Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Nagercoil born Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India. In a career that spanned about 47 years, he acted in over 700 films. He is considered to be the first movie star in Malayalam cinema. He was born in an aristocratic Nair family to Mangat C. Govinda Pillai and N. Lekshmi Amma.He was a good writer and an orator even when he was doing his schooling in Marthanda Varma School. He wrote his first poem at the age of 8 and his poem was published for the first time when he was 14 in Dhakshina Bharathi. His poems were collectively published as a book named Kedavilakku when he was 20.His parents wanted him to secure a government job, but he launched his career in writing and arts even before he completed his studies. Incidentally, his sister L. Omanakkunjamma was the first female magistrate in India.