Bharat Gopy


Gopynathan Velayudhan Nair, popularly known by the stage name Bharat Gopy, was an Indian film actor, producer and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala during the 1970s.
Bharat Gopy has won many awards, including the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role as Sankarankutty in Kodiyettam, and hence he got the name Bharath. His well-known roles include Aiyappan in Yavanika, Vasu Menon in Palangal, Prof. "Shakespeare" Krishna Pillai in Kattathe Kilikoodu, Dushasana Kurup in Panchavadi Palam, Nandagopal in Ormakkayi, Mammachan in Adaminte Vaariyellu, Shankaran in Chidambaram, and Krishnan Raju in Aghaat.
As a filmmaker he is known for Ulsavapittennu and Yamanam. He produced the 1993 film Padheyam directed by Bharathan. In 1991 the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions towards the arts. In 1994, he authored the book Abhinayam Anubhavam, which won the National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema.

Early life and family

Bharat Gopy was born on 2 November 1937 at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram District of the state of Kerala as the youngest of four children to Kochuveetil Velayudhan Pillai and Parvathyamma. He completed his BSc. Degree from University College, Thiruvananthapuram. Immediately after his studies, he was employed as Lower Division Clerk in the Kerala Electricity Board.
He is married to Jayalakshmy S. V. The couple has a son, writer-actor Murali Gopy, and a daughter, Dr. Minu Gopy.

Career

Stage actor

Gopy began his acting career as a theatre actor at Prasadhana Little Theatres under G. Sankara Pillai. His first stage appearance was in the role of Raaghavan in the play Abhayarthikal. Later on, he became associated with Thiruvarange under Kaavalam Narayana Panicker. He has also written five plays and directed three.

Film actor

Gopy became interested in cinema through the Chitralekha Film Society, founded by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He made his movie debut in Adoor's Swayamvaram in 1972 in a small role. He did the lead role of Sankarankutty in Adoor's next film, Kodiyettam, a performance for which he won the National Award for Best Actor. He was also noted for his performances in movies like Ormakkayi, Yavanika, Panchavadi Palam and Adaminte Vaariyellu. Besides Malayalam movies, he acted in two Hindi movies, Aaghat and Satah Se Uthata Aadmi. Gopy was a film director and producer as well. Gopy was paralysed by a stroke on 20 February 1986, at the zenith of his career.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991.
In 1979, Gopy directed the movie Njattadi with Murali in lead role. The movie was only screened twice and the print is now lost. He directed three more movies Ulsavapittennu, Yamanam and Ente Hridhayathinte Utama. His Yamanam, about a physically handicapped person, was awarded Best Film on social issues by the National Award Jury in 1991.
On 24 January 2008, Gopy was hospitalised with chest pain. He died five days later following a cardiac arrest. His last role was in Balachandra Menon's De Ingottu Nokkiye.

Author

Gopy authored two books. His book Abhinayam Anubhavam, won the National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema in 1994. In 2003, Nataka Niyogam, his book on drama won the Kerala State Drama Awards for Best Book on Drama.

Filmography

Actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972Swayamvaraman unemployed youth
1977KodiyettamSankarankuttyNational Film Award for Best Actor
Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1978ThampuPanicker, the circus manager
1979PeruvazhiyambalamVishwambharan, the tea shop owner
1980Satah Se Uthata AadmiRameshScreened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival
1980Greeshmam
1981Vida Parayum MunpeDr. Thomas
1982PalangalVasu Menon
1981Kallan PavithranMaamachan
1982YavanikaTabalist Ayyappan
1982OrmakkayiNandu, the deaf and dumb sculptorKerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1982Snehapoorvam MeeraAbraham
1982Gaanam
1982AalolamMukundan Menon
1982MarmaramNaxalite Gopy
1983RachanaSriprasadKerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1983Purappadu
1983AsthiMohan
1983Nizhal Moodiya NirangalUnni
1983Lekhayude Maranam Oru FlashbackSuresh Babu
1983Kattathe KilikooduShakespeare Krishna PillaiKerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1983Oru Swakaryam
1983Ente MamattikkuttiyammakkuVinodKerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1983Ashtapadi
1983AsthramCapt. C. S. Nair
1983Eenam
1984Adaminte VariyelluMamachan Muthalaly
1983EettillamMoitheen Bawa
1984Sandhya Mayangum NeramJustice Balagangadhara Menon
1984Panchavadi PalamDushassana Kurup
1984Swantham SarikaBasheer
1984AppunniPerattupadaveettil Ayyappan Nair
1984AkkareK. N. Gopynathan
1984AarorumariyatheStephan George
1984AksharangalVP Menon
1984April 18Constable Gopy Pillai
1984Oru PainkilikathaSwami
1985Punnaram Cholli CholliKrishnankutty Nair
1985Kayyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu
1985ChidambaramMohandasKerala State Film Award for Best Actor
1985Gaayathridevi Ente AmmaMahadevan Thampi
1985AghaatKrishnan RajuHindi Film
1985Principal OlivilVasavan Pillai
1985Onathumbikkoru OonjaalAugustine
1985Archana AradhanaAdvocate Rajendran
1985Kanathaya PenkuttyDevadas Menon
1985KarimpinpoovinakkareChellan
1985Scene No 7
1985Puli Varunne PuliChairman
1985Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude ChakkiChellappan Pillai
1985IrakalBishop
1986Nilavinte nattil
1986Meenamasathile SooryanEK Nayanar
1986Chekkeraanoru Chilla
1986Revathikkoru PavakkuttyBalan Menon
1986Udayam PadinjaruThampi
1986Neram Pularumbol
1986Ice CreamPanikkarshanta Ram
1993PadheyamK. V. Raghavan
1994SwahamScreened at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival
1994Vardhakya PuranamRama Pothuval
1995AgnidevanK. K. Menon
1995OrmmakalalundayirikanamThakaran
1998Elavamkodu DesamAgnisarmman
1998SamaantharangalMusaliyar
1999Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum
1999DevadasiShanta Ram
2000SusannaK P Govardhanan Pilla
2001Ennum Sambhavami Yuge Yuge
2001Mookkuthy
2001Namukoru Koodaram
2002DesamUppa
2003Varum Varunnu VannuKathanar
2004Sethurama Iyer CBIFr. Gomez
2004WantedAnu's Father
2006RasathanthramBalan Master
2007NivedyamRamavarma Thampuran
2007Paradesi
2007NasraniNarayana Swamy
2008Aakasha GopuramAbraham Thomas
2008De Ingottu NokkiyeBhuminadha KurupPosthumous film
2009Bharya Swantham SuhruthuPosthumous film

Director

YearTitleNotes
1979Njattadi
1989Ulsavapittennu
1991YamanamBest Film on Other Social Issues
2002Ente Hridayathinte Udama

Producer

YearTitleNotes
1993PadheyamV. Shantaram award for the producer of the Best film

Awards

International awards and honours