THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘P Subramaniam- Malayalacinemayile Bheeshmacharyan’, the biography by novelist and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi was released here on Saturday. The book was released by actor Mohanlal by handing it over to actor Madhu at a function jointly organized by Merryland Studio and Malayalam Television Fraternity at Tagore Theatre. The event was attended by singer K J Yesudas, poet-bureaucrat K Jayakumar, actresses K R Vijaya, Malllika Sukumaran and others.
At the function, Jayakumar said Subramaniam had a very humble beginning. “He started as a clerk with the Thiruvananthapuram water works and later rose to become a tycoon in the Indian film industry,” Jayakumar said.
“With his determination, humbleness and prayer he ventured out into the world of cinema and made a lasting impact on the history of Malayalam cinema. He was a disciplined filmmaker and had strived to follow certain values in his personal and professional lives,” Jayakumar added.
Jayakumar said the book was a lucidly and well-researched one, and said the work should have to be read by those who love and follow cinema.
Addressing the gathering, Sreekumaran Thampi said that Subramaniam was a father-like figure for him who had extended his love and affection throughout his life.
“It is a dream come true experience for me. I have so far written 24 books. But this book is close to me in many ways. I have taken the utmost care in crafting each page. This book is of 224 pages. In normal course, it takes me a month to complete that many pages. But for this book, it took me two and a half years. I had to cross check each and every detail,” said Thampi.
Meanwhile, Madhu in his address said Merryland Studio was like an ashram and during the time of Subramaniam it had an atmosphere of a ‘gurukula’.
“What makes Subramaniam distinct is that he had in-depth knowledge of cinema. His knowledge is not limited to cinema making, he had thorough knowledge on its business aspects,” said Madhu.