Narendra Prasad

Raghava Kurup Narendra Prasad (26 December 1946 3 November 2003) was an Indian actor, playwright, director, teacher and literary critic. He was born at Mavelikkara in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore. Appreciated for his body language and performance by the audience and critics, he is known for portraying character roles and villain characters in Malayalam films.

Personal life He studied at N. S. S. College, Pandalam, for Pre-University and for his degree (in Mathematics). He moved to Institute of English, University of Kerala for his post-graduation in English Language and Literature. A voracious reader in Malayalam and English, Narendra Prasad distinguished himself as a potential man of letters even as a degree student. He used to take part in the Malayalam and English literary discussions, debates and competitions organised at the college and university levels, and won prizes. His play Souparnika won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985.

Narendra Prasad started his career as a college teacher; he joined Bishop Moore College in 1967 as lecturer in English. He got into government service in 1968, and worked as lecturer at Government Victoria College, Palakkad, and Govt. Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram, and as Professor at University College, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1989 while working as Professor of English at University College, he was selected for the post of Director, School of Letters of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. He continued in this post until his demise.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

Second Best Actor – 1993 – Paithrukam

Film He earned recognition as an actor with his portrayal of semi-villainous characters. His hit films include Meleparambil Aanveedu,Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava,Thalastaanam, Utsavamelam, Paithrukam, Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans, Ekalavyan, Bharanakoodam,

Yaadhavam, Aaram Thamburan, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu, Njangal Santhushtaranu, Ustaad, Vazhunnor, One Man Show, and Susanna. He acted in over 150 films, winning the State Award for the 'Best Supporting Actor' for "Paithrukam."

Death He died at PVS Hospital, Kozhikode on 3 November 2003, due to cardio-respiratory arrest. He had been admitted in Amrita Hospital, Ernakulam for apnea, caused by interstitial lung disease (ILD), a condition that caused disintegration of lungs. From there he was moved to PVS Hospital, where though he gained consciousness, he succumbed to the illness. He was aged 56 at the time of his death. He was cremated with full state honours at his home in Mavelikkara.

Filmography

As an actor 1980s Year Title Role Notes 1989 Asthikal Pookunnu Govindan

1990s Year Title Role Notes 1990 Unnikuttanu Joli Kitti 1992 Adhwaytham Sreekantan Pothuval Ootty Pattanam Rajashekhara Varma Utsavamelam Thirumeni Thalastaanam G. Parameswaran Rajashilpi Staanu Aashaan Pandu Pandoru Rajakumari Dr. Robert Franklin D'Souza Kudumbasametham Adv. Mahendran Kurup Aardram Vamadevan 1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Kunjikannan Nambyar Pravachakan MLA Kurian Padaleeputhram Kudumba Sneham Yaadhavam Chandrasenan Thalamura Nangiyattumadathil Bhadran Namboothiri Journalist Anantharama Sharma Sarovaram Paithrukam Meleparambil Anveedu Thiruvikraman Pillai Kavadiyattam Unni's father Janam Azheekkal Raghavan Ekalavyan Swami Amoorthananda Bhaagyavaan Divakaran Thekkumthara MLA Bandhukkal Sathrukkal Viswambharan Ammayane Sathyam Jaganatha Varma Aayirappara Padhmanabha Kaimal 1994 Vardhakya Puranam Mahendran Thampi Pavithram Sankaran Pillai Malappuram Haji Mahanaya Joji Kuruppu Kochaniyan Prathakshinam Parameswaran Chukkan Mahendra Varma Galileo Galileo CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed. CID Agency Head Bheesmacharya Rajakumaran Thampy Dhadha Vettukadan Vishnu Mathews Sukrutham Dr. Unni Bharanakoodam Devaraj Vendor Daniel State Licency Udayanoor Karavalpadu 1995 Tom & Jerry Ananthan Nambiar/Chandrasekhara Varma Thirumanassu Thirumanassu Mimics Action 500 Kulashekara Varma Valiyakoyi Thampuran Chaithanyam Thekkepattu Ravunni Nair Chantha Cameo Boxer Rajagopalan Thampi Sargavasantham Dr. Sarathchandra Varma Mangalam Veettil Manaseswari Gupta Mangalam Veetil Mooppil Nair Kidilol Kidilam Ramabhadran Kalyanji Anandji Dr. Shankaran Kalamasseriyil Kalyanayogam Kodalipparampil Sankara Menon Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava Kuttan Bava (Chettan Bava) Alancheri Thamprakkal Chanthappan Gurukkal Munpe Parakkunna Pakshi Ezharakoottam Andrews Nicolas Aksharam Krishna Murthy Sindoora Rekha Menon Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary Adv. Jagadish T. Nambiar 1996 Devaraagam Ramadhanapadikal Sooryaputhrikal Mayooranrithyam Sankaranarayan Sulthan Hyderali Kanchanam Billiards Menon Excuse Me Ethu Collegila Rajaputhran Vamadevan Karunakaran Kumkumacheppu Grandfather Dilliwala Rajakumaran Udhaya Varma Maharaja Kathapurushan Vasu 1997 Moonu Kodiyum Munnuru Pavanum Kalyanapittennu Raajathanthram Keshava Menon Kilikurissiyile Kudumba Mela Shrimangalathu Ananthakrishnan Bhoopathi Mahendra Varma Kannur M.P. Rajappan Suvarna Simhaasanam Meledathu Madhavan Nair Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu Meenakshi's father Kaliyattam Thamburan Innalekalillathe Lonachan Kalyanappittannu Asuravamsam Mayor Swami/Ranganathan Swamy Aaraam Thampuran Kulappully Appan Thampuran 1998 Manthri Maalikayil Manasammatham Chekuthan Lawrence Malabaril Ninnoru Manimaaran Mayilpeelikkavu Rahuleyan Kottaram Veettile Apputtan Ravunni Elavamkodu Desam Adithyan Panchaloham Kuppuvachan Mushari Sooryaputhran Mangalathu Padipurackel Jagannadhan British Market CI Jacob Purakkadan Aakhosham 1999 Vazhunnor Parakkadan Kochousepp Ustaad Nandan's father F. I. R. Rahim Haji Pranaya Nilavu Udayapuram Sulthan Avittam Thirunal Narayana Varma Rishivamsam Njangal Santhushtaranu DGP Rajasekharan Nair IPS Gopalannayarude Thaadi

