loyal following. His tear-jerkers were very popular with female audiences and soon made him a darling of the masses. He became the first real star of Malayalam cinema. Another factor that assisted Prem Nazir's rise – as it had the rise of his contemporaries in other regional film industries – was the continuing reign of mythologicals and devotionals. Costumed musicals, filmed start-to-finish within the confines of a studio, contributed their own. All such films for a long period kept him before his fans, nourished his romantic image and provided him unlimited scope for rehearsing and refining his talent in playing diverse roles. Since the bulk of South Indian cinema was theatrical visually and aurally, Prem Nazir's stage background and his extraordinary command of Malayalam helped him win the hearts of his audience.


1960s, 1970s: Golden years

In the late 1950s, Nazir drew attention by playing movies with themes based on social and religious injustices in the society. From 1956 to 1976, Prem Nazir rode high at the crest of a tidal wave of popularity and also gave his best to Malayalam cinema. Nazir catapulted to the row of the finest actors of India with the film ''
Iruttinte Athmavu ''Iruttinte Athmavu'' () is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by P. Bhaskaran and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair based on his own short story of the same name. It stars Prem Nazir and Sharada in lead roles with Thikkurissy Sukum ...
'' (1967). Playing a demented youth – Velayadhan, Prem Nazir discovered his prowess as a dramatic actor of great intensity. Many critics have evaluated this role as his masterpiece, and as one of the finest onscreen performances ever. Written by
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 ...
, the film provided Malayalam cinema with a new direction; that of the low-budget film. One could see a lot of the pre-occupations of the scenarist, who carried the touches of human relationships through all of his subsequent films whether as screenplay writer or director. In spite of its large number of studio shots and overall theatricality, the film was so culturally rich that many of the episodes would become archetypes for future Malayalam film makers dealing with family drama. It depicted the story of an imbecile (finely portrayed by Prem Nazir) in a joint family with remarkable sensitivity and seriousness of purpose. During his peak time, Nazir gave life to many characters and enjoyed a wide popularity among all sects of the society. He acted in the first-ever investigative series in Malayalam cinema '' C.I.D. Nazir'' directed by
P. Venu P. Venu (8 November 1940 – 25 May 2011), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south Indi ...
. He has played historical characters based on ''
Vadakkan Pattukal Vadakkan Pattukal (literally, ''the songs of the north'') are a collection of Malayalam ballads from the medieval period. The songs present stories of heroes such as Aromal Chekavar and Thacholi Othenan, and heroines like Unniyarcha. The stories ...
''. ''
Aromalunni ''Aromalunni'' is a 1975 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by Kunchacko, based on ''Vadakkan Pattukal'', a collection of Northern Ballads of medieval origin. The film stars Prem Nazir, Vijayasree, Ravichandran and Sheela ...
'', ''
Kannappanunni ''Kannappanunni'' is a 1977 Indian Malayalam-language film based on Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial art of India. It was the 100th film featuring Prem Nazir and Sheela as the leading pair. It was Udaya Studio's 75th film. The film was d ...
'', ''
Thacholi Ambu ''Thacholi Ambu'' is a 1978 Indian Malayalam-language historical drama film directed and produced by Navodaya Appachan under Navodaya Studio. It was the first anamorphic CinemaScope film in Malayalam. Starring Prem Nazir in the title role, Sivaj ...
'' and '' Padayottam'' are some major films in this genre. Although the actor faced criticism for playing such roles as his physique was least suited for it, he still enjoyed a huge fan following among the audiences. He was well known for his roles as Hindu deities like
Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
,
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
and
Ayyappa Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil. Although devotion t ...
. In his movies, Nazir was well known for playing the eternal romantic hero and the good guy who would bash up the villains without remorse. Even though Nazir could not regenerate after the mid-1970s, he maintained his superstardom till the beginning of the 1980s. In 1979, 39 of his films got released; a record. He also holds the record for having acted in the most leading roles – about 700 films (with 85 heroines; another record). Another record is for the most enduring screen team along with actress
Sheela Sheela Ravichandran (Born 22 March 1945) is an Indian actress and director who appears predominantly in Malayalam cinema. Paired with Prem Nazir, they hold the Guinness World Record for acting in the largest number of films (130) together as h ...
. They played opposite each other in 130 movies by 1975. Although Sheela is known as the lucky mascot of Prem Nazir, his movies with other heroines like
Jayabharathi Jayabharathi is an Indian actress. She is a two-time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress. Jayabharathi's first leading role was given by director P. Bhaskaran for his movie Kattukurangu in 1969. Later she became one of ...
and Sharada were also big successes at box office. Prem Nazir pairing with comedian
Adoor Bhasi K. Bhaskaran Nair (1 March 1929 – 29 March 1990), known by his stage name Adoor Bhasi, was an Indian actor and film director from Kerala. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the man who stands next to the hero. His hilarious actions and role ...
was a sure-fire laugh riot. The void left by this duo is yet to be occupied. Nazir's association with playback singer K. J. Yesudas was perfect for the audience. Even today many consider the Nazir – Yesudas combination of song sequences remain the best ever on screen. He is quite popularly described as Nithyaharithanayakan (The Evergreen Hero), which does justice to the fact that he was acting as the hero in his elder years as well. Senior Malayalam cine actress
Kaviyoor Ponnamma Kaviyoor Ponnamma is an Indian actress who appears in Malayalam films and television. She began her career performing in theatre dramas before foraying into cinema. She has also acted in TV serials and commercials and has playback singing cred ...
has revealed that Prem Nazir was a very good singer, and had training in
Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
.


