CHENNAI: For those who grew up in a south Indian household in the 1950s and 60s, Kothamangalam Subbu was a familiar name. A poet, folklore expert, lyricist, author, director and actor — Subbu was best remembered for his cult classic novel Thillana Mohanambal, whose chapters were published in the popular Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan. It was made into a film starring Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini in 1968.
Earlier this week, his children released two volumes of his poetry called Marukkozhundhu (a type of flower). The work is a collection of powerful poems in folk style on varied subjects like patriotism, freedom struggle, religion, agriculture and rural life.
Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, philanthropist; Thirupur Krishnan, veteran journalist; Bharathi Baskar, orator; and Ramanan, poet presided over the function. Kothamangalam Viswanathan, eldest son of Subbu, hosted the event along with his 13 siblings as a tribute to the rich legacy of literary work left behind by their father. “I’m a hero worshipper and my father is my hero. After 40 years, we’ve released this book, compiled by my sister Lakshmi Ramachandran. The idea behind the book is to celebrate his contribution to cinema and his goal of taking poetry to the masses in simple words,” he shared. All the siblings live at Kothamangalam Subbu Illam in Avvai Shanmugam Salai. A statue of their father is installed at the entrance of the building.
Subbu was associated with Gemini Studios and has directed four films including the magnum opus Avvaiyar (1953). Despite being a name to reckon with in many aspects of film-making, Subbu chose to be a writer and is popular for his witty, folksy and timely language. The guests recalled fond memories. “I was first introduced to the legendary Kothamangalam Subbu through Thillana Mohanambal. My mother used to tell me that the ladies would eagerly wait every morning for the magazine. Some would even buy two or more copies so that everybody in the house would get to read it first. He was known for his simple language, grounded nature and charming appeal,” said Bharathi Baskar.
The book is a family effort. “We’ve been living with Appa’s work for all these years. Why not make it available to all? He had already penned a few poems under the same title. I visited the Archives and Historical Research Department of Roja Muthiah Library and Ananda Vikatan office to gather all his works. All the family members helped me categorise the topics and proof-reading,” said Lakshmi.
Subbu directed plays for All India Radio as well. “Ananda Vikatan carried many pages of Appa’s work in their Diwali editions. We felt that poetry is not as well-received as novels. Still, we decided to put together a book. He was a great father as well. Running a joint family wasn’t an easy task and people looked at him in awe even in those days. He would simply smile, even through his struggles. It’s sad that despite his contribution, there’s not much recognition for him in the city. We will always be proud of him,” cherished Viswanathan. For details, visit: www.kothamangalamsubbu.in