Noted filmmaker Thampy Kannanthanam bade adieu to the world leaving behind his dream to remake his 1986 blockbuster movie ‘Rajavinte Makan’, which catapulted actor Mohanlal to superstardom in the late 1980s.
“Though we wished to remake 'Rajavinte Makan', it didn’t take off. We had tried hard to do the remake. However, we had to give up the project due to his failing health,” revealed Mohanlal.
The actor added that no other director in the Malayalam cinema had planned to remake a movie 25 years after its release with the same hero. Opening up about the special relationship that he shared with the filmmaker, Mohanlal said, “I have known Thampy Kannanthanam since the day I began my acting career. He was the assistant director of the 1982 movie ‘Madrasile Mon’ in which I had acted. We have shared a close friendship since then. Our families too are close. We have stayed together in Madras, and he was a very dear friend to me. Most of the films in which we collaborated were superhits. But he had been unwell for the past few years, and the family moved back to Kerala from Madras.”
It was Kannanthanam who introduced Mohanlal’s son Pranav to the silver screen through the 2001 movie 'Onnaman'.
Man with the Midas touch
The deceased's first directorial venture was 'Thavalam' which released in 1983. He had directed 16 films in Malayalam, with most of them minting money at the box office. He had also proved his mettle as a screen writer, actor and producer.
The incredible success of 'Rajavinte Makan' made Kannanthanam one of the most sought-after directors in Malayalam cinema. With 'Bhoomiyile Raajakkanmar', 'Indrajaalam' and 'Naadodi', he began to be regarded as a hit-maker. These movies also played a significant role in Mohanlal’s transformation from an actor to a silver screen icon.
The director, who was a disciple of legendary Malayalam filmmakers Sasikumar and AB Raj, had used his ‘mass’ movies to convey his ideals. His movies were critiques of contemporary political scenarios. He was ready to produce the movies of other directors even when his own films were superhits. The audience saw him as an actor in more than 10 films as well.
Kannanthanam loved to make movies on bigger canvas, which appealed to the masses. Though the director went through many ups and downs in the showbiz, the master craftsman in him was always passionate about cinema, and the Malayali movie lovers wouldn’t easily forget the blockbuster entertainers helmed by him.
