M. N. Nambiar

Personal Info

Known For Acting

Known Credits 188

Gender Male

Birthday March 5, 1919

Day of Death November 19, 2008 (89 years old)

Place of Birth Kannur, Kerala, India

Also Known As

  • M N Nambiyar
  • Nambiar
  • M.N. Nambiar
  • M.N.Nambiyar

Content Score 

100

Yes! Looking good!

Looks like we're missing the following data in en-US or en-US...

Login to report an issue

Biography

M. N. Nambiar (born Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar) was a film actor in Tamil cinema who dominated the industry in the role of villain for around 50 years. Also known as Nambiar Swami or Maha Guruswami, he was a spiritual leader who pioneered the movement of taking pilgrims to Sabarimala.

Nambiar started as a hero, Nambiar Guruswami soon started donning the role of a villain — so much so that today his name is synonymous with villainy in Kollywood. Nambiar swami has worked with seven generations of actors. His first pay was Rs.3 with Boys Company. He would retain Rs.1 and send Rs.2 to his mother. He made quite a statement in the early 50s with his portrayal of 11 roles in Digambara Samiyar, one of his films as the Lead. His arresting performance in films such as Manthiri Kumari, Velaikaari, Ayirathil Oruvan, Thillana Mohanambal, Missiyamma and Nenjam Marappadillai paved way for a very successful career that spanned over five decades.

A majority of the more than 1000 films that he has done is in Tamil, though he has acted in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi, besides an English film Jungle' (with Rod Cameron, the film's hero, directed by William Burke) in which he appears in a few brief scenes. The film was released in 1952. The Hindi film he acted in was a remake of the Tamil Kanavane Kankanda Deivam. After becoming popular in Tamil films he started his own drama troupe called Nambiar Nataka Mandram. They staged two plays —Kaviyin Kanavu' and a comedy play `Kalyana Supermarket.'

Nambiar swami was that rare contradictory personality - a cruel, charming villain on the silver screen while being a very pious man in real life. He was also a pure vegetarian and teetotaler. He was also an ardent devotee of Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan. He has had a long association with the temple, and visited the shrine more than 65 times over the last half a century; this has led to him being called Maha Guruswamy. His colleagues noted that he died during the famous Sabarimala season and it may be due to the blessing of his Lord.

Acting

2007
2006
2003
2003
2003
2002
2002
2001
2001
2001
1999
1999
1999
1998
1998
1997
1997
1997
1996
1995
1995
1995
1995
1994
1994
1994
1993
1993
1993
1993
1993
1992
1992
1992
1992
1991
1991
1991
1991
1991
1990
1990
1990
1990
1989
1989
1989
1989
1988
1988
1988
1988
1988
1987
1987
1987
1987
1987
1986
1986
1986
1985
1985
1985
1985
1985
1985
1985
1984
1984
1984
1984
1984
1984
1984
1984
1984
1983
1983
1983
1983
1983
1982
1982
1982
1982
1982
1981
1981
1981
1981
1981
1981
1980
1980
1980
1980
1979
1979
1979
1979
1978
1978
1978
1977
1977
1977
1976
1975
1975
1974
1974
1974
1973
1973
1973
1973
1972
1972
1971
1971
1970
1969
1969
1969
1969
1969
1969
1968
1968
1968
1968
1968
1968
1968
1967
1967
1966
1966
1966
1966
1966
1965
1965
1965
1964
1964
1964
1964
1964
1964
1963
1963
1963
1962
1962
1961
1961
1961
1960
1960
1959
1959
1959
1959
1958
1958
1958
1958
1958
1957
1957
1957
1957
1957
1957
1956
1955
1953
1952
1952
1951
1951
1950
1950
1950
1948
1947

You need to be logged in to continue. Click here to login or here to sign up.

Can't find a movie or TV show? Login to create it.

Global

s focus the search bar
p open profile menu
esc close an open window
? open keyboard shortcut window

On media pages

b go back (or to parent when applicable)
e go to edit page

On TV season pages

(right arrow) go to next season
(left arrow) go to previous season

On TV episode pages

(right arrow) go to next episode
(left arrow) go to previous episode

On all image pages

a open add image window

On all edit pages

t open translation selector
ctrl+ s submit form

On discussion pages

n create new discussion
w toggle watching status
p toggle public/private
c toggle close/open
a open activity
r reply to discussion
l go to last reply
ctrl+ enter submit your message
(right arrow) next page
(left arrow) previous page

Settings

Want to rate or add this item to a list?

Login