Kavya Mela

1965 138’ b&w Malayalam d M. Krishnan Nair p T.E. Vasudevan pc Jayamaruthi Prod. st A.K.V. sc S.L. Puram Sadanandan lyr Vyalar Rama Varma c C.J. Mohan m V. Dakshinamurthy lp Prem Nazir, Sheela, Adoor Bhasi, Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai, Nellicode Bhaskaran, S.P. Pillai, Murali, Ramesh, Nilambur Aisha

Tear-jerking Malayalam adaptation of Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa (1957) and one of Prem Nazir’s classic tragic lover performances. He plays Jayadevan, a blind poet, who is starved of the love of his family by a cruel sister-in-law. He strikes up a relationship with Shridevi (Sheela) whose doctor father restores his eyesight but forbids a marriage. His best friend steals Jayadevan’s poetry and publishes it in his own name, thus becoming rich and famous while the original author suffers in a cruel world. In the end, when Jayadevan is recognised as the writer and offered a major award, he rejects the honour.

Film