Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema - Actor M. N. Nambiar

When asked about his favorite movies, he said, “I cannot answer this question that easily because I’ve acted in more than 700 films. Vidhyapathi, Rajakumari, Velaikaari, Manthirikumari, Thikambara saamiyaar, Sarvathikaari, Nadodi mannan, Uthama puthiran, Vanangamudi, Aayirathil oruvan, Enga veettu pillai, Vettaikkaaran, Ambikapathy, Pudhiya bhoomi, Rajaraja Cholan, Ninaithathai mudippavan, Ulagam sutrum vaalibhan, Padakotti, Thirisoolam, Sivantha mann, Thillana Mohanambal, Savale samaali, etc. are some of the films that I can never forget. I am indebted to MGR and Sivaji in my film career. Whenever I work with them, they used to encourage me a lot, giving importance to my acting and my character.”

When asked about his good health and the secret of his remaining youthful … “I would give the entire credit to the cooking talent of my wife Rukmini. I would take her along with me even if I go to Planet Mars! I never eat at hotels and I am a strict vegetarian. And, I eat only to fill half my stomach, I don’t eat stomach-full even if I am extremely hungry. If the husband and the wife are cordial and affectionate towards each other, that itself will take care of their health. If you get up early in the morning, both the body and the mind will remain youthful. I do exercise, meditation and yoga daily. I eat only the food that doesn’t give any problem to health. And, I earnestly wish that everyone should be fine. I don’t think evil even in my mind. You follow this and tell others also to follow.”

Many Ayyapa devotees in the cinema field as well as in the media acknowledged Nambiar as their Gurusamy for observing ‘Ayyappa vratha’ before embarking on their pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Nambiar had been observing this ‘vratha’ and undertook pilgrimage to Sabarimala till he was 82 years old! His health started deteriorating by the end of the year 2007. He was receiving treatment from home for some time. He died during his afternoon nap after lunch on 19th November 2008. I still feel for the loss of a very good human being in his death. None of his three children, Sukumar, Mohan and Snehalatha entered the cinema field. Nambiar also didn’t want them to enter, actor Sarath Babu, the son-in-law of Nambiar told me.