The Face Of Malayalam Cinema : Prem Nazir

Prem Nazir :The Head Of The Table

 Known as ‘Nithyaharitha Nayakan’ or the ‘Evergreen Hero’, Prem Nazir (1926-1989), born Abdul Khader, was one of the first superstars of Malayalam cinema. The trendsetting and influential actor co-starred with at least 80 different leading women and is also said to hold the Guinness World Record for playing the lead role in 524 films of which he starred opposite the actress Sheela in over 100 films. Born in Chirayinkeezhu, Travancore, in present day Kerala, Prem Nazir started early as a stage actor, making his debut in the play ‘Merchant of Venice’ while he was a student at SB College, Changanacherry. He entered into the cinematic world at a time when the industry had just started to flourish and brought a new and dazzling charisma to the screens. He got popular among the masses as a romantic hero and also acted in a diverse genre of films, becoming one of the biggest superstars from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. Rehearsing and refining his work by playing myriad roles, Prem Nazir was aided by his background in theatre and his fluent Malayalam. 

Prem Nazir made his acting debut with ‘Marumakal’, in 1952. In the same year with his second film, ‘Visiappinte Vili’, he also got coined with his stage name by Thikkurussi Sukumaran Nair. He then mainly began acting for Merryland Studios and Excel Productions (Udaya Studio). His prominent films include ‘Murappennu’ (1965), ‘Kallichellamma’ (1969), ‘Nadhi’ (1969), ‘Anubhavangal Paalichakal’ (1971), ‘Azhakulla Saleena’ (1973), ‘Vida Parayum Munpe’ (1981), ‘Padayottam’ (1982) and ‘Dhwani’ (1988), among others. Prem Nazir has played the role of Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama and Ayyappa and was known for his portrayal of historical characters in films like ‘Aromalunni’ (1972), ‘Kannappanunni’ (1977), ‘Thacholi Ambu’ (1978) and ‘Padayottam’ (1982). ‘Iruttinte Athmavu’ (1967), where he played the role of an imbecile youth, brought forth his acting prowess and is considered his career-defining and cinema-redefining performance. The film is also credited to have brought in the birth of the low-budget film which gave a new direction to Malayalam cinema and inspired a slew of culturally rich family dramas. Prem Nazir was also a part of the first-ever investigative series of Malayalam cinema called ‘C.I.D. Nazir’.

Navamy Sudhish writes for The New Indian Express, “From conventional good looks to a screen name so romantic, [Prem Nazir] is one actor who went on to redefine stardom. A name that could draw crowds, the leading god of 70 mm. But beyond the star profile and box office numbers, there was a man so humble and humane, a trait that makes Prem Nazir a stark anomaly in the world of giant egos, even today.” Lyricist and director Sreekumaran Thampi, who was associated with the actor for over 100 films, refers to him as the only superstar who never nurtured any particular fancy for the title, “Neither he, nor his fans ever used the term, and remember that he was the biggest star of his times…Every day there will be a crowd in front of his home and he always made sure that he ignored no one…He lived in a modest home, no palatial mansion. He respected the industry and was least worried about his image, he was a true hero.”