Munshi Paramu Pillai

Munshi Paramu Pillai is a famous classic scriptwriter, journalist, and playwright who worked predominantly in the Malayalam and Tamil film industries. Born KR Parameshwaran Pillai, Paramu Pillai was a multi-faceted personality widely known as the 'Bernard Shaw of Kerala.' Born in 1894 to Kochukunju Pillai and Ummini Amma in Koparethu House in Ammakanda Kara in Peringanad, he started writing in C.V. Kunjuraman's magazine 'Navjeevan.' Paramu Pillai became Munshi when he passed the 7th standard. He took teaching as a profession, although he had quit the job in the interim. During his teenage, he acted in K.C. Kesava Pillai's play 'Sadarama.' The renowned Malayalam writer E.V. Krishna Pillai was his neighbor and soul friend.

He was an eminent influence on Paramu's writing career. Paramu Pillai holds a significant place in Malayalam theater production. He dominated the Malayalam plays during the period 1945–65. Some of his prominent plays include Suprabha (2 parts), Kallanmarude Rahasyangal (Secrets of Thieves), Madhuvidhu (Honeymoon), Ente Swaraj (My Swaraj), and Kallan Njana (I am the Thief). His plays were staged by renowned theater production companies, gaining him wider popularity as a writer. He started working in the film industry as a scriptwriter through the Malayalam movie 'Prasanna.' The film, released in 1950, was directed by S.M. Sriramulu Naidu and produced by Pakshiraja Studios. Later, the movie was made in Tamil, for which Paramu wrote the screenplay. Munshi Paramu Pillai was an eminent part of the Malayalam film industry.

He wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogue for classic movies such as Vanamala (1951), Sandehi (1954), Kanchana (1952), Kaalam Marrunnu (1995), and Taskara Veeran (1957). The famous Tamil movie 'Manmakal' was the film adaptation of Paramu's play 'Suprabha.' Paramu Pillai was also a renowned editor. He was the editor of the classic periodical in Malayalam, 'Prasannakeralam.' He also edited several other magazines, such as Janayugam, Sarasan, Jwala, and Malayalee Rajyam, among many others. He was also a satirist and political critic. He fearlessly criticized the then-political system of Kerala under the control of Diwan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyengar.

His articles aimed to attack the government. His political stand made him popular among the masses. A renowned writer, satirist, journalist, and social activist, Munshi Paramu Pillai, died on June 16, 1962, in Adoor. Most of his works cease to survive today. Only a few survived because of the dedication and efforts of Shri NS Salim Kumar, who established the Munshi Paramu Pillai Memorial Center, which aimed at compiling his works. Salim Kumar's book 'Munshi Paramu Pillai: Vyakthiyum Jeevithavum' provides a detailed account of Paramu Pillai's life and literary works.