P. K. Rosy Explained

Poulose Kunji Rosy
Birth Date:10 February 1903
Birth Place:Thycaud, Trivandrum
Death Date:[1]
Occupation:Actor
Children:2
Yearsactive:1928–1930

P. K. Rosy (10 February 1903 – 1988) was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. She is the first actress in Malayalam cinema. She starred in the J. C. Daniel film Vigathakumaran, for which she was targeted by an angry mob because of her caste.

Early life

She was born as Rajamma, on 10 February 1903 at Nandankode Trivandrum to a Pulaya Christian family. Rosy's father Poulose was the cook of the foreign missionary parker of LMS church. Her father died when she was young leaving her family in poverty. She also regularly went to the local school of performing arts to study Kakkarissi Natakam.[2] [3]

Rosy's love for acting seems to have surpassed concerns she may have held for what the elements of society would call her.[4]

There is a claim she married to a Tamil native truck driver Keshavan and moved to Tamil Nadu, where she used the name "Rajammal".[5] [6] The origin of her name "Rosy," many claim her family converted to Christianity and changed her name from Rajamma to Rosamma.[7] [8] [9] Rosy and her husband did not disclose her past to anyone. Their children, while aware of some details.[10]

Career

By 1928, she performed Kakkirasi, harvest songs and folk songs formed under the association of artists called "Cheramar Kalavedi" which became a training ground for entering into the yard of the Temple of art. The Kakkarasi drama troupe and Rajah Party Drama Troop competed with each other for Rosamma, this competition enhanced the star value of the actress Rosamma. From this, she stepped in to become the heroine of JC Daniel's film after his first prospective heroine proved unsuited for the role. She played the character of Sarojini, a Nair woman, in the movie.[11] When Vigathukumaran was released, members of the Nair community were enraged to see a Dalit woman portray a Nair. Many eminent members of the film industry at the time refused to come and inaugurate the opening of Vigathakumaran if Rosy was to be physically present there, including the famous lawyer Madhoor Govindan Pillai. Following a scene in which the main character kissed a flower in her hair, the audience threw stones at the screen. The director, Daniel, himself didn't invite her to the opening at Capitol theatre in Thiruvananthapuram, fearing a backlash but Rosy had attended anyway but was still made to watch a second showing by those boycotting the event. The crowd transformed into an angry mob which tore down the screen and damaged the theatre.[12] Eventually, Rosy had to flee.[13]

Legacy

The story of the film was first rediscovered in the late 1960s by Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan while in 1971 Kunnukuzhi published his first article about her.

In 2013, Kamal directed a biopic on Daniel. The film is partially based on the novel Nashta Naayika by Vinu Abraham, and also deals with the life of Rosy. Newcomer Chandni Geetha portrays her.[14] Two other films about her life have also been made: The Lost Child and Ithu Rosiyude Katha (This is Rosy’s Story). Women in Cinema Collective " WCC" which has been striving to make the workspace better for women in cinema launched Film society in Tribute to P K Rosy[15] P K Rosy Smaraka Samithi was inaugurated by Cinema Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan at Press Club.[16]

On 10 February 2023, Google honoured Rosy with a doodle, on the occasion of her 120th birthday.[17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: P K Rosy & the History Behind . https://web.archive.org/web/20110711020343/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/flash_back/183596/ . dead . 11 July 2011 . 22 March 2019.
  2. Web site: Locating P K Rosy: Can A Dalit Woman Play a Nair Role in Malayalam Cinema Today? . Savari . 23 February 2013 . en-US . 5 June 2017 . 2 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170802205254/http://www.dalitweb.org/?p=1641 . live.
  3. Web site: PK Rosy's story: How Malayalam cinema's first woman actor was forced to leave the state . Rajendran . Sowmya . 19 September 2019 . The News Minute . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190920122529/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pk-rosys-story-how-malayalam-cinemas-first-woman-actor-was-forced-leave-state-109169 . 20 September 2019 . 24 April 2020.
  4. News: The daughters of P.K. Rosy . Pillai . Meena T. . The Hindu . 5 June 2017 . en . 19 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201019233959/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/the-daughters-of-pk-rosy/article4484922.ece . live.
  5. Web site: Google Doodle remembers PK Rosy, first female lead in Malayalam Cinema . 2024-06-11 . www.mangaloretoday.com.
  6. Web site: Dutta . Raajwrita . 2023-02-10 . PK Rosy 120th Birth Anniversary: Google Honours First Female Malayalam Actor . 2024-06-11 . TheQuint . en.
  7. News: The return of Dalit heroine in Malayalam cinema Alia bhatt . Charmy . Harikrishnan . 14 August 2016 . 22 March 2019 . The Economic Times . 26 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190326043857/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/the-return-of-dalit-heroine-in-malayalam-cinema/articleshow/53694495.cms . live.
  8. News: The forgotten star . Saju . Chelangad . The Hindu . 24 November 2013 . 22 March 2019 . www.thehindu.com . 25 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200225230334/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/the-forgotten-star/article5383387.ece . live.
  9. Web site: The Name of the Rose | the Big Indian Picture . 20 May 2017 . 25 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170325075416/http://thebigindianpicture.com/2013/06/the-name-of-the-rose/ . live.
  10. Web site: PK Rosy's story: How Malayalam cinema's first woman actor was forced to leave the state . 19 September 2019.
  11. Web site: The Name of the Rose . Sebastian . Meryl Mary . June 2013 . TBIP . 20 May 2017 . 25 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170325075416/http://thebigindianpicture.com/2013/06/the-name-of-the-rose/ . live.
  12. Web site: Against all odds: How J.C. Daniel, Father of Malayalam cinema, made his first and last movie . March 2017.
  13. Web site: The Name of the Rose The Big Indian Picture . thebigindianpicture.com . en-US . 5 June 2017 . 25 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170325075416/http://thebigindianpicture.com/2013/06/the-name-of-the-rose/ . live.
  14. Web site: Chandini Geetha - Film Actress, Singer . Manalethu . Biju Cheriyan . 22 January 2016 . Cinetrooth . 20 May 2017 . 31 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170331130323/http://cinetrooth.in/2016/01/22/chandini-geetha-actress-profile-and-biography . live.
  15. Web site: WCC launches film society after Kerala's first woman actor PK Rosy.
  16. Web site: Rosy Smaraka Samithi Launch.
  17. Web site: P.K. Rosy's 120th Birthday . 9 February 2023 . www.google.com . en . 10 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230210074751/https://www.google.com/doodles/pk-rosys-120th-birthday . live.

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