Social media has been discussing a lot about Paravur Nanthyattukunnu Chullikkadu Jayachandran aka Chandrankutty, who was found weak and abandoned on the streets and his brother renowned poet – actor Balachandran Chullikkadu who refused to take care of the former. The poet was severely attacked on the social media for his seemingly lack of compassion towards his ailing brother.
However, the poet’s close friend and actor Salim Kumar has come out in support of Balachandran Chullikkadu. Salim Kumar, in an interview to Vanitha Online, has revealed some of the harrowing experiences that the poet had suffered at the hands of Chandrankutty.
“Every story has a different version as well. Everyone is eager to conveniently forget the past. Can you imagine a Balachandran Chullikkadu who was driven out of his own house and had starved for days? Or he who wasn’t allowed by the family members to pay his last respect to his own mother? The man, who is being viciously attacked by the social media, has such a tale to tell. The one who is responsible for all that is the same man you saw ailing and debilitated. He is Balachandran Chullikkadu’s younger brother Jayachandran. I was a silent witness for all the hardships and pain that Balachadran Chullikkadu had endured during those days. I cannot hold myself from revealing the truth, especially when the memories of those difficult times still haunt me,” says Salim Kumar in a fierce tone.
The poet was subjected to a ruthless trial by the netizens for ignoring his brother who is diagnosed with cancer and is mentally unstable. He was lambasted by many for turning his face from his ailing brother.
Balachanran Chullikkadu, who is a celebrated poet and actor, was born into the aristocratic and immensely rich Chullikkadu family. Salim Kumar claims that Jayachandran, around 35 years ago, had driven Balachandran, who was gaining incredible popularity as the literary and cultural face of Paravur, out of his own house and home town as well. The poet was apparently accused of sympathizing with the naxalite movement. Drawing parallels, the actor stated that eminent writer P Kesava Dev too had gone through such an unfortunate fate at one point in his life.
Salim Kumar recalled that Balchandran had left his ancestral home, absolutely broken, with nothing in his hand. He says it must be difficult for many to believe that a member of an incredibly rich family went hungry for days, after he was disowned by his own people. It was KS Radhakrishnan, former vice chancellor of the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady and former PSC Chairman who arranged accommodation facilities, at the Maharajas College, for Balachadran Chullikkadu who wandered around with nothing to eat or wear. “Chullikkadu spent days, forgetting his pain, by singing poems with his friends at the college canteen. It must be those days of extreme poverty which provided the inspiration and strength for the poet within him. Jayachandran was not ready to call his brother back even after knowing about the latter’s plight,” said Salim Kumar.
“Balachandran, in the meanwhile, had converted to Buddhism. However, he hardly knew that it would give him the most excruciating pain that he would carry in his heart for the rest of his life. Anyone would wish that no son goes through such severe pain in their life. It was during that time that his mother passed away. He rushed to his ancestral home, years after he was driven out, just to see his beloved mother for one last time. His brother, however, stubbornly maintained that someone believing in another religion has no right to touch his Hindu mother. He summoned people to help him oust Balachandran. Though Balachandran pleaded to them to allow him to see his mother, they didn’t budge. He finally left there, with tearful eyes, unable to perform the last rites for his mother. How can a common man easily forget all these?” asks Salim Kumar.
The actor said that Jayachandran had received 36 cents of land as ancestral property. He asks why no one enquires about it. Salim Kumar further claimed that Jayachandran had lost everything to alcohol and his luxurious life style. The actor said that Jayachandran is an accused in the murder of congress worker Raveendran. “Even then everyone referred to Jayachandran as poet Balachadran Chullikkadu’s brother. What wrong did that innocent man do? It was such an irony that the brother of someone like Balachandran Chullikkadu got booked in a murder case. As if fate would have it, that man, who is now weak and dying, is in the news as well. However, even now, he is attributed the status of Balachandran Chullikadu’s brother. What is the logic behind making this man, Blachandran’s brother, only when he has deteriorated in life? Aren’t there other members in that affluent family? Why is only Balachandran destined to be hurled with stones? If Balachandran has refused to take care of his ailing brother, then it is only poetic justice,” states Salim Kumar.
Salim Kumar, after knowing about Jayachandran’s current plight, had contacted Paravur Municipal chairman Ramesh Kurup. He has even offered financial assistance. However, Ramesh Kurup informed the actor that Jayachandran has been transferred to a care home and is being taken care of. “I have been informed that Jayachandran is currently at a destitute home called Velicham in Pulladu. He will be given treatment and proper care at this facility,” concludes Salim Kumar.