P.G.Viswambharan - A remembrance

Malayalam film Director P.G.Viswambharan passed away in the early hours of yesterday ( 16 th June 2010) after a brief illness at Ernakulam.


In the mid Seventies, outside the editing rooms of G.Venkitaraman and Sankunny at New Era Lab and A.V.M. Studios, I used to see a number of Assistant Directors working in connection with various films under production. I remember two of them in particular because they were wearing white shirts and white pants. They were Hariharan and P.G.Viswambharan. Hariharan was assistant to M. Krishnan Nair and P.G.Viswambharan was working with Sasikumar.

Years later in 1983, P.G. had asked me to work in his film SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU which he was planning to direct based on a popular story serialized in VANITHA magazine. I had my own reservations about working with him as he was known as short tempered and bad mouthing person. After I started working with him I found him to be a jovial person, often cracking jokes and keeping the crew on their toes, keeping up to the schedule. Only when he finds people not performing properly, he lashes out with the choicest words. But later on he will forgive and forget it altogether. The film SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU when released became a super hit and Mammootty by over night became a popular Star! Myself and P.G. continued working happily for another dozen films.

Joking on the Sets

His shooting schedules were well planned and finished within the budget and usually ahead of schedule too. He was also particular that all those who worked in his films got their payments in time and he insisted on seeing that they are paid before the shooting wrapped up. Because of this quality all the technicians loved working with him. He was also a producer's delight as he finished his films within the planned amount and time. Even when some artistes had tight schedules and didn't have enough dates, he used to manipulate the shots and take the scene in such a way, as he knew very well how that can be later on edited seamlessly. Since he had his early training under Director Sasikumar, who is a master at such scene taking, he will take the master shots, combined shots and the close ups of an artiste in a hurry, from various scenes at one go and send him off in time and later on fill up the scenes with shots of other artistes.

Hence those artistes working with him too, were very happy because he will certainly finish their work within their given dates and so there is no tension about clashing dates.

Viswambharan and Jayaram in Operation theatre
Film: FIRST BELL

He had brought popular Hindi artistes to Malayalam film industry like Amjad Khan and Kaajol Kiron ( EE LOGAM IVVIDE KURE MANUSHYAR - 1985) and Deepika ( Sita in RAMAYAN serial), Madhu Kapoor in INIYUM ITHILE VARU (1986). Though he didn't know Hindi and his knowledge of English was poor, he managed to communicate with them his requirements for the scene to be taken.

Amjad Khan taking a Meter reading!

Altogether I have worked in 13 of his films including his last film, PUTHOORAM PUTHRI UNNIYARCHA (2002)

List of my films with P.G.Viswambharan :

1. SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU (1983)
2. PIN NILAVU (1983)
3. SAGARAM SANTHAM (1983)
4. ONNU CHIRIKKU (1983)
5. ONNANU NAMMAL (1984)
6. ORU KOCHU KATHA AARUM PARAYATHHA KATHA (1984)
7. IVVIDE EE THEERATHU (1985)
8. EE LOGAM IVVIDE KURE MANUSHYAR (1985)
9. INIYUM ITHILE VARU (1986)
10.IRIKKU M.D. AKATHUNDU (1991)
11. FIRST BELL (1992)
12. PRAVACHAKAN (1993)
13. PUTHOORAM PUTHRI UNNIYARCHA (2002)

For the past eight years he had not been doing any films and i used to meet him at Ernakulam in Association meetings, where he used to diffuse heated exchanges in tense situations by his native humour and wisecracks. We are really going to miss his presence in film makers' future gatherings at Ernakulam. I also miss a personal friend and also a relative from my wife's family.

I pray for his soul to Rest in Peace and my Hearty condolences to the bereaved family members.