Remembering legendary actor Sathyan on his 50th death anniversary

15 June 1971 was a dark day in the history of Malayalam cinema. The industry lost its biggest talent, Sathyan- an actor whose life and work are synonymous with the word perfection. From entering movies at the age of 40 to reigning the industry for two decades with his exceptional movies - Sathyan lived an extraordinary life. He left an unmatchable void in the hearts of cinephiles and on his 50 death anniversary, here's celebrating the legend and remembering his work.

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The legendary actor was born on November 9, 1912, in a Christian family in Thiruvananthapuram. He was the first born and his full name is Cheruvilakathu Veetil Manuel Sathyanesan. However, when he stepped into films, he eventually became popular as Sathyan. Keralite’s went on to fondly call him as Sathyan Mashu!

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He was good in academics and apparently his first job was that of a teacher. Later he took up a clerical post and after a year, he joined the army. It was in the early 1940s and soon Sathyan was appointed as the Viceroy’s commissioned officer. He served as an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II. Following that he joined the State police as an inspector. Sathyan was always interested in arts and theatre and it was in the late 1940s that he decided to try his luck in films!

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Sathyan’s interest in theatre led him to movies. The actor debuted in movies through the 1952 release ‘Athmasakhi’, but it was ‘Neelakuyil’ that made him popular. ‘Neelakuyil’ isn’t just an important milestone in Sathyan’s career, but also the movie that has put Malayalam movie on the map of Indian cinema. Scripted by the legendary writer Uroob and directed by Ramu Karyat-P. Bhaskaran duo, ‘Neelakuyil’ spoke about untouchability in society and it won the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Malayalam. ‘Neelakuyil’ also became the first Malayalam movie to receive a mention at the prestigious National Awards. The film definitely made Sathyan a star and he was flooded with movies. Some of his popular movies include ‘Kadalpalam’, ‘Odayil Ninnu’, ‘Yakshi, Karinizhal’, and ‘Anubhavangal Paalichakal’ among others.

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Sathyan, who emerged as one of the first superstars in Malayalam cinema, had a heart of gold. Sathyan’s name is synonymous with hard work and everything related to dedication. From being disciplined on sets to ignoring his pain for the fulfillment of the roles - Sathyan was much loved by his fans. Sathyan, who despite suffering from leukemia, chose to ignore his pain and report on the sets to fulfill his commitments.

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Even during his last days, Sathyan continued to work. He never missed his schedule, despite battling with the illness. ‘Kuttyedathi’ was one of his last films. During the shoot of ‘Kuttyedathi’, Sathyan was in huge pain, and that was the only time he had to reschedule a shoot. From filming some action sequences to doing everything required for ‘originality’, Sathyan completed the shoot. Every day after the shoot, he would return to his room exhausted and was nothing similar to the energetic man people saw on sets. But he was a man of his words and did everything for his work. Sathyan succumbed to cancer on 15 June 1971, very few people from the industry were aware of his illness.

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