Actor Narayanankutty recalls theaters that ignited his passion for cinema

Malayalam film actor Narayanankutty has been entertaining the Malayali audience with his unique acting style and excellent dialogue delivery for more than a quarter of a century. Narayanankutty who has acted in more than 300 movies gets candid about his past and shares some of his fond memories about his houses.

Memory home

Narayanankutty’s ancestral home stood at a prime location between the Kavitha theater and the Shenoy’s theater at MG Road in Ernakulam, Kerala. He lived with his parents and four siblings in their small house. Narayanankutty’s father worked at the High Court. The large family had to survive on the salary of just one person. His father’s untimely death while in service was a blow to the family. Narayankutty got his father’s job and the responsibility of the family thus fell on his shoulders. Their ancestral house was sold later, when the property was divided.

Job and cinema

“Though we struggled financially, I always found ways to watch movies in the nearby theaters. Those theaters and the countless movies that I watched there might have ignited a passion for cinema in me,” says Narayanankutty.

Narayanankutty admits that his heart was full of cinema even though he had landed a government job quite unexpectedly. He adds that his pursuit of roles became easier as the court had too many holidays. “My colleagues supported me a lot. That is how I reached Kalabhavan. I made my entry into the films in 1994 through the movie 'Manathe Kottaram'. I have acted in more than 300 films in 26 years. There was a time when I shot for movies after my regular job in the court. I have retired from the service and I am a full-time artist now,” notes Narayanakutty.

New house

Narayankutty bought some land in Pachalam and built a house there, after his marriage in 1994. It was his wife who oversaw the construction as he was busy with his job and acting. Narayankutty had just made his entry into the movies and had very little savings. The family built a small house with mud tiled roof by availing a housing loan. They began dreaming about a bigger home while living in the small house that had limited facilities.

Later, he renovated the house in stages, using the money that he earned from the movies. Now, the house in two floors, is spacious and has all the required facilities.

Life during Covid 19

Narayanankutty’s wife Prameela is a homemaker. The couple’s only daughter Bhagyalakshmi is a class ten student. “I have been sitting at home for the past two months due to the lockdown. My wife and daughter are thrilled that we could spend so much time together. Artists are the ones who suffer the most during times like this. No one has any idea about when the filming of movies could resume after the lockdown. Lots of artists and daily wage workers in cinema are struggling right now. I too am eagerly waiting for everything to be alright soon,” says Narayanakutty.