J. Sasikumar

Sasikumar, who was born as Nambiathusseril Varkey John in Alappuzha, was a director of Malayalam movies. His career began in the middle of the 1960’s, and he has since then directed 141 films. He is the title holder of three world records: Record for the most number of movies (141 movies), Record for having the maximum number of films with the same actor in the main role (84 movies with Prem Nazir Prem Nazir was born on 7th April 1926 and his actu >> Read More... ), and also the Record for the maximum films directed in one year (he was the director of 15 movies in the year 1977). Born to N L Vakrey and Mariya, he had a passion for acting since the age of ten. He studied at Leo Thirteenth High school in Alleppey and St.Ephrem's School in Mannanam. He graduated from Sacred Hearts College in Thevara. While studying at all of these institutions, he had taken part in many dramas, mainly of the Shakespearean kind. He first acted in Visappinte Vili opposite Prem Nazir. This movie was the first in Malayalam cinema in which no dupe was involved.

He acted in some films under the production of Udaya Studios, and he also worked as an assistant director to Kunchacko in these movies. Following this, he joined P.Subramaniam’s Merryland Studios. It was here that he gained his skills as a leader while working with popular actors such as T. K. Balachandran and Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair. At Merryland, he worked as an actor as well as an associate director. The documentary ONAKKAZHCHA, which was filmed for the Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), was his first independently directed film. He went to Chennai and directed Thomas Pictures’ Porter Kunjali and Thommante Makkal in the year 1965. He received the Certificate of Merit for the movie Kudumbini at the National Film Awards The National Film Awards gets presented every year >> Read More... . His next venture Kavalam Chundan was a flop, and this made him join the oil mill business of his father. Prem Nazir, who was now his good friend, made him go back to direction. Jeevitha Yaathra, a commercial movie, was a blockbuster, and he changed his specialty to commercial films from art movies.

The films directed by him were more often than not major hits, and this gave him the title of Hitmaker between his colleagues. He, along with Prem Nazir, helped producers regain their lost possesions and land which had been sold for producing a movie. From the years, 1969 to 1980, Sasikumar, Sreekumaran Thampy and M.K Arjunan were a force to be reckoned with. Sasikumar has also acted in a large number of movies such as Seetha, Oral Koodi Kallanayi, Umma, and Bhakta Kuchela. He has also launched many careers like that of Ravindran, a music composer, via his movie Choola. His film Rest House popularized M.K.Arjunan’s career. The movie Devadasi’s songs were major hits despite the movie not releasing due to problems with Adoor Padmakumar, the producer. He introduced the famous comic Senthil to the movie going audience via "Ithikkara Pakki" and Jagathy Sreekumar Jagathy Sreekumar, a famous Indian film actor know >> Read More... via "Chattambi Kalyani". His assistants P. G. Viswambharan, Asokan, Thampi Kannanthanam Thampi Kannanthanam is also known as Thampi, was b >> Read More... , Crossbelt Mani Crossbelt Mani was born in Thiruvananthapuram on 2 >> Read More... , and Baby all became successful directors later on in their careers. He was honored by the State Government of Kerala in 2013 with the J.C. Daniel Award for his immense contribution to Malayalam cinema. Sasikumar suffered from health problems at the end of his life. His wife and son both passed away in 2009, and he passed away in 2014. He was 87 at the time of his death and was buried by the Christian rites of his hometown.