KOZHIKODE: The children of writer M T Vasudevan Nair have come out strongly against a recently published book that focuses on his first wife, Prameela Nair, alleging that it contains factual inaccuracies, half-truths, and deliberate distortions aimed at tarnishing the reputation of their late father and family.
In a detailed public statement, MT’s daughters Sitara and Aswathi Nair demanded the immediate withdrawal of the book, ‘eMpTy sPaCe: Bashpeekruthayude Aaram Viral’, jointly authored by Deedi Damodaran and Echmukutty, and published by Book Worm. They warned that failure to withdraw the book would force them to initiate appropriate legal and remedial action.
In the statement posted on Facebook, the daughters alleged that the book was written without the consent or knowledge of the family. They accused the authors of attempting a character assassination of MT after his death. Prameela passed away 26 years ago, while MT died just over a year ago.
According to the statement, the book, which claims to narrate the life of Prameela Nair, contains largely unverified, untrue, and speculative content, much of it seemingly based on hearsay rather than documented facts.
“Most of the claims made in the book are factually incorrect and entirely baseless. Several allegations against our father have no foundation whatsoever,” it said. Sitara and Aswathi said the publication has caused deep emotional pain and humiliation to them and their extended family. “As children, the mental anguish and insult we are enduring because of this book is impossible to express in words. When defamatory remarks are made about our father, it directly affects us and future generations of our family,” they noted. The sisters stressed that maligning deceased persons for fame or financial gain is ethically unacceptable, especially in cultural and literary sphere.
‘Portions on MT based on existing biographies’
The family cautioned readers that the book is filled with twisted narratives. “We believe the cultural community will distance itself from this work,” the statement said .
Responding briefly to the controversy, co-author Deedi Damodaran said readers could judge the book for themselves. “Anyone who reads the book in its entirety can decide whether the allegations are true or false,” she said, adding that portions related to MT were based on quotations from existing biographies and not personal interpretations.
The other co-author, Echmukutty, has not issued a detailed public response so far. The authors have maintained that the book draws from letters and diary entries attributed to Prameela Nair, a claim disputed by the family.