Jagathy N. K. Achary

Jagathy N. K. Achary (1924–1997) was an Indian dramatist and writer who also worked in Malayalam films. He was known for his plays and screenplays. He is the father of actor Jagathy Sreekumar.

Jagathy N. K. Achary
Malayalam Screenwriter Jagathy NK Achary in a cameo role in the film Deshadanakkili Karayarilla
Born	1924 Jagathy, Trivandrum, Travancore, present day India
Died	1997
Occupation(s)	Dramatist, writer, actor, screenwriter
Years active	1950–1997
Style	Satire, mythic fiction, whimsical, thrillers, horror, speculative
Spouse	Prasanna
Children	Jagathy Sreekumar Krishnakumar Jameela

Life sketch

Jagathy N. Kochukrishnan Achary was born in 1924 at Krishnavilasam in Jagathy, Trivandrum, then capital of Travancore, to "Ananthapadmanabhan" Nanu Achary and Ponnammal. He had his education in Thiruvananthapuram and Scott Christian College, Nagercoil. After obtaining a BA in literature, he followed up with a degree in law.

Kochukrishnan's paternal ancestors were involved in the construction works of many palaces and stately mansions in Travancore built during the latter half of the nineteenth century. His grandfather Krishnan Achari and his brother were given land to settle down in Jagathy. N. K. Kochukrishnan's father was Kottaram Moothchari under Moolam Thirunal and Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma of erstwhile Travancore.

He was married to Prasanna (Ponnamma) from Edavanacaud had three children: Jagathy Sreekumar, P. K. Krishnakumar and P. K. Jameela.

Death

He died of old age diseases in 1997 at his Thiruvananthapuram residence. A road in Cotton Hill, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram is named after him.^{[citation needed]}

Education and career

He started his career as an employee at the palace.^[1] Later, he joined the All India Radio as a staff artist where he worked as a programme executive at various stations and subsequently rose to the position of Station Director.^[2]

Kochukrishnan wrote many plays for the radio, crossing over to writing more than twenty plays for professional theatre,^[3] and subsequently films. Many of his screenplays were published and enacted by amateur theatre groups all over Kerala. His first work was in Vimal Kumar's Achanum Makanum in the year 1957, followed by Ummini Thanka in 1961 and Velu Thambi Dalawa in 1962.^[4]

He was a partner of the Kalanilayam Theatre group, for which he wrote many plays. During the 1960s-70s, Kalanilayam revolutionised Malayalam theatre, with its dramas like Raktharakshass, Kayamkulam Kochunni, Kadamattathu Kathanar, Iravikkodu Pillai, Naradan Keralathil, Taj Mahal, Sree Guruvayoorappan and Alavudinum Athbhuthavilakkum,^[2] all simultaneously with his illustrious career in films. He was closely associated with directors such as K. G. George and Padmarajan; starting a drama school with the former in the 1980s and appearing in cameo roles in the later's films such as Moonnam Pakkam and Desatanakkili Karayarilla.^[5] Other published plays include Podikkai,Karakku Company,Noorjahan,Lahari, Podikkai,Japan Daivam etc.

He is a recipient of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (1983) and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship (1991).^[6][7]

Film career

Kochukrishnan penned story, screenplay and dialogues for more than 33 Malayalam movies^[8] and ^[5] also experimental films such as Sexilla Stundilla, Paathirapattu etc. He also wrote films with strong female characters in the 60s and 70s.

Filmography as screenwriter

Year	Title	Credited as				Director
		Story	Screenplay	Dialogue	Actor
1957	Achanum Makanum	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Vimal Kumar
1961	Ummini Thanka	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	G. Vishwanath
1962	Laila Majnu	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	P. Bhaskaran
	Velu Thambi Dalawa	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	G. Vishwanath
	Bhagyajathakam	No	Yes	Yes	No	P. Bhaskaran
1966	Kayamkulam Kochunni	No	No	Yes	No	P. A. Thomas
1967	Postman	No	Yes	Yes	No	P. A. Thomas
	Paathirapattu	Yes	Yes	No	No	N. Prakash
	Madatharuvi	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	P. A. Thomas
1968	Kayalkkarayil	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	N. Prakash
	Anchu Sundarikal	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	M. Krishnan Nair
	Kodungallooramma	Yes	Yes	No	No	Kunchacko
1971	Sumangali	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	M.K Ramu
	Thapaswini	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	M. Krishnan Nair
1972	Sakthi	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Crossbelt Mani
1973	Panchavadi	No	Yes	Yes	No	J. Sasikumar
	Manassu	No	Yes	Yes	No	Hameed Kakkassery
	Poymughangal	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	B. N. Prakash
	Divyadharsanam	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	J. Sasikumar
1975	Ullasa Yaathra	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	A. B. Raj
	Kottaaram Vilkkaanundu	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	K Sukumaran
1976	Sexilla Stundilla	No	Yes	Yes	No	B. N. Prakash
	Swimming Pool	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	J. Sasikumar
	Kenalum Collectorum	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	M. M. Nesan
1977	Sreedevi	Yes	Yes	No	No	N. Sankaran Nair
	Penpuli	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Crossbelt Mani
	Kaavilamma	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	N. Sankaran Nair
1978	Snehikkan Samayamilla	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Viayanand
1979	Kalliyankattu Neeli	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	M. Krishnan Nair
1982	Keni	No	No	Yes	No	J. Sasikumar
	Anuraagakkodathi	No	No	No	Yes	Hariharan
	Aa Divasam	No	Yes	Yes	No	M. Mani
1986	Karinagam	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	K. S. Gopalakrishnan
	Deshadanakkili Karayarilla	No	No	No	Yes	Padmarajan
1988	Inquilabinte Puthri	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Jayadevan
1988	Moonnam Pakkam	No	No	No	Yes	Padmarajan