# Ravi Menon
Anil Kumar played the lead role in Putradharmam (1954). Actress TR Omana remembers the first hero.
CTR Omana was silent for a moment when the news of the demise of Nima’s first hero was announced. Then Atmagata Mennonam said: “Can you believe it? I have never seen a person who acted together in my life. I am hearing about him now seventy years later. It must be a sad news.”
VT Joseph aka Anil Kumar, who played the role of Omana’s lover in the 1954 film “Putradharma”, passed away yesterday. He died at the age of eighty-nine in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Joseph, who acted in four films including Putradharmam, failed to reach the heights expected in cinema, but the first heroine, TR Omana, grew up to be one of the busiest actresses in Malayalam. Acted in hundreds of films. 83-year-old Omana lives a happy life in Kodambakkam, Chennai with her sister and family.
“Now you have said that you even know Anilkumar’s real name.” – Omana’s words. “The new generation may be surprised to hear this. But that was the atmosphere in the cinema then. And there was no chance to interact with the actors beyond any limit. Every day I went to the shoot, acted as directed by the director and came back. I didn’t even have to discuss personal issues with anyone. There was only one person I knew on the sets of Putradharma — Thikurishsi Sukumaran Nair…” Amana said that she never saw the hero but also the film’s director Vimal Kumar.
Omanak was only fourteen years old when he acted in “Putradharma”. Hero Anilkumar turns 20. “The filming was completely in the studio. I have a faint memory of acting together in the song scenes. Then, we appeared in a stunt scene too. Isn’t it a long time? I have forgotten everything…” Omana’s autobiography. “The film wasn’t a big success financially. That’s why I didn’t get another heroine role again in my life.” Anil Kumar played the role of Patra Major Gopi in Putradharma. Oman’s girlfriend Leela.
Born and brought up in Alappuzha, Omana was invited to act in Putradharma by the film’s producer KV Kosi. Before that, Omana had starred in three films as a children’s storyteller. Baby Omana’s first film was “Premalekha” (1952). She played the daughter of SP Pillai and Adoor Pankajath in it. Then came the films Lokaneeti and Ponkathir. Omana said she didn’t feel overly excited when she was offered her first lead role. Cinema was not a big attraction for that generation as it is today. The other actors were Thikurissi, Veeraraghavan Nair and Jagathy NK Achari. Putradharma also has the distinction of being Bahadur’s first film.
After Putradharma came a remarkable role in search of Omana in “Veluthambidalava”. She played the role of PA Thomas’s wife. Countless characters later. Mothers, aunts, sisters and grandmothers were among them. Agniputri, Oru Penna’s Katha, Porter Kunjali, Poompata, Aa Chitra Shalabham Parannote…. The list of Omana’s best characters goes on and on. Omana also dubbed for Sharada for almost two decades since “Pakalkinaav”. The dubbing artist of Omana has also lent her voice to Usha Kumari, Lily Chakraborty, Vijayashree, Savitri, Nandita Bose, Kanakadurga etc.
Omana is single. The truth is that he forgot to marry while living for his sisters. “It’s amazing when I remember that seventy years have passed since I came to the cinema. When I look back, there is only happiness and satisfaction. Recently, many people called from the country after reading the good words Sheela wrote about me in a week. It was for the sake of remembering those good times that have gone and disappeared…”