For Kozhikode, artist Namboodiri is a name remembered along with Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, V.K.N., K. Raghavan, and M.T. Vasudevan Nair. The city has been home to the artist ever since he joined Mathrubhumi fresh out of art school. Moreover, he was an integral part of the cultural diaspora of the city for a very long time.
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Living amid so many talented writers and being in their friends’ circle had influenced Namboodiri and vice versa. Namboodiri’s illustrations elevated readers’ experience of M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s Randamoozham, Thikkodiyan’s Chuvanna Kadal, V.K.N.’s Pithamahan, and Punathil Kunjabdulla’s Smarakasilakal. However, the artist’s close relationship with these writers helped him understand their thoughts much better. This symbiotic relationship also resulted in some of the best illustrations the country has ever seen.
Artist Namboodiri inaugurating the Shilpanagaram project at Malaparambu in Kozhikode 2012. | Photo Credit: K. RAGESH
His friendship with filmmaker G. Aravindan began at gatherings at Paragon restaurant in Kozhikode. Their association extended to Namboodiri working as art director for several of Aravindan’s movies such as Utharayanam, Oridath, Chidambaram, Thambu, and Kanchana Seetha and even winning the State film award for art direction.
His brief stint as a student of Hindustani classical music along with Aravindan under musician Saratchandra Marathe happened in Kozhikode. However, he was more interested in Carnatic music, and his interest in Hindustani dwindled soon.
Namboodiri was part of friendly gatherings on Kozhikode beach along with K. Raghavan, Thikkodiyan, G. Aravindan, V.K.N., Uroob, N.N. Kakkad, Akkitham, and several others.
He lived in Kozhikode for a major part of his career, first at his house near the fourth railway gate and later with his son at Bilathikulam until he moved to Edappal.
Published - July 07, 2023 09:42 pm IST
