Veteran columnist, author and film historian Randor Guy no more

Author and columnist Randor Guy. File
| Photo Credit: K.V. SRINIVASAN

Veteran film historian, columnist and writer Madabhushi Rangadorai, popularly known by his pen name, Randor Guy, died in Chennai on Sunday (April 23) night, after a prolonged illness. He was 86.

Guy’s passion for films and writing was so great that he decided to move from a career in law, and wrote columns for many publications, including a weekly column ‘Blast from the Past’ in The Hindu.

Also Read | A collection of articles written by Randor Guy for  The Hindu

Guy’s close friend S.G Sridharan, recalls that Guy, who was born in Nellore, practiced as a lawyer and then started writing in Tamil magazines. He became popular after he shifted to his pen name. People initially thought he was an American, due to his pen name. He authored over 50 books in Tamil and English, and several documentaries. ‘Memories of Madras’ was his last book.

Another close friend R.T. Chari also helped Guy bring out columns and books, said Mr. Sridhar. Many of his dramas were produced as television plays. Guy was also a lyricist and wrote lyrics for movie ‘Thavapudhalvan’, he added.

Describing him as a “people’s man” and a friendly soul, historian V. Sriram said Guy was a pioneer, and set the trend on writing on personalities, particularly of India. “He wrote on famous personalities, including doctors, politicians and lawyers of the city in his book Annalaiya Chennai Pramukargal. To me, his finest book is Starlight, Starbright: The Early Tamil Cinema where he chronicled personalities like S.S. Vasan and P.K. Raja Sandow and director Y.V. Rao.”

Guy was also fond of sensational murders and wrote on the Alavandar and Lakshmikanthan murder cases. He also authored ‘Crime Writer’s Case Book’, he said.

Guy earlier also wrote a column on Carnatic musicians in Mr. Sriram’s website sangeetham.com. He was also an authority in the broad spectrum of cinema be it Tamil, Telugu, Hindu and even Hollywood.

Noting that Guy wrote a column ‘Mylaporeans’ in the ‘Mylapore Times’ for two years, its editor and publisher Vincent D’Souza recalls him as one of the great storytellers of Madras. “He knew to toss a colorful mix of facts and fiction in his storylines whether crime or cinema. He liberally used his imagination and laced stories with anecdotes and humour. That always brought housefull crowds to his talks,” he said.

Guy’s friends and colleagues reminisced about his phenomenal memory, cheerful personality and his columns on a range of topics ranging from legal matters and personalities to crime and cinema. He was known for his dry sense of humour in his books and talks.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.