1980s: Late career

By the beginning of the 1980s, Nazir himself moved into supporting roles. He mostly played supporting roles with the then super stars
Jayan Krishnan Nair (25 July 1939 – 16 November 1980), better known by his stage name Jayan, was an Indian actor, naval officer, stunt performer and cultural icon of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in over 150 Malayalam films. During his film caree ...
,
Sukumaran Edappal Ponnamkuzhi Veettil Parameswaran Sukumaran Nair (10 June 1948 – 16 June 1997), known mononymously as Sukumaran, was an Indian actor and producer of Malayalam films. Sukumaran became a popular film star in Malayalam cinema during the 1 ...
,
Shankar Shankar may refer to: People * Shankar (name), including a list of people with the name * Sankar (writer) (Mani Shankar Mukherjee), Bengali writer * L. Shankar, Indian violinist *S. Shankar, Indian film director commonly credited as Shankar * San ...
and
Soman Soman (or GD, EA 1210, Zoman, PFMP, A-255, systematic name: ''O''-pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic chemical substance. It is a nerve agent, interfering with normal functioning of the mammalian nervous system by inhibiti ...
. In 1980, he acted in ''
Ariyappedatha Rahasyam ''Ariyappedatha Rahasyam'' is a 1981 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu and produced by Koshi Ninan, John Philip, Koshi Philip and Raji George. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, Jayabharathi and Jose Prakash in the lead roles. The film ...
'' directed by
P. Venu P. Venu (8 November 1940 – 25 May 2011), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south Indi ...
along with action hero ''
Jayan Krishnan Nair (25 July 1939 – 16 November 1980), better known by his stage name Jayan, was an Indian actor, naval officer, stunt performer and cultural icon of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in over 150 Malayalam films. During his film caree ...
''. In 1981, he played a major supporting role in Mohan's ''
Vida Parayum Munpe ''Vida Parayum Munpe'' () is a 1981 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan, written by John Paul and produced by Innocent and David Kachappilli. The film stars Prem Nazir and Nedumudi Venu in lead roles, while Lakshmi, Innocent, Bha ...
'' that earned him the Kerala State Special Jury Award. This shift, from a super romantic hero to character roles, gave him many powerful characters during the mid-1980s.His most iconic role till date came in the form of Padayottam released in 1982. Based loosely on the evergreen classic, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas,Nazir played the titular role of Thamban,a prince who is cheated by his so called dear ones and friends and made a slave in a vessel. How he returns and hunts down those who were responsible for wrecking his life forms the crux of the story. The role has been lauded by many in the film fraternity who were amazed at the transformation of a hero who played romantic roles and the good samaritan to a machismo character who breathes revenge. He played his last hero role in '' Vellarikka Pattanam'' (1985) along with Ratheesh. Nevertheless the ''Padayottam'' was the biggest blockbuster at the time of its release running in packed theatres for one year and remained so for many years to come. It is also reputed the Nazir missed the National award for best actor by just one vote for his most famous iconic role that year. His second last film was ''
Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi ''Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi'' () is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language comedy film, directed by Priyadarshan starring an ensemble cast of Shankar, Menaka, Mukesh, Prem Nazir, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari, Seema, and Innocent in the lead roles. Sree ...
''(1986), where he starred with Mukesh, Shankar, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari and Seema. His last completed film was A. T. Abu's ''
Dhwani ''Dhwani (ധ്വനി)'' (meaning sound, melody or music) is a 1988 Malayalam-language musical romance film directed by A. T. Abu. It was the last completed film of veteran actor and evergreen hero of Malayalam cinema Prem Nazir who died o ...
'' (1988), in which he co-starred with
Jayaram Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasiona ...
. His last release was
Priyadarshan Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi films, while also having done six films in Tamil and two films in Telugu. He has done about 31 films in Hi ...
's ''
Kadathanadan Ambadi ''Kadathanadan Ambadi'' is a 1990 Indian Malayalam-language sword and sorcery film directed by Priyadarshan and written by Cochin Haneefa. It is a sequel to the 1964 film ''Thacholi Othenan'' and the 1970 film '' Othenente Makan''. The film sta ...
'' (1990), in which he co-starred with
Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeare ...
. In one of his last interviews, he had expressed a desire to direct a film with
Mammootty Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail (; born 7 September 1951), known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil l ...
and
Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeare ...
in the lead.


