A Hollywood actor who rubbed shoulders with legends like Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, the hero of the 1953 Mollywood flick ‘Thiramala’, a filmmaker, writer, cartoonist, music composer, musician, magician and entrepreneur, Thomas Burleigh Kurishingal’s accomplishments are long and interesting like the history of his dear hometown Fort Kochi.
The life of this multifaceted personality was long, eventful and colourful as well as worthy of several chronicles. Blessed by the muse in more ways than one, Thomas was a towering presence in the art and cultural circles of Kochi until he passed away on December 16.
Born into the ancient, affluent and prominent Kurishingal family of Fort Kochi in 1938 as the second son of Chevalier KJ Burleigh and Annie, who were at the vanguard of the freedom struggle, Thomas grew up watching several stalwarts of the freedom movement visit their two-centuries-old tharavadu (ancestral house) to hold discussions with his parents.
In some interviews, he even shared how his parents took the toddler Thomas along when they went to Tamil Nadu to meet Gandhi and invite him to Fort Kochi, which was then British Cochin. During the tete-a-tete, the Mahatma took the child in his arms and presented him with an orange.
Both his parents served as councillors for many years and one of his brothers Earnest was jailed by the British in connection with the little-known Naval mutiny of Kochi.
First tryst with celluloid
Right from childhood, Thomas Burleigh was artistically inclined and when he was barely 21, he landed the role of the hero in the Malayalam movie ‘Thiramala’ in 1953. The opportunity came knocking when Thomas was in Kochi after his intermediate studies at Loyola College, Chennai.
The movie was remarkable in different aspects. In fact, Satyan, who essayed the role of the villain in the movie, later went on to become a legend in Mollywood. It also marked the entry of Ramu Kariat of ‘Chemmeen’ fame as assistant director and musical maestro Baburaj as assistant music director.
Fort Kochi to California
Always ambitious and eager to explore new avenues, Thomas Burleigh set his eyes on Hollywood after the release of ‘Thiramala’. He wrote to Hollywood’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences seeking admission to study filmmaking. Impressed by the young man’s dream and his calibre, the authorities wrote to him suggesting the University of California nearby. He was selected and thus began his American sojourn.
Those were the days when only very few Indians were fortunate enough to go to the United States for higher studies. During his days in university in the early 1950s as a student of Applied Arts with Specialisation in Cinema, he was tutored by none other than Nancy Reagan, actor and the wife of future American President Ronald Reagan.
The Malayali Mexican gangster
While studying in California, someone told the young handsome guy from India that he should try his luck in Hollywood and through an agent he landed small roles, often those of a Mexican gangster.
“His rugged, tanned look gave him a Latino appearance and that fetched him quite a number of roles in Hollywood movies,” reminisces former Kochi Mayor KJ Sohan who is closely related to Thomas whom he affectionately calls ‘Kuttan Chettan’.
Many mistook him for a Latino and used to address him as Senor Thomas only to discover to their bewilderment that he was an Indian Christian. Decades later, Mollywood director Lijo Jose Pellissery roped him in the 2015 movie ‘Double Barrel’ in which he once again played a Don just like how it used to be in Hollywood decades ago.
Rubbing shoulders with Hollywood legends
“Perhaps, he is the first Kochiite to have appeared in Hollywood movies,” says Sohan, adding that Thomas appeared in movies and TV shows such as ‘Never So Few’, ‘Gunsmoke’, and 'Wanted Dead or Alive’ among others.
It was his stint with Hollywood that made him closely associate with legends such as Frank Sinatra, Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida and Marlon Brando.
Donning the garb of an entrepreneur
After his long stint in the United States, Thomas returned to his hometown to take up the reins of the family’s seafood business in 1971. KG Lawrence, Managing Partner of Kochi-based Geo Seafoods and a longtime associate of Thomas, remembers his friend as the one who changed the fortunes of seafood exporters in Kochi.
“I can say that Thomas Burleigh was the architect of Indian seafood exports to the West Coast of America, which includes California. When he returned to Kochi, he brought an American buyer and introduced him to seafood exporters here and thus began the flow of marine products to the West Coast fetching the much-needed foreign exchange for the country. Until then, seafood exports from India went solely to the East Coast, especially cities such as New York,” says Lawrence.
Irresistible lure of cinema
In spite of being an astute entrepreneur, Thomas continued to hone his diverse skills and did not distance himself from the world of movies.
In 1973, he made his directorial debut with ‘Ithu Manushyanano’ starring KP Ummer and Sheela. In 1985, he came out with ‘Vellarikkapattanam’ featuring Prem Nazir, Jagathy Sreekumar and Sukumari. Interestingly, it was Thomas who unveiled the musician within himself by penning the music scores.
For Lawrence, Thomas was Kerala’s own version of Bollywood’s Raj Kapoor as “he was an actor, director, scriptwriter, and lyricist rolled into one”.
A man of taste
According to Sohan, Thomas grew up in the company of books and globally acclaimed publications such as Time and Newsweek.
“No wonder he was a treasure trove of knowledge and an avid reader with a wonderful collection of books. Kuttan Chettan lent me the book ‘The True Believer’ by Eric Hoffer and it changed my worldview,” he says.
Sohan also remembers Thomas as a man of refined tastes. He could play the banjo and the violin with elan and loved philharmonic orchestras and paintings.
Even while in hospital during his last days, Kuttan Chettan managed to scribble ‘Life is a pendulum’ which is a translation of the line “Binduvil ninnum binduvilekku pendulamaadunnu jeevitham” from the famous song ‘Sughamoru bindu’ in his movie ‘Ithu Manushyanano’.
Of sketches, letters and magic
Not many are aware that Thomas was a gifted artist whose sketches have appeared in the Illustrated Weekly of India and Current magazine.
He also published a book of satirical cartoons entitled ‘O Kerala! A Misguided Guide’ in 2007. ‘Fragrant Petals’ (2004) is a work of prose-poetry dedicated to his father while ‘Sacred Savage’ (2017) is a historical novel.
“He also learnt magic from a professional magician and spent countless hours in solitude perfecting his tricks,” remembers Sohan, adding that Thomas once enthralled the audience during a meeting by substituting a welcome speech with a magical performance by making a cloth emblazoned with the words ‘Welcome to All’ appear out of thin air.
Heart and soul of Cochin Fine Arts Society
Members of the Cochin Fine Arts Society remember Thomas as their friend philosopher and guide who spread joie de vivre wherever he went. Lawrence, the president of the society, counts himself fortunate to have closely associated with Thomas, who was its patron.
Irreparable loss
“He was one of the best assets of Kochi and the void he has left can never be filled,” says Sohan.
“I was with him when he collapsed during a function in Fort Kochi and was rushed to hospital. Kochi will never be the same without him,” he adds.
Thomas Burleigh is survived by his wife, Sophy, children Tanya, Tarun and Tamina and grandchildren Tahir, Kiara and Kayaan.