MT Vasudevan Nair: The Writer Who Broke Stereotypes

By
N Muraleedharan
-
65
1416

Thiruvananthapuram: ‘M T’ – two simple letters that resonate deeply in the cultural consciousness of contemporary Malayalis. These initials belong to Jnanpith laureate Madath Thekkepattu Vasudevan Nair.

MT is, first and foremost, a master of short stories and novels. Yet, his influence extends far beyond literature, leaving an indelible mark on Kerala’s cultural landscape as a film scenarist and director, literary editor, memoirist, conversationalist, and playwright.

In a long and celebrated literary career that began at a young age, Malayalis had to wait decades for MT’s magnum opus, Randamoozham – broadly translated as The Second Turn.

This monumental work, first serialized in a popular weekly and later published as a book in the 1980s, delves into the wounded psyche of Bhima, the second of the Pandava brothers.

Instead of adhering to traditional narrative techniques like the stream of consciousness, MT brought a fresh, refined perspective to reimagine and relive Bhima’s journey, capturing the dramatic and poignant moments of the epic Mahabharata.

Novelists across Indian languages have often drawn from the timeless Mahabharata for inspiration, including Marathi writer V S Khandekar’s celebrated Yayati. However, MT’s Randamoozham stands apart as perhaps the first work to explore Bhima’s inner world, weaving his dilemmas into a compelling narrative that mirrors the struggles of any self-respecting human being.

Before Randamoozham, MT had already established himself as one of Malayalam’s finest storytellers. Though his novels are highly regarded, readers often consider the short story his true forte. His tales frequently depict the sorrow of men, women, and children consigned to forgotten corners, longing for consolation that never comes.

What elevates his stories is the literary craftsmanship he meticulously honed – each word chosen with precision, each line brimming with emotion. His writing eschews verbosity, skillfully avoiding excessive sentimentality while portraying personal tragedies with nuance.

MT’s early works drew heavily from his formative years in a village along the Bharathapuzha River, an area straddling the present-day Malappuram, Palakkad, and Thrissur districts – a socio-cultural region known as Valluvanad. His characters often emerged from a society in transition, reflecting the decline of matriarchal Nair families caught in the whirlwind of change.

While MT’s fiction reflected social realities, he distanced himself from Kerala’s progressive writers’ movements. In Kerala’s highly politicized cultural landscape, left-leaning critics and scholars often overlooked him for not aligning with the political and social commitments expected of writers. Yet, MT remained steadfast, undeterred by external influences.

His quiet confidence, pride, and conviction as a writer earned him widespread recognition, transcending political labels through the sheer merit of his work.

MT’s literary canvas also extended beyond Kerala – his novels ventured into far-flung locales like Nainital and Varanasi. Despite this, MT often proclaimed that his heart belonged to his small village of Kootallur, nestled along the Bharathapuzha, affectionately known as Nila.

MT’s contributions to Malayalam cinema are equally significant. His scripts, often based on his own stories, left an enduring mark. His characters spoke in brief, sharp, and poignant phrases, avoiding long-winded dialogues that blurred the line between stage and screen.

MT’s directorial debut, Nirmalyam, earned him national acclaim. However, he chose not to pursue filmmaking actively, perhaps recognizing that he was, above all, a writer.

As editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly, MT influenced an entire generation of Malayalam writers. The publication set the benchmark for quality literature for decades under his stewardship.

MT also distinguished himself through travelogues about Europe and the United States, elevating the genre beyond simple reportage.

Until his health declined, MT remained a vital presence in Kerala’s literary scene, regularly participating in major cultural events and conversations.

MT’s voice has always been bold and brimming with confidence. He believed writers should express themselves through their work. True to his convictions, he avoided affiliations with groups or cliques and kept his distance from power corridors. Yet, whenever creative freedom faced threats, MT never remained silent.

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