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Treasured curios
"KINDLY give me a chance in your next film which will help express my histrionic skills,'' comedian the late, P.K.Bahadur, wrote to the director, R.Velappan Nair, in 1954. This letter is one of the treasured curios in the collection of R. Gopalakrishnan, a professional photographer in the city.
Velappan Nair was one of the reputed directors in the Fifties. Gopalakrishnan also has the letters written by Kottarakara Sreedharan Nair and many other artistes seeking chances to Velappan Nair.
Gopalakrishnan has painstakingly secured almost everything that is interesting to a cineaste ranging from music to publicity material of films starting from `Jeevitha Nouka' to the latest release.
The original manuscripts of the lyrics of various leading poets, including Thirunayanarkurichi Madhavan Nair, Vayalar Rama Varma, Sreekumaran Thampi, production estimates, contracts signed by various artistes with the production companies, song books which were sold in cinema halls some decades ago, publicity material and even the releasing dates of all films are there in his ready-reckoner.
As hectic discussions are on regarding the escalation of production cost, it would be quite interesting to note that the production expenses of a Malayalam film was Rs. 3.5 lakhs in the early Fifties. ``The film, `Lokaneethi', directed by Velappan Nair cost Rs. 3,64,993.78,'' says Gopalakrishnan displaying the production estimate of the film.
B. S. Saroja was the highest paid artiste in the Fifties. Saroja had signed a contract for Rs. 30,000 in 1952 to act in `Atmasakhi'. According to the deed, M. N. Nambiar was paid Rs. 13,000, Pankajavalli Rs. 4,001, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai Rs. 3,000 and Muthaiah Rs. 2,001.
When directors demand lakhs to do a film, Jupiter, one of the prominent production houses in Malayalam cinema, had appointed G. R. Rao on a monthly salary of Rs. 1,000 to direct a film. The deed says that Rao will not be provided food and accommodation and he will be paid a consolidated amount of Rs. 2,000 on completing the film.
Gopalakrishnan secured the manuscripts of the lyrics `Thumbapoo neyyana poonilave...' and `Atma vidyalayame...' from Madhavan Nair's daughter and the lyrics of `Ambadi poomkuyile...' which Vayalar had written in the letter pad of Salil Choudhary from Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma. His camaraderie with G. Devarajan and a host of others had also helped him secure all these documents.
Copies of the songs, `Guru brahma...' and `Kattile kuyilin...' written by Devarajan for composing the score are there in his treasured possessions. The photographs of `Balan', its hero, Alleppey Vincent, the family of J. C. Daniel, Devaki Bhai, the heroine of `Marthanda Varma' and thousand others are also there in his collections.
Though Gopalakrishnan started the collection out of mere academic interest, now he has converted it into compact discs. He has also plans to either bring out a book or host a Web site with all these details.
By N. J. Nair
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Life
Bangalore
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Coimbatore
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