P V Gangadharan: Man with a midas touch

A ubiquitous smile and a halo of joyous presence. This was P V Gangadharan for close relatives and friends. He adorned many feathers and was chiefly known for his adept organizing skill. He made strident work to help Mathrubhumi reach the pinnacle of reputation and those contributions will never get lost on time. His colleagues and well-wishers were in awe of Gangadharan’s knack for guiding a business to varied levels of success. Whatever he touched turned to gold. KTC, Mathrubhumi and Grihalakshmi Productions all became the testimonies of that success.

Gangadharan also tested the waters with an unfamiliar domain in movies but thrived their surprising many. He etched his name into the annals of the movie world by producing excellent cinemas that are still adored. He produced movies under the banner Grihalakshmi Productions. He was not someone who produced movies solely reliant on the A-class superstars or directors. Gangadharan financed only a handful of movies, and each one of them turned into gems of rare class. He was a genius in opting particular script and only gave yes-nod for a movie when convinced by the script work.

Gangadharan during his time as producer worked among talents ranging from I V Sasi to Roshan Andrews. During erstwhile times, the audience received a quick rush of exhilaration seeing the credits of the 'Grihalakshmi' banner pop up before the movie screening. Such was the repute Gangadharan created with his yeoman work. Films including ‘Katathe Kilikoodu’ and ‘Oru Vadkan Veeragatha’ give a sly hint about the taste and genre selection of PVG.

The strength of this achievement in film production led him to become the Chairman of the Film Development Corporation and the head of various film organizations.

Gangadharan fondly called 'PVG' was at the forefront of all social issues happening in Kozhikode. There would be no program in Kozhikode without PVG’s presence. Be it any issue in Kozhikode, PVG would surely show his presence with a gleaming smile.

PVG espoused Gandhian ideals and entered politics through the student union. An organizational career shaped by his passion for the Congress-led him to the All India Committee of Congress. After establishing a great rapport with senior leaders of Congress, he contested the Kozhikode North constituency in the 2011 assembly elections. However, he never let politics eclipse over his other commitments. Gangadharan maintained a fine balance and saw success in it.

His time as the director of Mathrubhumi is historic nevertheless. The organization which towered in newspaper business tried different streams under the able guidance of PVG. Albeit achieving a lifetime of success, PVG was unassuming and graced everyone with his enticing smile. It was rare for a man of his stature.

Kerala Kaumudi expresses deep sorrow and condolences on the passing away of PVG. We cherish the long-lasting camaraderie our organization had with him.