J. Sasikumar
| J. Sasikumar | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Nambiathusseril Varkey John 14 Oct 1927 Allappuzha, Kerala |
| Died | 17 Jul 2014 Kochi, Kerala |
| Other names | Sasikumar |
| Occupation | Director Actor Writer |
| Years active | 1927–1990 |
| Spouse(s) | Thresiamma |
| Parent(s) | N. L. Varkey, Mariya |
Nambiathusseril Varkey John (14 October 1927 – 17 July 2014), better known by his screen name Sasikumar, was an Indian film director who worked in Malayalam cinema. One of the most prolific directors in world cinema, he directed more than 141 movies in his film career which began in the mid-1960s. He is often referred to as Hitmaker Sasikumar mainly due to the commercial success of his films.
Sasikumar holds three world records: the records for most number of films (141), most number of films having the same actor as hero (Prem Nazir in 84 films) and the most number of films directed in a year (15 films in 1977). He died in 2014 at the age of 87.
He was born on 14 October 1927 to N L Varkey and Mariya in Allappuzha, Kerala. His original name was N.V. John. He had displayed a flair for acting in dramas even when he was a boy of 10. He completed his school education from Leo Thirteenth High school, Alleppey and St.Ephrem's School, Mannanam. During his college life he had represented Kerala University football team. He passed out as a graduate in Economics from Sacred Hearts College, Thevara.
During his studies in the schools and colleges, he had proved his flair for acting in dramas especially of the Shakespearean genre. Later on, Kunchacko of Udaya Studios, Alleppey, identified his talent and gave him a role to act in his film Visappinte Vili in which he acted as villain against the Evergreen Hero, Prem Nazir. This happened to be the first film in Malayalam in which a villain fights with the hero without a dupe and that role was performed with aplomb by Sasikumar. Subsequently, in addition to acting in several films produced by Udaya Studios he worked as the Assistant director of Kunchacko in those films. It was Kunchacko who identified that Sasikumar had in his repertoire the necessary talent and skills required for a director of movies.
Later on, he joined Merryland Studios, owned by the veteran director-producer P. Subramaniam. It was under his tutelage that Sasikumar was transformed into a great director. While in Merryland he worked with many renowned actors of that time, including T. K. Balachandran, Prem Nazir and Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair. He worked as associate director to P. Subramaniam in addition to acting in some roles himself. Sasikumar still considers P.Subramanyam as a fatherly icon who had showered upon him fatherly affection and regards during his tenure at Merryland. The first independent film directed by Sasikumar was a documentary,namely ONAKKAZHCHA for Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) regarding the use and effectiveness of fertilizers in agriculture.
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