Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair (Malayalam: തിക്കുറിശ്ശി സുകുമാരൻ നായർ; 16 October 1916 – 11 March 1997) was a Nagercoilite born Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India. In a career that spanned about 47 years, he acted in over 700 films. He is considered to be the first movie star in Malayalam cinema.

Biography

Thikkurissy married three times in his life. His first wife was Sarojini Kunjamma, who belonged to an eminent family in Karuvatta, Alappuzha, called Samudayathu Kurup. The couple has two daughters. The first one, Shyamala Devi Kunjamma alias Lekha is an executive engineer in Ernakulam. Their second daughter Geethambika Kunjamma is a housewife in Pujappura, Thiruvananthapuram. After parting ways with his first wife, Thikkurussy married play actor Ambalapuzha Meenakshy Amma. The couple had a son named Rajahamsan, who now lives in Chennai. The second marriage also didn't last long and Thikkurussy got married to K. Sulochana Devi, who was a singer and dancer. This marriage however was successful and lasted 41 years till his death. Thikkurissy had a daughter from this marriage named Kanakasree. She, like her father was interested in poetry and took name as a good poet. Thikkurussy had a personal tragedy when Kanakasree died due to an accident Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair died on 11 March 1997 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, due to kidney failure.