P. F. Mathews

Poovankery Francis Mathews is an Indian author of Malayalam literature and a screenplay writer in Malayalam film and Television industries. A Winner of a National Film Award for Best Screenplay and multiple State television and other literary awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story, he is known for his original style of writing. Literary works such as Muzhakkam, Kadalinte Manam, Adiyalapretham, Iruttil Oru Punyalan, and Chaavunilam and screenplays such as Sararaanthal, Mikhayelinte Santhathikal, Megham, Kutty Srank and Ee.Ma.Yau are his major works. on 18 February 1960 in Ernakulam, Kerala to Francis of the Poovankery house and his wife Mary. After his early schooling in Don Bosco School and St. Augustine's School, Kochi, he graduated in economics from St. Albert's College Kochi, in 1980 and secured his master's degree in Malayalam in 1982. He took to short stories at the age of 16

Literary career His first short story anthology, Njayarazhcha Mazha Peyyukayayirunnu (It Was Raining on Sunday), was published in 1986 by Current Books. His second work was a novel, Chaavunilam (Land of the Dead), based on the coastal life in Kochi and published in 1996 by DC Books, which won the State Bank of Travancore award for the best novel. In 2013, a short story anthology, Kathakal (Stories), and his memoirs, Theerajeevithathinu Oru Oppees (A Requiem for the Coastal Life), were published. His second novel, Iruttil Oru Punyalan (A Saint Shrouded in Darkness), was published in 2015, and two of its chapters were published by Mathrubhumi weekly, prior to the official release of the book. The book has since been translated into Tamil, under the title, Iruttil Oru Punithan, by P. S. Ramesh.

Film and television career Mathews debuted into screen writing with a documentary film, Keep the City Clean. He has also won the script writing competition held nationwide by National Film Development Corporation of India, for Naattukaaryam, in 1993. This was followed by Puthran (the Son), a sequel to the successful tele series, Mikhayelinte Santhathikal. The next was Kutty Srank, directed by Shaji N. Karun, which won him the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for the year 2010. was put on hold after initial discussions. was released in May 2018 and the film received good critical reviews. Another Lijo Jose Pellissery film has also been announced, with Mamootty in the lead role.

Mathews also sat in the jury panel of the Kerala State Film Awards for the year 2016.

Personal life

Literary works Work Year Genre / Comments Njayarazhcha Mazha Peyyukayayirunnu 1986 Short story – Anthology Chaavunilam 1996 Novel Jalakanyakayum Gandarvanum 1998 Short story – Anthology 2004il Alice 2004 Short story – Anthology 27 Down 2011 Short story – Anthology Kathakal 2013 Short story – Anthology Theerajeevithathinu Oru Oppees 2013 Memoir Iruttil Oru Punyalan 2015 Novel Pathimoonnu Kadalkakkakalude Upama 2018 Short story – Anthology Theranjedutha Kathakal 2018 Short story – Anthology Ee Ma Yau 2019 Screenplay Iruttil Oru Punithan 2019 Novel Chila Pracheena Vikarangal 2019 Short story – Anthology Kadalinte Manam 2021 Novel Muzhakkam 2021 Short story – anthology Moonga 2024 Short story – anthologyKanayma 2024 NovelOchukalude Kaloppu 2025 Memoirs

Tele-series and Documentaries Work Genre Director Year Keep the City Clean Documentary Jude Attipetty 1981 Sararaanthal Tele-series Jude Attipetty 1991 Mikhayelinte Santhathikal Tele-series Jude Attipetty 1993 Dr. Harischandra Tele-series Jude Attipetty 1994 Roses in December Tele-series Jude Attipetty 1995 Charulatha Tele-series Prashanth 1999 Aathma Tele-series Mohan Kupleri 2000 Edayanum Mankidavum Tele-series Jude Attipetty 2003 Megham Tele-series Saji Surendran 2004 Mandaram Tele-series Saji Surendran 2005 Aa Amma Tele-series Kiran 2006 Pakalmazha Tele-series Gireesh Konni 2009 Daivathinu Swantham Devootti Tele-series Madhupal 2011 Kali Gandaki Tele-series Madhupal 2017

Filmography