Popular film genres

Two popular film genres initiated by Prem Nazir are the C.I.D series and the Vadakkanpattu series. The former is a group of investigative films by
P. Venu P. Venu (8 November 1940 – 25 May 2011), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south Indi ...
in which Nazir played James Bond like protagonists. In most of these movies Nazir teamed with
Adoor Bhasi K. Bhaskaran Nair (1 March 1929 – 29 March 1990), known by his stage name Adoor Bhasi, was an Indian actor and film director from Kerala. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the man who stands next to the hero. His hilarious actions and role ...
, a famed comedy actor who would accompany Nazir characters in investigations. These hit mainstream popularity with the trendsetter ''Lanka Dahanam'' and are perhaps the single most popular movie series in Malayalam film history. The waves created by this movie series continue in Malayalam cinema, arguably to this day. '' C.I.D. Nazir'' directed by
P. Venu P. Venu (8 November 1940 – 25 May 2011), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south Indi ...
, has inspired numerous adaptations and similar series like for example popular CBI series with Mammootty in the lead and a satirical CID series of Mohanlal-Sreenivasan team. Other inspired films are ''C.I.D Unnikrishnan'' starring
Jayaram Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasiona ...
and ''C.I.D Moosa'' with
Dileep Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai, better known by his stage name Dileep, is an Indian actor, producer, and businessman who predominantly works in the Malayalam film industry. He has acted in more than 150 films and has won several awards, inc ...
in the lead. Another popular film series starring Nazir was a series of movies based on Vadakanpaattu which are part of the traditional folklore of Kerala. These are tales of martial warriors spread over generations through folk songs. Although the series may have been initiated by Sathyan's title role in ''Thacholi Othenan'', the trend was continued long after his demise with Nazir in the lead, playing various other characters from Vadakkanpattu. Nazir later teamed with other actors like
Jayan Krishnan Nair (25 July 1939 – 16 November 1980), better known by his stage name Jayan, was an Indian actor, naval officer, stunt performer and cultural icon of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in over 150 Malayalam films. During his film caree ...
,
Shankar Shankar may refer to: People * Shankar (name), including a list of people with the name * Sankar (writer) (Mani Shankar Mukherjee), Bengali writer * L. Shankar, Indian violinist *S. Shankar, Indian film director commonly credited as Shankar * San ...
,
Mammootty Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail (; born 7 September 1951), known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil l ...
,
Jayaram Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasiona ...
and
Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeare ...
in later films of this category.


Personal life


Family

Prem Nazir was married to Habeeba Beevi and they have one son and three daughters. Laila (settled at Calicut), Rasiya (married to Mr. Hashim, Businessman from Kannur & settled at Chennai) – both elder to
Shanavas Shanawas Prem Nazir is an Indian actor who appears in Malayalam film . He is the son of legendary Malayalam actor Prem Nazir (Evergreen Hero of Malayalam Cinema). He has acted in more than 50 Malayalam films. Background Shanawas was born at T ...
. The youngest daughter is Rita (married to Doctor Sharafuddin of Punalur & settled at Muscat).
Shanavas Shanawas Prem Nazir is an Indian actor who appears in Malayalam film . He is the son of legendary Malayalam actor Prem Nazir (Evergreen Hero of Malayalam Cinema). He has acted in more than 50 Malayalam films. Background Shanawas was born at T ...
's wife Ayisha Beevi is the daughter of the eldest sister of Prem Nazir, Suleikha Beevi. Prem Nazir's son
Shanavas Shanawas Prem Nazir is an Indian actor who appears in Malayalam film . He is the son of legendary Malayalam actor Prem Nazir (Evergreen Hero of Malayalam Cinema). He has acted in more than 50 Malayalam films. Background Shanawas was born at T ...
acted in few films as well but could not succeed like his father. Third generation of Prem Nazir,
Shanavas Shanawas Prem Nazir is an Indian actor who appears in Malayalam film . He is the son of legendary Malayalam actor Prem Nazir (Evergreen Hero of Malayalam Cinema). He has acted in more than 50 Malayalam films. Background Shanawas was born at T ...
's son Shameer Khan, acted in a Malayalam film, ''
Uppukandam Brothers Back in Action ''Uppukandam Brothers Back in Action'' is a 2011 Malayalam film, it stars Srikanth, Honey Rose and Babu Antony in main role. It is a sequel to the 1993 film ''Uppukandam Brothers''. The film received negative reviews. It was later dubbed and r ...
''. Prem Nazir's younger brother
Prem Nawas Prem Nawas (born Abdul Wahab) was an Indian actor and producer in Malayalam cinema, and the younger brother of Malayalam cinema actor Prem Nazir. His parents were Shahul Hameed and Asmabeevi. He lost his mother at a very young age, and his fath ...
(Abdul Wahab) also acted in a few films. Although he was the first in the family to begin acting in movies, he later began producing films – ''Agniputhri, Thulaavarsham, Poojakku Edukatha Pookkal, Neethi'' and ''Keni'', to name a few.
Prem Nawas Prem Nawas (born Abdul Wahab) was an Indian actor and producer in Malayalam cinema, and the younger brother of Malayalam cinema actor Prem Nazir. His parents were Shahul Hameed and Asmabeevi. He lost his mother at a very young age, and his fath ...
's only son, Prem Kishore has also had a stint with the industry by acting in two Malayalam films – ''Vacation'' and ''Thaskaraputran''.
Prem Nawas Prem Nawas (born Abdul Wahab) was an Indian actor and producer in Malayalam cinema, and the younger brother of Malayalam cinema actor Prem Nazir. His parents were Shahul Hameed and Asmabeevi. He lost his mother at a very young age, and his fath ...
has the distinction of acting in the first ever colour film made in Malayalam – ''Kandam Vechu Kottu''.


