Thoppil Bhasi

• Name — Thoppil Bhasi • Native Name — തോപ്പിൽ ഭാസി • Birth Name — Thoppil Bhaskara Pillai • Born — 8 April 1924 • Birthplace — Vallikunnam, Kingdom of Travancore, British India (present day Alappuzha, Kerala, India) • Died — 8 December 1992 • Occupation — * Playwright • Script writer • Film director • Language — Malayalam • Spouse — Amminiamma • Children — 5 (incl. Ajayan)

Thoppil Bhaskara Pillai was born on 8 April 1924 at Vallikunnam in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore. Bhasi was the eldest son of Thoppil Parameshwaran Pillai and Nanikkutti Amma.

His elementary education was at the SNDP Sanskrit School, and later on at the Sanskrit School, Changankulangara, from where he graduated in the Sanskrit Shastri course. Knowing fully well his desire to learn indigenous medicine, his father had him enrolled at the Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram. It was here that he spearheaded the Students' Agitation that led to installing many of the facilities and rights enjoyed currently by students at the College of Ayurveda. He also graduated securing the top rank in the Vaidya Kalanidhi examination.

His deep and enduring friendship with Kambisseri Karunakaran that extended through all spheres of their lives, also saw them at the forefront of some of the most significant political agitations in central Kerala. Once a staunch supporter and activist of the Indian Congress party, Thoppil Bhasi soon distanced himself from the same on matters of principles and found his direction in the neo movement of Communism via the Communist Party of India. He was associated with the communist movements that took place in Kerala during the 1940s and 1950s. Branded a Subversive and a Wanted Man by the government, he was on the run and went underground during the period of 1948–52, as a top priority suspect in the infamous Sooranad Incident, with a Rs 1000 bounty on his head. He was later acquitted, and went on to contest the first Panchayat elections in Kerala. He won, becoming the first president of the Vallikunnom panchayat. He was elected twice to the state assembly contesting the State elections, from Bharanikkavu in 1954 against Pushpathadom Raghavan a prominent congress leader and close associate to Jawaharlal Nehru and Pathanamthitta in 1957.

• Ningalenne Communistakki (1952) • Sarvekkallu (1954) • Vishakkunna Karinkali (1954) • Shelter (1956) • Mudiyanaya Puthran (1957) • Mooladhanam (1958) • Azhiyatha Kettukal (1958) • Puthiya Aaksaham, Puthiya Bhoomi (1959) • Premavum Thyagavum (1960) • Anthyavym Thudakkavum (1961) • Ashwamedham (1962) • Sharashayya (1964) • Yudhdhakaandam (1965) • Koottukudumbam (1967) • Thulabharam (1968) • Innale, Innu Naale (1972) • Layanam (1974) • Kayyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu (1980) • Sookshikkuka, Idathuvasham Povuka (1984) • Mrichchakadikam (translation from Sanskrit, 1985) • Shakunthalam translation from Sanskrit, 1987) • Panchali (1987) • Rajani (1988) • Olivile Ormakal (drama adaptation of Thoppil Bhasi's autobiography)

Thoppil Bhasi's wedding with Amminiamma, the niece of R. Shankaranarayanan Thampi– ex-Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly was solemnised when he was on the run, a wanted man for the government. In a moving tribute, aptly titled My Comrade, Amminiamma, amongst other nuggets, shares her husband's principle of simplicity and frugality in every aspect of his life. She recalls Udaya studio's Kunchacko asking her to buy him a new shirt as he was fed up of seeing Thoppil Bhasi in the same shirt every time. Thoppil Bhasi seems to have famously remarked, "Chackochen, I have 8 shirts of the same colour and type, and all eight have the same 'beedi-burn' patch at the left side of my breast-pocket". He was the quintessential socialist, according to her. Thoppil Bhasi has 4 sons – Ajayan, Soman, Rajan and Suresh, and a daughter Mala. Ajayan went on to direct the award-winning Malayalam film Perumthachan in 1991.

Thoppil Bhasi was prolific in terms of his creative output during his active years in theatre and movies. He authored 16 full-length plays, screenplays for over 100 movies, directed 16 movies and his autobiography was titled, Oliviley Ormakal. He was a regular contributor to the Janayugom Magazine and short stories to various publications which are yet to be collated and archived.

Thoppil Bhasi died on 8 December 1992, after suffering from poor health for years. He was aged 68 then. His body was cremated with full state honours at the premises of his home the next day.

• Director • Ningalenne Communistakki (1970) • Sarasayya (1971) • Oru Sundariyude Katha (1972) • Eanippadikal (1973) • Madhavikutty (1973) • Chakravakam (1974) • Mucheettukalikkarante Makal (1975) • Ponni (1976) • Missi (1976) • Yudhakaandam (1977) • Mochanam (1979) • Ente Neelakaasham (1979) • Writer • Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961) • Aadyakiranangal (1964) • Adimakal (1969) • Thulabharam (1968) • Vivahitha (1970) • Anubhavangal Paalichakal (1971) • Chattakkari (1974) • Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu (1983) • Ente Upasana (1984)