THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was by sheer chance that Neyyattinkara Komalam marked her entry into the world of cinema. And though she chose to leave the glitter of the silver screen after just five films, for a brief return over two decades later, she left a distinctive mark on Malayalam cinema. The yesteryear actor passed away on Thursday at the age of 96.
She breathed her last at a private hospital in Parassala, where she was undergoing treatment for heart-related ailments. She had been living with relatives for some time. Komalam lost her husband six years into their marriage.
Born Komala Menon to Pankajaksha and Kunjiyamma, she made her acting debut in Vanamala (1951), directed by G Viswanath. Her big break came playing Prem Nazir’s heroine in his debut film Marumakal (1952), which was Komalam’s third film. This movie catapulted her into annals of Malayalam film industry.
Vanamala was the first ‘jungle movie’ in Malayalam. Her next project was Aathmasanthi, released in 1952. In 1954, she acted in F Nagoor’s Sandehi before being associated with P Ramdas’ Newspaper Boy.
Released in 1955, it’s considered the first neo-realistic movie in Malayalam. Being part of a conservative family, she faced stiff resistance from relatives, who opposed her acting career. This created obstacles for Komalam and despite several production houses approaching to sign her, she decided to call it a day at the age of 21.
However, 22 years later, she made a comeback and acted in Aradhana, directed by Madhu. During the ‘80s, she also acted in three television serials. In 1994, Komalam received an honorary membership of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
In an interview to TNIE, Komalam recounted how she left her acting career in the face of unsupportive family members. “Girls from good homes were not supposed to part of films. My mother was not willing to take me to sets. My brothers were also not supportive,” she had noted with tinge of nostalgia. Komalam’s sister’s husband was the manager of Sreekrishna talkies, owned by K M K Menon, father of actor Ravikumar. One day when the crew of the movie Nalla Thanka visited her brother-in-law, they chanced upon her. They asked her to audition for the movie, which she did.
Though she was picked for the movie, her parents played spoilsport. As it turned out, it was Vanamala that marked her debut in the industry.
She had cherished memories of Prem Nazir. In another interview, she recalled how Nazir had invited her to his son’s marriage. “He sent a letter inviting me to the marriage. The moment he spotted me, he proceeded to greet me. He introduced me as his first heroine. More than an actor, he was a good human being!” she recalled.