2000s Year Title Role Notes 2000 Mazhanoolkkanavu Narashimham Mooppil Nair Sahayathrikakku Snehapoorvam Susanna Prof. Noor Mohammad 2001 Saivar Thirumeni Mazhamangalathu Narayanan Nampoothirippadu Ee Nadu Innale Vare Vishambharan Ambalakkadan Andolanam Randam Bhavam Ananthakrishnan's father Kakki Nakshthram Thomas Vattoly Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu Vasudeva Panicker Meghasandesam Samuel One Man Show Adv. K. R. Menon 2002 Swapnahaliyil Oru Naal Abharanacharthu Onnaman Sukumaran Menon Punyam Krishna Pakshakkilikal Videsi Nair Swadesi Nair Bhaskaran Nair Dany Fr. Simon Nakshathrakkannulla Rajakumaran Avanundoru Rajakumari Adv. Veerabhadra Kurup 2003 Mizhi Randilum Musafir Babu Varum Varunnu Vannu Varghese Vaidyan Valathottu Thirinjal Nalamathe Veedu Aditya Varma Gowrisankaram 2004 Kusruthi Sreevallabhavan Kottaram Vaidyan Bhageerathan Kerala House Udan Vilpanakku Paramu Nair 2005 The Campus Narendran Deepangal Sakshi Mullakkal Bhaskaran Nair Brahmasuran Kadha

As a dubbing artist Orkkapurathu – Voice for N. L. Balakrishnan Adharvam – Voice for Charuhasan Vaishali – Voice for Babu Antony Douthyam – Voice for Babu Antony Chithram – Voice for Poornam Viswanathan Meenamasathile Sooryan – Voice for Kakka Ravi Njan Gandharvan – voice of Lord Brahma

Television

Towards the second half of the nineties he ventured into television. Shayama Prasad's tele-film Peruvazhiyile Kariyilakal, was Prasad's first venture on the small screen Pandavapada (Doordarshan) Sthree (Asianet) Vedanakalude Viralppaadukal (Kairali TV) Shanghupushpam (Asianet) Mangalyam (Asianet)

Documentary film

The documentary film on late Prof. Narendraprasad's life, Arangozhinja Akshara Prabhu was produced by Kulakkara Creations and directed by Arun S, written by R Harikrishnan, cinematography and editing by Thanzil Rajan. Veteran film directors Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Jayaraaj, Sooryakrishnamoorthi, actors P. Sreekumar, M. R. Gopakumar, actor and voice artist Prof. Aliyar, politician M. A. Baby and many other appears in this documentary. The documentary was screened for the first time on 2011 at Mavelikkara Natyagraha before a huge audience, where actor Jagathy Sreekumar received the first disc copy of the project.