A lens to the soul: A tribute to the visionary writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair

Experience of working with legendary M.T. Vasudevan Nair, a master storyteller and mentor, shaped a budding photographer's career.

I still remember the first time I met M.T. Vasudevan Nair in 1990, the then editor of Mathrubhumi periodicals, at his office during my college days. He was reading a book when I entered his room. He slowly raised his head, and his eyes scanned mine, a special observance I call ‘M.T. special’ (as if searching for something genuine and true). M.T. was widely known as a man of few words, but his gaze spoke volumes.

As a budding photographer and artist, I had always admired his work, the way he wove stories like moving visuals with real-life characters. While showing him a few of my photographs, he chose one for the Mathrubhumi Weekly cover page. It was a big dream for every creative person – writers, photographers, and illustration artists – to showcase their work in Mathrubhumi Weekly.

When I revealed my ‘hidden agenda’, he advised me to study at FTII Pune and immediately wrote a reference letter to the then-director, Shaji N Karun. After three years of pursuing admission to FTII, I returned to M.T. sir and requested a photographer’s job at Mathrubhumi. His immediate reply was not to travel in two boats with one aim. If I ventured into cinema, he advised against trying journalism, as both required deep involvement.

I insisted on getting a job. My main motive was to work under a legend for a few years before venturing into films. Though he did not say anything at that point, after two months, I was appointed the first photographer for the periodical. Later, I learned that he had requested the managing director, Veerendrakumar, to have me as his photographer.

It was a great experience working under M.T. sir. He was awarded the Jnanpith while I was working there, and I had the chance to accompany him to his native village, Koodallur, in Palakkad district. He introduced me to everyone as “my photographer.” Once, I had the opportunity for a solo photoshoot with the legendary communist leader E.M.S Namboodiripad when he visited Kozhikode.

I exposed three rolls of colour film, as I had found a calm and beautiful location with no disturbance. For a newspaper like Mathrubhumi, three rolls of film exposed by a beginner were considered lavish and expensive. I was asked to explain to the chief photographer why I had done so. The matter reached M.T. sir. He called me to his room and narrated a story: “A monkey got a typewriter and started playing with it, as if typing. After several attempts, it produced one word.” It was difficult to control my laughter, but M.T. sir advised me on how a photograph should become a rare piece by capturing a decisive moment.

Later, he was convinced with the photos of EMS I had taken and appreciated me, saying, “very good photos.” All those photographs of EMS were used in Mathrubhumi publications multiple times. Working under M.T. sir for two years was like gaining 20 years of experience. He had encyclopaedic knowledge and a photographic memory that seemed to store every image he had seen.