Renowned theatre personality and Malayalam film actor P K Venukuttan Nair (81) died here on Monday. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital following prolonged illness. He breathed his last by 8 am.
Venukuttan Nair, who started his career in theatre at a young age, had won the State Government award for best drama director four times. He was also honoured by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for his outstanding contribution to the field of drama. He was also the former vice-president of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy. One of the great theatre artistes in Kerala, Venukuttan Nair was also a member of the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy and had served as a teacher in the Thrissur School of Drama.
He had directed around 95 dramas and had penned 15 plays.
He also took up the Malayalam theatre adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel ‘Anna Karenina’ and Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. He also acted in many plays as well as in 30 odd movies including ‘Swayamvaram’, ‘Ulkatal’, ‘Swapnadanam’.
His last role was in M T Vasudevan Nair’s film ‘Oru Cheru Punchiri’.
The cremation was held at Thycaud Shanthikavdam on Monday evening in the presence of a large number of disciples and well-wishers. He is survived by wife Asha Suvarnalekha.
Many noted dignitaries from the theatre and film world have condoled the demise.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph and Speaker G Karthikeyan were among those who condoled the demise of Venukuttan Nair.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala have also condoled the demise.