Cinemaazi remembers Prem Nazir on his birth anniversary

Born as Abdul Kadir on 7 April, 1926, Prem Nazir went on to become the biggest superstar in Malayalam cinema's history. His star aura was instrumental for the success of Udaya and Merryland studios, putting Malayalam cinema on a firm footing. He was known chiefly for his romantic roles, drawing from the tradition of pastoral poetry of Changampuzha and G Sankara Kurup. Fortunes of great Malayalam songwriters like O N V Kurup, P Bhaskaran and Vyalar Rama Varma were intertwined with Nazir's rise to stardom. Making his debut with Marumakal (1952), he carried over the acting chops he gained as a theatre performer in his college days. This lent itself well to the mythologicals and romantic melodramas he usually starred in. 
Some of his notable performances came in Padatha Paingili (1957), Unniyarcha (1961), Bhargavi Nilayam (1964), Iruttinte Athmavu (1967), Thurakkatha Vathil (1970), Maya (1972), Aromalunni (1972), Kannappanunni (1977) and many others. He enjoyed tremendous chemistry with actors like Sheela, Adoor Bhasi and Jayabharathi. He reigned as the undisputed top star of the industry from the mid-50s till 70s, and later transitioned to character roles. Combining elements of fantasy and realism, his films were considered more accessible than his contempraries'. He was the recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 1983 and the Prem Nazir Award was instituted in his memory. Cinemaazi remembers him for his immense contributions on his birth anniversary.