Philanthropic work

Nazir is said to be a humanitarian and its still an ongoing debate as to whether he was greater as an actor or as a humanitarian though majority are of the opinion that he was a greater person as a humanitarian. This fact can be established by the phrase many of the old film veterans exclaimed that there will never be another Prem Nazir. He was arguably the only actor who treated his colleagues, well wishers and family with the same manner. Nazir had helped thousands of people in his life time. It is said that he never cared about the gratitude or ingratitude factor but just was happy that he could help some one. In fact it was not until after his death that his relatives, friends and well wishers realised his generosity when they met its beneficiaries. He was one of the very few who strove to make his close friend, Jayan a superstar. When Jayan succumbed to his injuries from his famed helicopter flight in Kolilakkam, it was Nazir who singlehandedly financed a flight from Chennai to bring his mortal remains back to Trivandrum. He also was responsible for recommending and giving chances to his film colleagues. Its reputed that he had a sharp memory and could immediately recognize someone instantly. He along with veteran director Sasikumar had helped many bankrupt producers who had pledged their assets to make films, regain their limelight. If any film he had acted failed to perform well he would immediately ask the producer to start the next film and that he would give his dates. Such was the generosity of Prem Nazir that his age had been truly termed as the golden age of Malayalam film where he elevated the film industry to another level by helping not only himself but everyone else in film industry attain growth. He donated an elephant in the Sarkara Devi Temple, Chirayinkil. Nazir also wrote a book on the film characters he played, ''Enne Thediyethiya Kathapatrangal''. And his autobiographical book is ''Anubhvangal Oarmakal''.Famous director and lyrist Sreekumarn Thambi wrote a book about his soulmate in the title ''Prem Nazir Enna Prema Ganam''.


Death

It was during the late 1980s that Nazir, despite being a person with no political affiliations, campaigned rigorously for a running candidate in politics who happened to be a close friend of his. Due to his sincerity, dedication and tireless nature to help people in need, Nazir, who was a
diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased app ...
, failed to have proper food at times as he placed his mission much above his health. However all this took a toll on this and he became admitted to Vijaya hospital due to
peptic ulcer Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines i ...
which happens due to irregularity of having food. During that stint many of his fans had come to see him and since it was impossible in those days to contain a large following people just poured in to check the well being of their favorite actor. In that crowd it is said that there was a person who had measles and had freshly bathed which would increase the germs to spread. Nazir in his weak physique contracted it and this led his feeble condition to deteriorate further. Even though valiant attempts were made like trying to bring medicines from abroad to treat him, it all ended up in fiasco and the ''Nithya Haritha Nayakan'' died in the early hours of 16 January 1989, aged 62. His dead body was transported via aeroplane to Thiruvananthapuram, and via a special bus to his native land, where he was buried with full state honours.


Awards

Prem Nazir won his only
Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
in 1981; He won
Filmfare Special Award - South ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, a ...
for numerous films in 1976 and he won a Special Jury Award for the supporting role he played in the film ''Vida Parayum Munbe''. He was awarded the
Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
in 1983 by the President of India in recognition of distinguished services of a high order to the nation in his field (acting). The Prem Nazir Award was initiated in his memory, in 1992, for excellence in contributions to 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' ...
Industry. He has also held the position of
National Film 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 Directora ...
jury in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
.


