premji

{{about|the social reformer and actor from Kerala|the Chairman of Wipro|Azim Premji|the Tamil actor|Premji Amaren}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Premji

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption = Premji in Piravi Movie Poster

| birthname = M. P. Bhatathirippad

| birth_date = 23 September 1908

| birth_place = Ponnani, Madras Presidency, Indian Empire

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1998|08|10|1908|09|23}}

| death_place = Thrissur, Kerala, India

| restingplace =

| restingplacecoordinates =

| othername =

| occupation = Social reformer, writer, actor

| yearsactive =

| spouse = {{marriage|Arya Premji|1943}}

| children = KPAC M.P. Premachandran (late)
M.P. Neelakandan
Hareendranathan
M.P. Induchoodan
M.P. Sathi

| awards = National Film Awards
1989 - Piravi
Kerala State Film Awards
1989 - Piravi
Filmfare Awards South
1989 - Piravi

}}

Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/a-life-that-played-with-emotions/article25533520.ece|title=A life that played with emotions|last=Praveen|first=S. r|date=2018-11-19|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-08-01|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}} Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha and worked with V. T. Bhattathiripad, E. M. S. Namboodiripad and his brother M. R. Bhattathiripad in the fight against the casteism and conservatism that existed in the Nambudiri community.{{Cite web|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/columns/K_Satchidanandan/finding-her-voice/article6993777.ece|title=Finding her voice|website=Frontline|date=18 March 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-01}} Premji was also a noted stage and film actor who won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Piravi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/thilakan-jagathy-seema-jalaja-and-others-long-list-mollywood-s-unsung-stars-84109|title=Thilakan, Jagathy, Seema, Jalaja and others: The long list of Mollywood's unsung stars|website=www.thenewsminute.com|date=3 July 2018 |access-date=2019-08-01}}

Biography

Premji was born on 23 September 1908 in Vanneri, Malappuram, Kerala.{{Cite web|url=http://english.dcbooks.com/premji-born-on-23-september.html|title=Premji born on, 23 September|website=English News Portal|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-01|archive-date=1 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801045249/http://english.dcbooks.com/premji-born-on-23-september.html|url-status=dead}} It was a time when Kerala was experiencing a social uprising. The effect of that was visible in Premji's family and life as well. His elder twin brother M. R. Bhattathiripad, popularly known as MRB was a prominent figure in Malayalam professional plays.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/arya-premji-an-icon-of-struggle-for-namboodiri-widows-rights/article8641436.ece|title=Arya Premji, an icon of struggle for Namboodiri widows' rights|last=Basheer|first=K. P. M.|website=@businessline|date=24 May 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-01}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/sanskrit-film-ishti-traces-how-young-namboodiri-brahmins-rose-up-to-break-shackles-of-tradition/article8589575.ece|title=Fight for equality|last=Venkiteswaran|first=C. S.|date=2016-05-12|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-08-01|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}} Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha and worked with V. T. Bhattathiripad, E. M. S. Namboodiripad and MRB in the fight against the casteism and conservatism that existed in the Nambudiri community.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ObFCT5_taSgC&q=yogakshema+sabha+premji&pg=PA479|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo|last=Datta|first=Amaresh|date=1987|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=9788126018031|language=en}} Premji got married at the age of 40 to Arya Antharjanam (28 years old) from Karuvat Illam, Kanjany, Trichur, who was a widow since the age of 17.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/homestyle/spot-light/2019/07/23/premji-house-in-dilapidated-condition.html|title=ചരിത്രം ഉറങ്ങാത്ത പ്രേംജി വീട്|website=ManoramaOnline|language=ml|access-date=2019-08-01}} This was when widow-marriages were completely prohibited in Nambudiri community.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19910715-once-affluent-namboodiris-of-kerala-fall-on-hard-days-814587-1991-07-15|title=Once-affluent Namboodiris of Kerala fall on hard days|first=Ramesh|last=Menon|date=15 July 1991|website=India Today}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/arya-premji-malayalam-news-1.1079839|title=നടന്‍ പ്രേംജിയുടെ ഭാര്യ ആര്യ പ്രേംജി അന്തരിച്ചു|website=Mathrubhumi|date=23 May 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-01}} This was the second widow marriage in the modern Kerala history, after the marriage of his brother MRB with Uma Antharjanam nine years earlier.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/news/kerala/news-kerala-24-05-2016/563113|title=ആര്യ പ്രേംജി അന്തരിച്ചു|website=Deshabhimani|language=ml|access-date=2019-08-01}}

Premji started his professional life as a proof editor in Mangalodayam press Thrissur when he was 19. He soon launched his acting career with Adukkalayil Ninnu Arangathakku, a play by eminent dramatist V. T. Bhattathiripad.[http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/0308/10/1030810070_1.htm Weblokam profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009074351/http://www.weblokam.com/cinema/profiles/0308/10/1030810070_1.htm |date=9 October 2007 }} Later, he acted in various plays: MRB's Marakkudakkullile Mahaanarakam, Moothiringode Bhavathrathan Namboothiripad's Apphante Makal, Cherukad's Nammalonnu and Snehabimbangal and P. R. Warrier's Chavittikkuzhacha Mannu are some of them. He won gold medal from the Government of Kerala for his performance in the play Shah Jahan, produced by Kalakaumudi Nataka Koottayma. He was also awarded a fellowship by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. With his expertise in plays, he ventured into film industry.

He debuted in Minnaminungu and went on to act in about 60 films including Thacholi Othenen, Kunjali Marakkar, Lisa, Yaagam, Uttarayanam and Piravi. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor as well as Kerala State Film Award and also won Filmfare Award for Best Malayalam Actor for his performance as a father in search of his missing son in Piravi (1989), directed by Shaji N. Karun.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/all-seeing-eye-director-shaji-719244.html|title=The all-seeing eye of director Shaji Karun|date=2019-02-19|website=Deccan Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-08-01}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2018/aug/30/the-stillness-in-shaji-n-karuns-piravi-7669.html|title=The stillness in Shaji N Karun's Piravi|website=Cinema Express|date=30 August 2018 |access-date=2019-08-01}} In addition to the much acclaimed play Ritumathi Premji has 4 collected verses to his credit as well, namely Sapakthni, Nalkalikal, Raktha Sandesam and Premji Padunnu. He died on 10 August 1998, aged 90.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/amp/news/kerala/news-kerala-24-05-2016/563113|title=ആര്യ പ്രേംജി അന്തരിച്ചു {{!}} Kerala {{!}} Deshabhimani {{!}} Tuesday May 24, 2016|website=www.deshabhimani.com|access-date=2019-08-01}}