“Padman was a person who stood by his convictions and concerns, and his films reflected the truthfulness of his spiritual nature. His films were a quest to explore the mysteries of life even when others saw the medium as a means for lucrative business,” O.N.V. Kurup, poet, said of his friend and film-maker C.P. Padmakumar.
He was speaking at the inaugural function of the C.P. Padmakumar Memorial meeting held in the city on Sunday.
“Today, everyone is into making money. But the Padman I knew was different. He was the perfect example of a person who explored the mysteries of life and used films to express them. His Himalayan journeys were his ways to find answers to them. We see Padman’s films not to see the spiritual nature of the films, but to see him,” said Mr. Kurup of the director, who passed away last year after battling cancer.
Memorial lecture
Film-maker M.S. Sathyu delivered this year’s C.P. Padmakumar Memorial lecture on the ‘Influence of theatre on Indian cinema.’ Mr. Sathyu said the unique language of Indian films was highly influenced by the theatre traditions of the country.
Film critic V. Rajakrishnan said Padmakumar’s films explored varied human emotions. His close association with G. Aravindan influenced his style of film-making.
The film-maker, known for films such as ‘Sammohanam’and ‘Aparna,’ assisted Aravindan in almost all his films, expect ‘Pokkuveyil,’ he said.
Varied oeuvre
He passionately worked on several themes. “Though he was known for ‘Sammohanam,’ I personally regard his first work ‘Aparna’ (1981) his best because he explored themes through the structure of dreams, which was unique and rarely attempted,” Mr. Rajakrishnan said.
Last film screened
‘Mind That Flows,’ Padmakumar’s last feature film, shot in the Himalayas just before he passed away, was screened at the meeting. The film is a philosophical take on the relationship between a master and a disciple.
Screenplay released
Film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan released the screenplay ‘Neelambari’ written by Padmakumar. The programme concluded with a music concert by singer and music director Shahbaz Aman.