Legacy and influence

Prem Nazir is known to be the most influential and trendsetting lead actor in Malayalam. He is known for his amazing longevity in that he was active during the peak years of other iconic Malayalam superstars like Sathyan and
Jayan Krishnan Nair (25 July 1939 – 16 November 1980), better known by his stage name Jayan, was an Indian actor, naval officer, stunt performer and cultural icon of the 1970s and 1980s. He starred in over 150 Malayalam films. During his film caree ...
acting alongside them in 1960s and 1970s respectively. Nazir who began his movie career in the early 1950s, later acted alongside popular future stars like
Shankar Shankar may refer to: People * Shankar (name), including a list of people with the name * Sankar (writer) (Mani Shankar Mukherjee), Bengali writer * L. Shankar, Indian violinist *S. Shankar, Indian film director commonly credited as Shankar * San ...
,
Mammootty Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail (; born 7 September 1951), known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil l ...
and
Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeare ...
by the 1980s. He was a mainstream superstar in Malayalam cinema for over 30 years from the late 1950s to late 1980s. He also has an unofficial recognition of playing a campus character while in his late fifties. Prem Nazir has the distinction of acting with the same heroine; Sheela, in over 100 films. Nazir is generally considered the ultimate romantic hero in Malayalam cinema due to his handsomeness and ease of acting in romantic roles particularly in romantic song sequences. His song sequences combined with the lyrics of
Vayalar Vayalar is a village in Cherthala taluk, Alapuzha district, Kerala state, India. Location Vayalar is 5 km from Cherthala, Kerala. Vayalar is bounded on the east by the Vayalar kayal which is a part of the famous Vembanad backwate ...
, tunes of
Devarajan Paravoor Govindan Devarajan (1927–2006), popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was an Indian music composer and Carnatic singer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Indian film music. He sco ...
and voice of K.J. Yesudas produced what is called the golden era of Malayalam film songs. Prem Nazir has also appeared in the highest number of dual roles (more than 40) in Indian films and perhaps in world cinema.


