From Kanyakumari to Manorathangal: Kamal Haasan fondly recalls his 50-year-old relationship with MT

In a moving tribute to the legendary writer and filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair, actor Kamal Haasan expressed that MT was the one who introduced him to the Malayalam film industry.

“We have lost a great writer. MT Vasudevan Nair, a towering figure in the world of Malayalam literature, has left us. My friendship with him, which began with the film Kanyakumari, which introduced me to the Malayalam film world, now spans fifty years,” said Kamal Haasan in his X post. He also mentioned that the friendship continued until the recent release of Manorathangal, an anthology series of nine films scripted by MT.

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“He was a prolific writer of Malayalam novels and a successful screenwriter. He left a deep impact on the field of journalism. His demise is painful for all. A unique and charismatic mind, who contributed to all forms of writing, has passed away. This is a great loss, and it will sadden readers and art lovers of South Indian literature. My heartfelt tribute to the great writer,” added Kamal Haasan.

Manorathangal

Set against the scenic backdrop of Kerala, MT’s Manorathangal delves deep into the complexities of human nature through interconnected narratives. It showcases the contradictions of human behaviour and emphasises the human capacity for empathy and primal instincts. Manorathangal features Mohanlal, Mammootty, Fahadh Faasil, and others. All nine movies (each chapter) open with a prelude showcasing Kamal Haasan in a library, immersed in MT's works, offering commentary at certain points, context at others, and consistently expressing enthusiasm.

Introducing himself, Kamal Haasan says, “You must be wondering what I have to do with this show. As far as I am concerned, I consider this a duty that I have to fulfil. The film Kanyakumari was the first turning point in my cinematic career. It was a film that took shape from the pen of a writer who has the capacity to turn all that he touches into gold. When this writer is praised and his works are celebrated, the fact that I was a link connecting his stories is for me a blessing.”

Kamal adds that the stories look at human relationships as states of bondage, “turning what we see outside us into minute observations, seeing selfishness as a synonym for love, allowing despair and hope to walk together hand-in-hand.”

“With pride and gladness, with a tinge of arrogance, I present to you, MT Vasudevan Nair’s Manorathangal,” concludes Kamal.

According to him, there can be no other writer in India who has succeeded as equally as he has in all the areas he worked in—literature, cinema, journalism, and teaching. He also adds that the way MT presents the emotions of the human mind, the truthful manifestations of human relationships, are what makes us feel that each story he tells is our own.