N N Pillai

N. Narayana Pillai was an Indian playwright, actor, theater director, novelist, and poet. He was born on November 23, 1918, at Vaikom, Kottayam district in Kerala, India. He was versatile theater artist of Malayalam, but he has acted in few memorable movies only. Pillai has written around thirty Malayalam plays, forty one-act plays, nine full-length plays, two theoretical studies on theater and an autobiography. His plays are famous for the bold experiments in form as well as they have the unusual vision thing on many of the themes. He has received awards from Indian Government, Kerala State Government, Kerala Sathiya Academy, Sangeet Natak Akademi and Sathiya Pravathaka Samgham.

In 1972, he won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for the play Pralayam and one in 2010 for his Malayalam literature. In 2013, he was awarded Pravasi Kalaratna Award. His autobiography Njann received an award from Abu Dhabi Malaysia Samajam. He was the son of Omchery Narayana Pillai and Parukkutty Amma. Being a son of a village officer, he has done his schooling from many parts of the states. He failed in his intermediate at CMS College then he went to Malaysia for a job. During Second World War, he was in the campaigning for Indian National Army in 1939 and was in force till 1945. He stayed in there for three and half years and came back to Kerala in 1945 and settled at Olassa in Kottayam district.

He completed his education from University College, Thiruvananthapuram after which he joined the news department of Delhi; All India Radio in 1951 and later he got promoted to Editor in their publication department. He decided to pursue his higher studies in Mass Communication from Pennsylvania University and Mexico State University, and he also worked at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. His elder sister Smt. Omana was the main driving force behind him, he always used to reserve a role for her. He was married to Chinnamma who also appeared in some of his plays. He has three children, two daughters and one son. His son Vijayaraghavan is also a Malayalam film actor, and he is popular for his character roles.

Vijayaraghavan started his film career with his film debut named Kaapaalika, which was based on N N Pillai play for the same name. N N Pillai started writing poems at a very young age and worked in drama with a troupe called Viswa Kerala Kala Samithi in 1952. His first play was Ee Velicham Ningaludethakunnu (The Light is ours) and acted in all his plays. The plays were performed throughout Kerala, all over India and abroad. The Samithi was active till 2005, but after his death in 1995 it was done by his son Vijayaraghavan and son-in-law Rajendra Babu. Some of his plays are Easwaran Arrestil, Gorilla, Kapalika, Folydol, Kanakku Chembakaraman, Cross belt, Prethalokam.

Pillai acted in two movies in Malayalam, Godfather, and Nadodi both of which were a success. The movie Godfather was re-released in Telugu and Tamil language; he acted in lead role in all languages. He wrote two studies about state plays which were Nadaka Darppanam and Curtain. He wrote many novels; some of which are Pralayam, Thevarude Aana, Kallan Kayariya Veedu, Daivam Veendum Thettiddharikkappedunnu. He wrote his autobiography Njaan during his last time. He died at the age of 76 at Kottayam Medical College due to bronchial pneumonia. He is still remembered in the hearts of millions of drama and art lovers because of his powerful and unforgettable plays.