Filmography


Important roles


Films in which Nazir played dual roles

Prem Nazir holds the record of playing double roles in more than 40 films of his career. The first movie in which he had played a double role was the historical film, Kunjali Marakkar, directed by SS Rajan. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. 1 ''
Kunjali Marakkar Kunjali Marakkar (alternatively spelled Kunhali Marakkar) was the title inherited by the Admiral of the fleet of the Samoothiri / Zamorin, the king of Kozhikode / Calicut, in present-day Kerala, India. There were four Marakkars whose war tacti ...
'' (1966) as Antonio/Narayanan Nair 2 ''
Udhyogastha ''Udhyogastha'' is a 1967 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu and produced by P. K. Devadas and P. S. Das. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Madhu and Sharada in the lead roles. The film was scored by M. S. Baburaj. Plot Udhyogasth ...
'' (1967) 3 ''
Virunnukari ''Virunnukari'' is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by P. Venu. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Sheela and Usha. Cast *Prem Nazir as Madhavankutty * Madhu as Sethu *Sheela as Radha *Jayabharathi as Shantha *Ambi ...
'' (1969) 4 '' C.I.D. Nazir'' (1971) 5 ''
Taxi Car ''Taxi Car'' is a 1972 Indian Malayalam- language detective film, directed and produced by P. Venu. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sadhana, Vijayasree and Vincent in the lead roles. The film had musical score by R. K. Shekhar. Thie film is a s ...
'' (1972) 6 '' Thirichadi'' (1971) as Kuttappan/Venu 7 '' Rahasyam'' (1969) as Babu/K.K.Nair 8 ''Seemantha Puthran '' (1978) as Surendran/Jayadevan 9 ''
Makane Ninakku Vendi ''Makane Ninakku Vendi'' is a 1971 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by E. N. Balakrishnan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sheela, Kaviyoor Ponnamma and Adoor Bhasi. The film had musical score by G. Devarajan. Cast * Prem Nazir as Sam, T ...
'' (1971) as Sam/Thomachan 10 ''
Aromalunni ''Aromalunni'' is a 1975 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by Kunchacko, based on ''Vadakkan Pattukal'', a collection of Northern Ballads of medieval origin. The film stars Prem Nazir, Vijayasree, Ravichandran and Sheela ...
'' (1974) as Kunjiraman/Aromalunni 11 ''Gandharvakshethram'' (1974) as Gandharvan/Velayudhan 12 '' Postmane Kananilla'' (1973) as Ramu/Aniyan 13 ''
Football Champion ''Football Champion'' is a 1973 Indian Malayalam-language sports film produced by T. E. Vasudevan under the banner of Jaya Maruthi, directed by A. B. Raj and written by V. Devan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sujatha, Jayakumari, K. P. Ummer, Ad ...
'' (1976) as Vijayan/ Thakil Veerachami 14 ''
Thenaruvi ''Thenaruvi'' is a 1973 Indian Malayalam film, directed and produced by Kunchacko. The film stars Prem Nazir, Vijayasree, Adoor Bhasi, G. K. Pillai and K. P. Ummer in the lead roles. The film had musical score by G. Devarajan. Cast *Prem Naz ...
'' (1976) as Rajan/Mannaan. 15 ''Ragapournami'' (1978) as Vinayan/Ajayan 16 '' Thacholi Marumakan Chandu'' (1980) as Othenan/Kutty 17 ''
Honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...
'' (1974) 18 ''Mamangam'' (1980) as Marathandan/Kannan 19 '' Pathiravum Pakalvelichavum'' (1974) 20 ''
Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around co ...
'' (1974) as Prof. Damodaran/Ramu 21 '' Kottaaram Vilkkaanundu'' (1975) as Murali 22 ''
Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...
'' (1975) as Ravivarma/Rajagopal 23 '' Pichathikuttappan'' (1979) 24 '' Aaranyakaantam'' (1979) as Unnikrishnan/Duplicate Unni 25 ''
Ariyappedatha Rahasyam ''Ariyappedatha Rahasyam'' is a 1981 Indian Malayalam film, directed by P. Venu and produced by Koshi Ninan, John Philip, Koshi Philip and Raji George. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, Jayabharathi and Jose Prakash in the lead roles. The film ...
'' (1981) 26 ''Kadamattathachan'' (1978) as Ravivarma/Kadamattathu Kathanar 27 '' Ajayanum Vijayanum'' (1978) as Ajayan/Vijayan 28 '' Paarijatham'' (1976) 29 ''
Vanadevatha ''Vanadevatha'' is a 1976 Cinema of India, Indian Malayalam language, Malayalam film, directed and produced by Yusufali Kechery. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhushala and Adoor Bhasi in the lead roles. This is remake of the Hindi movie ''Madhum ...
'' (1976) as Chandran/Suresh 30 ''
Chennaaya Valarthiya Kutty ''Chennaaya Valarthiya Kutty'' is a 1976 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed and produced by Kunchacko. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sharada, Jayabharathi and Adoor Bhasi. The film has musical score by M. K. Arjunan. Cast * Prem Nazir ...
'' (1976) as Sreeni/Maranchadi. 31 ''
Kannappanunni ''Kannappanunni'' is a 1977 Indian Malayalam-language film based on Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial art of India. It was the 100th film featuring Prem Nazir and Sheela as the leading pair. It was Udaya Studio's 75th film. The film was d ...
'' (1981) as Durgadasan/Kannappanunni. 32 ''
Kadathanaattu Maakkam ''Kadathanaattu Maakkam'' is a 1978 Indian Malayalam-language epic-fantasy film directed and produced by Navodaya Appachan under Navodaya Studio. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, Sheela and Sukumari in the lead roles. The film has musical scor ...
'' (1978) as Nambeeshan/Kannan. 33 '' Kanalkattakal'' (1979) as Panikkar/Vijayan. 28 ''
Aanappaachan ''Aanappaachan'' is a 1978 Indian Malayalam film, directed by A. Vincent and produced by Boban Kunchacko. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, Sheela and Adoor Bhasi in the lead roles. The film has musical score by G. Devarajan. Cast *Prem Nazi ...
'' (1978) as Paachan/Gopi. 29 '' Vijayanum Veeranum'' (1982) as Vijayan/Veeran. 30 '' Anthapuram'' (1981) 31 ''
Sanchari ''Sanchari'' () is a 1981 Indian Malayalam-language film produced and directed by Boban Kunchacko and written by P. K. Sarangapani. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayan, K. P. Ummer, Mohanlal, and Adoor Bhasi in substantial roles. The film featu ...
'' (1981) as Sumesh/Suresh 32 ''
Post Mortem An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any dis ...
'' (1982) as Vikariyachan/C.I.of Police. 33''
Marupacha ''Marupacha'' is a 1982 Indian Malayalam film, directed and produced by S. Babu. The film stars Prem Nazir, Swapna and Sukumari in the lead roles. The film has musical score by A. T. Ummer. Cast *Prem Nazir as Premachandran, Prem Kumar (doub ...
'' (1982) as PremKumar, Premchandran 34 ''
Ente Katha ''Ente Kadha'' (''My Story'') is an autobiography written by Kamala Surayya Kamala Surayya (born Kamala; 31 March 1934 – 31 May 2009), popularly known by her one-time pen name Madhavikutty and married name Kamala Das, was an Indian po ...
'' (1983) as Sreekumar/Sankar 35 ''
Justice Raja ''Justice Raja'' is a 1983 Indian Malayalam language film, directed by R. Krishnamoorthy. The film stars Prem Nazir, Menaka, Balan K. Nair and K. R. Vijaya. The film has musical score by Gangai Amaran. The film was a remake of Telugu film ' ...
'' (1983) as Justice Raja/Son of Raja. 36. Muhammadum musthafayum (1978) as Rajan/Babu 37. Rajurahim (1978) as Raju and Rahim 38. Mallanum Mathevanum 39. Anweshanam (1978) as Gopi/Venu 40. Adachangala (1978) as Ravi/Johnny 41. Ammini Ammavan (1977) as Anandhan/Suresh


