Padmarajan was born on 23 May 1945 in Muthukulam near HaripadinAlappuzha, which was then under the princely state of Travancore. He was the sixth son of Thundathil Anantha Padmanabha Pillai and Njavarakkal Devaki Amma. After early schooling at Muthukulam, he studied at Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram and University College, Thiruvananthapuram, graduating with a B.Sc.inchemistry (1963). Subsequently, he learned Sanskrit from the scholar Cheppad Achyutha Warrier at Muthukulam. He then joined All India Radio, Trichur (1965), starting as a programme announcer, and later settled at Poojappura, Trivandrum(1968); he would remain at All India Radio until 1986 when his involvement in films prompted him to retire voluntarily.[5]
Padmarajan's stories mainly deal with deceit, murder, romance, mystery, passion, jealousy, libertinism, anarchism, individualism, social structure, human psychology and life of peripheral elements of society. Some of them are considered among the best in Malayalam literature.[6][7][8] In his films and stories, Padmarajan created characters that were complex, multidimensional, and deeply human. Padmarajan's works were often inspired by real-life people and situations he witnessed, such as the tragic tale of a woman who committed suicide after being abandoned by her lover, which served as the basis for his film "Thakara." He often drew inspiration from the people and situations he encountered in his daily life, such as the struggles of rural farmers or the complexities of urban relationships. The screenplay for all the movies he directed were written by Padmarajan himself. His first novel published in 1971 titled Nakshathrangale Kaaval (The Stars Alone Guard Me) won the Kerala Sahithya Academy award (1972).[9]
With Mohanlal and Mammootty in the lead role, Padmarajan directed some of the cult classic movies in Malayalam such as Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal (1986), Arappatta Kettiya Gramathil (1986), Kariyilakkattu Pole (1986), Thoovanathumbikal (1987) and Season (1989).[16] Thoovanathumbikal was ranked eighth by IBN Live in its list of greatest Indian films of all time and is considered one of the best romantic movies ever made in Malayalam.[17][18]Aparan (1988) is his another classic mystery psychological thriller which also marked the acting debut of Jayaram.[19] It won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay in 1988. Moonnam Pakkam (1988) is another classic Padmarajan movie which was critically acclaimed.[20] His 1990 movie Innale is mainly noted for the performance of Suresh Gopi.[21] Padmarajan's last movie Njan Gandharvan (1991) was a failure at box office. But the film later developed a cult following because of its aesthetics and storytelling. Within a week of its release, Padmarajan died at a hotel in Kozhikode.[22] In total Padmarajan has written screenplay for 37 films among 18 of which he directed.
Together with Bharathan and K. G. George, he successfully laid the foundation for a school of Malayalam cinema that strove to tread a middle ground by striking a fine balance. The term "Parallel film" is usually used to describe Padmarajan's style of film making. Along with Bharathan, he displayed mastery in handling sexuality on the screen, hitherto less known in Malayalam cinema.[23]
Padmarajan is celebrated for his unparalleled attention to detail in his screenplays. Most of his films portrayed human relationships and emotions.[27] Many of his films have haunting climaxes, most of them not commonly portrayed in Malayalam movies. His characters are portrayed with sensitivity and intensity on the screen. The landscape is also the major part of the Padmarajan's craft in film making. His thesis were well crafted in his films. Padmarajan’s films explore the features of the landscape naturally.[28]
Padmarajan's screenplays had such hitherto-unheard of features and subjects – such as casting rain as a character in Thoovanathumbikal (Dragonflies in the drizzle), homosexual love in Desatanakkili Karayarilla (Migratory Birds Don't Cry), unusual climax (by traditional standards) in Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal (Vineyards for us to dwell) and Oridathoru Phayalvaan (There Lived a Wrestler).[29] Forbidden love and characters that strive to rise above the limitations of middle-class Malayali society of the seventies and eighties is a recurring theme in many of his works. Many of his films bear the mark of his romanticism.[30]
Padmarajan's wife Radhalakshmi is from ChitturinPalakkad. Radhalakshmi was his colleague at AIR before their marriage in 1970. Radhalakshmi has written her reminiscences about him in her book Padmarajan Entaey Gandharvan (Padmarajan, my celestial lover). Their son, P. Ananthapadmanabhan, is a writer.
Padmarajan died suddenly at Hotel Paramount Towers in Calicut in the early hours of 23 January 1991, while he was visiting a cinema playing his last film Njan Gandharvan. The cause of death was a massive cardiac arrest.[31]
[32][7] According to his family sources, Padmarajan, who started his career as a Staff Announcer in All India Radio, rendered his voice in many movies as well. Some of the notable ones are as below:
Peruvazhiyambalam : The shop owner who converses with the character Prabhakaran Pillai, in the first scene of the movie.
Oridathoru Phayalvaan : The wrestler who is the protagonist of the movie, played by Rashid.
Kariyilakkaattu Pole : The Head Priest at the Ashram where the character Bhagini Sevaamayi played by Unni Mary resides.
Aparan : The Imposter’s role played by Jayaram. Also the rogue’s role played by VBK Menon who gets into a brawl with the hero Vishwanathan, at the restaurant.
Innale : The herdsman, played by Nilambur Balan, who finds the body of female lead role played by Shobhana after the accident.
Padmarajan Puraskaram or Padmarajan Award is an annual film/literary award instituted by the Padmarajan Memorial Trust.[34] It carries a plaque and a cash award of ₹ 10,000.[34] The award is given in two categories:
