Kunchako (1912-76)
Malayalam director and major producer born in Alleppey. One of the founders of the Kerala film industry when he set up his Udaya Studio (1947) in Alleppey and made Vellinakshatram (1949). Scripted M.R.S. Mani’s Kidappadam (1954). Long-time partner K.V. Koshy (they ran K & K Prod.) claimed in his autobiography (1968) to have followed the Telugu film-maker B.N. Reddi’s example and brought respectability to Malayalam cinema mainly by distancing themselves from Tamil film’s dominant genre conventions. Collaborated closely with scenarists Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai and K.P. Kottarakkara. This period provided the first Malayalam film stars, including Augustine Joseph and Sebastian Kunju Kunju Bhagavar (actor-singers from the professional theatre), Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair and Kottarakkara Sridharan Nair. In the 60s the earlier stageinspired cinema was replaced by megastar Prem Nazir’s work. Films directed ranged across genres such as thrillers with barely concealed references to major scandals (Mainatharuvi Kola Case), political films (Pazhassi Raja, Jail, Punnapra Vyalar) and S.P. Pillai comedies (Neelisally et al., forerunners of the Adoor Bhasi style). Later films referred to literary melodrama tradition known in local parlance as the paingili novel. Also made and produced mythologicals.
FILMOGRAPHY: 1960: Umma; Seeta; Neelisally; 1961: Unniyarcha; Krishna Kuchela; 1962: Palattukoman; Bharya; 1963: Kadalamma; Rebecca; 1964: Pazhassi Raja; Ayesha; 1965: Inapravugal; Shakuntala; 1966: Jail; Anarkali; Tilottama; 1967: Mainatharuvi Kola Case; Kasavuthattam; 1968: Thirichadi; Punnapra Vyalar; Kodungalluramma; 1969: Susie; 1970: Pearl View; Dattuputhran; Othenente Makan; 1971: Panchavan Kadal; 1972: Aromalunni; Postmane Kananilla; 1973: Ponnapuram Kotta; Thenaruvi; Pavangal Pennungal; 1974: Durga; Thumbolarcha; 1975: Neela Ponman; Cheenavala; Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre; Manishada; 1976: Chennai Valarthiya Kutty; Mallanum Mathevanum; 1977: Kannappanunni.