Films in which Nazir played triple roles

# ''
Ernakulam Junction Ernakulam Junction railway station (also known as Ernakulam South, code: ERS) is the biggest railway station in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Controlling 376 train routes at a time, it is the busiest railway junction station in South Indi ...
'' (1971) # ''
Pushpanjali Pushpanjali (Sanskrit:पुष्पाञ्जलि, literally ''folded hands full of flowers'') is an offering of flowers to Hindu deities. Pushpanjali is the first dance in a Bharatnatyam performance. It is the salutation to the lord of d ...
'' (1972) # ''
Amme Narayana ''Amme Narayana'' is a 1984 Indian Malayalam film, directed by N. P. Suresh and produced by Purushan Alappuzha. The film stars Prem Nazir, Srividya, Sukumaran and Baby Shalini in the lead roles. The film has musical score by A. T. Ummer. Cas ...
'' (1984)


Other important films and characters

* '' Avakashi'' (1954) * ''
Murappennu ''Murappennu'' is a 1965 Malayalam-language drama film directed by A. Vincent and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The film stars Prem Nazir in the lead role with an ensemble supporting cast including Sharada, Madhu, Jyothilakshmi, K. P. Um ...
'' (1965) * ''
Odeyil Ninnu ''Odayil Ninnu'' () is a Malayalam novel written by Indian author P. Kesavadev in 1942. The protagonist of the novel is a rickshaw-puller named Pappu. The novel is one of the best-known works of Kesavadev. Dev was in the forefront among the writ ...
'' (From the Gutter) – The 1966 film was based on the novel of the same name by
P. Kesavadev P. Kesava Pillai (20 July 1904 – 1 July 1983), better known by his pen-name P. Kesavadev, was a novelist and social reformer of Kerala, India. He is remembered for his speeches, autobiographies, novels, dramas, short stories, and films. ''Oday ...
. * ''
Iruttinte Athmavu ''Iruttinte Athmavu'' () is a 1967 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by P. Bhaskaran and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair based on his own short story of the same name. It stars Prem Nazir and Sharada in lead roles with Thikkurissy Sukum ...
'' (The Soul of Darkness) (1966) – Nazir played the mentally challenged Bhrantan Velayudhan in this film based on the classic novel by
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 ...
. * ''
Nagarame Nandi ''Nagarame Nanni'' is a 1967 Malayalam language film, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by A. Vincent. The film stars Prem Nazir, Usha Nandhini, Madhu and K. P. Ummer among others. The film tells the story of a family that migrate ...
'' hanks to the City(1967) * ''
Nadhi ''Nadhi'' ( en, River) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by K. Thamaraiselvan. The film stars Sam Jones, Anandhi and Karu Pazhaniappan in the lead roles. It was released on 22 July 2022. Cast * Sam Jones as Thamizh *A ...
'' (The River) (1969), ''
Adimakal ''Adimakal'' () is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan and produced by M. O. Joseph. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Sheela and Sharada. The film had musical score and songs composed by G. Devarajan. It ...
'' (1969), ''
Kallichellamma ''Kallichellamma'' is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. Bhaskaran. It is based on the novel of the same name by G. Vivekanandan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Sheela and Adoor Bhasi. It was released on 22 August 1969. S ...
'' (1969) * '' Ningalenne Communistakki'' (You Made Me a Communist) – The 1970 film was based on the drama of the same name by
Thoppil Bhasi Thoppil Bhaskara Pillai, known as Thoppil Bhasi (8 April 1924 – 8 December 1992) was an Indian Malayalam-language playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He was associated with the communist movement in Kerala and his play '' Ningalenne ...
. * ''
Thriveni ''Thriveni'' is a 1970 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by A. Vincent and produced by C. V. Sridhar via Chitralaya, the company's only film in the language. The film stars Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Sharada, Savita G. Thampi and Kaviyoo ...
'' (1970), '' Thurakkaatha Vaathil'' he Door Never Opens(1970) * ''
Anubhavangal Paalichakal ''Anubhavangal Paalichakal'' () is a 1971 Malayalam-language film scripted by Thoppil Bhasi and directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. The film stars Sathyan, Prem Na ...
'' (Experiences and Failures) (1971) – The story of persecutions and suffering of communists in the early days of modern
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. Nazir played one of the heroes alongside Sathyan. * '' C.I.D. Nazir'' (1971) – A investigative series by
P. Venu P. Venu (8 November 1940 – 25 May 2011), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist with over 20 films to his name.His directorial venture Udhyogastha in 1967 was the first-ever multi-star cast film of the south Indi ...
* ''
Vilakku Vangiya Veena ''Vilakku Vangiya Veena'' is a 1971 Indian Malayalam film, directed and produced by P. Bhaskaran. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Sharada, Usha and KPAC Lalitha in the lead roles. The film had musical score by V. Dakshinamoorthy. Plot ...
'' (1971) * '' Maaya'' (1972), '' Aaradi Manninte Janmi'' he Landlord of 6 feet Earth(1972) * ''
Pani Theeratha Veedu ''Panitheeratha Veedu'' () is a 1973 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Nanditha Bose, Roja Ramani and Jose Prakash. It is an adaptation of Parappurath's 1964 novel of the same name. It wo ...
'' he House never completes(1973), ''Interview'' (1973) * ''
Achani ''Achani'' (''Accāṇi'', ) is a 1973 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by A. Vincent and produced by K. Ravindran Nair. The film stars Prem Nazir, Nanditha Bose, Adoor Bhasi and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. It tells the story of a t ...
'' (1973) * '' Pathiravum Pakalvelichavum'' idnight & Daylight(1974) * '' Pravaham'' urrent(1975) * ''
Seemantha Puthran ''Seemanthaputhran'' () is a 1976 Indian Malayalam film, directed by A. B. Raj and produced by R. S. Sreenivasan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Jayabharathi, KPAC Lalitha and Adoor Bhasi in the lead roles. The film has musical score by M. K. Ar ...
'' he First Son(1976), ''
Themmadi Velappan ''Themmadi Velappan'' is a 1976 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by Hariharan (director), Hariharan and produced by G. P. Balan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu (actor), Madhu, Jayabharathi and KPAC Lalitha. It was released on 12 Novemb ...
'' diot ''Velappan''(1976), '' Amrithavaahini'' (1976) * ''
Vishukkani ''Vishukkani'' is a 1977 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by J. Sasikumar and produced by R. M. Sundaram. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sharada, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and Sankaradi. It is a remake of the Tamil film ''Karpagam''. P ...
'' (1977), ''
Randu Lokam ''Randu Lokam'' is a 1977 Cinema of India, Indian Malayalam language, Malayalam film, directed by J. Sasikumar and produced by Hari Pothan. The film stars Prem Nazir, Sharada (actress), Sharada, Jayabharathi and M. G. Soman in the lead roles. Th ...
'' (1977) * ''
Snehathinte Mukhangal ''Snehathinte Mukhangal'' is a 1978 Indian Malayalam film, directed by Hariharan and produced by K. C. Joy. The film stars Prem Nazir, Madhu, Jayabharathi and Janardanan in the lead roles. The film has a music score by M. S. Viswanathan. C ...
'' he Faces of Love(1978) * '' Asthamikkatha Pakalukal'' he Days never Ends(1981) * '' Karipuranda Jeevithangal'' 00th Film Got Outstanding Performance Award(1981) * ''
Vida Parayum Munpe ''Vida Parayum Munpe'' () is a 1981 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Mohan, written by John Paul and produced by Innocent and David Kachappilli. The film stars Prem Nazir and Nedumudi Venu in lead roles, while Lakshmi, Innocent, Bha ...
'' (Before saying Goodbye) (1981) – Nazir received a special jury award for this film in the 1981
Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
. * '' Padayottam'' (The Campaign) (1982) – Its story was inspired by
Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...
classic novel
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
and the treatment of the film was inspired by that of '' Ben-Hur''. * ''
Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi ''Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi'' () is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language comedy film, directed by Priyadarshan starring an ensemble cast of Shankar, Menaka, Mukesh, Prem Nazir, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari, Seema, and Innocent in the lead roles. Sree ...
'' (Neighbour The Pauper!) (1986) – A comedy film by
Priyadarshan Priyadarshan (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Hindi films, while also having done six films in Tamil and two films in Telugu. He has done about 31 films in Hi ...
, Nazir performed as a middle-aged father. * ''
Dhwani ''Dhwani (ധ്വനി)'' (meaning sound, melody or music) is a 1988 Malayalam-language musical romance film directed by A. T. Abu. It was the last completed film of veteran actor and evergreen hero of Malayalam cinema Prem Nazir who died o ...
'' (The Sound) (1988) – This was his last completed film. The film was a hit due to several factors like the excellent performances by Prem Nazir,
Jayaram Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasiona ...
,
Shobhana Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai (born 21 March 1970) is an Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer. She acts predominantly in Malayalam films along with Telugu and Tamil films with few Hindi, Kannada and English films. She has won two National Fil ...
,
Suresh Gopi Suresh Gopi (born 26 June 1958) is an Indian actor, politician, playback singer and television presenter. He works predominantly in Malayalam cinema and has also appeared in some Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bollywood films. Suresh made his acti ...
,
Thilakan Palappurathu Kesavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012) was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films. Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting, realistic and spontaneous appearan ...
, and the everlasting music by maestro
Naushad Ali Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was an Indian music director for Hindi films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and foremost music directors of the Hindi film industry. He is particularly known for popularising the ...
.


References


External links

*
Prem Nazeer
at the MSI Movie Database * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nazir, Prem Indian male film actors Male actors from Thiruvananthapuram 1926 births 1989 deaths Kerala State Film Award winners Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Male actors in Malayalam cinema 20th-century Indian male actors