Toms
Encyclopedia
V. T. Thomas a.k.a. Toms is a cartoonist from Kerala
, India
. He is the creator of the cartoon
characters Boban and Molly (Malayalam:ബോബനും മോളിയും, Bobanum Moliyum).
Toms was born at Kuttanad
in 1929 as the son of V.T. Kunjuthomman and Cicily Thomas. He graduated with a B.A. degree. Toms joined Malayala Manorama
as a cartoonist in 1961 and worked there till his retirement in 1987.
Toms’ impish cartoon
characters Boban and Molly had become a household name in Kerala for over 40 years mainly through the pages of the Malayala Manorama weekly. Besides Boban and his sister Molly, Toms peoples the cartoon with characters like Kunchukurup, Appy-Hippy, Unnikkuttan, Panchayat President Chettan, his wife, etc. who all had found a place in the hearts of Malayali society.
When asked by a young fan about the genesis of Boban and Molly, Toms said he had named the cartoon characters after two children in the neighbourhood, Jojo and Molly, who one day came before him and asked him to draw their picture. Toms proceeds “This took place after these two naughty children thwarted every attempt of mine to prevent them from jumping the fence around my house and walking through the kitchen, on their way to school.”
The real-life Boban(real name Jojo)and Molly are now two grownups, Boban in Ernakulam
and Molly in Alappuzha
. When further asked about the age of the two cartoon characters Toms said “They are ageless. I have never made them to age, because nobody would love a grandfather Boban or a grandmother Molly playing pranks.” But added a jubilant Toms “In fact just the other day I went to the naming ceremony of Molly's grandchild.” Recently they received awards from Mr Vayalar Ravi in New Delhi.
Boban and Molly hail from the Kuruvellithara family. Currently both of them are settled in Kerala. Boban in and Molly in Alapuzha.
In its peak of popularity it is even said humorously that Toms had influenced the way the Malayali comes to read a magazine
– from back to front __ by way of habitually reading the Boban and Molly cartoon that had for long found a niche in the back pages of the Malayala Manorama weekly.
Upon his cessation of employment with Malayala Manorama, Toms started publication of Bobanum Mollyum in Kalakaumudi
which Manorama legally objected. A District Court temporarily restrained Toms and permitted Manorama to continue publication of the cartoon serial . On an appeal, High Court of Kerala ruled in pursuant of Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the ownership of cartoon strips drawn during Tom's employment with Manorama shall continue to be with the appellant, while Toms will be free to own the characters Boban and Molly and continue creating cartoon strips to publish at his will. Accordingly, he has since then, been drawing and publishing the cartoon as periodical publication.
Toms is married to Thresiakutty. They have three sons and three daughters.
They also have a grandson called Dominic Thomas.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is the creator of the cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
characters Boban and Molly (Malayalam:ബോബനും മോളിയും, Bobanum Moliyum).
Toms was born at Kuttanad
Kuttanad
Kuttanadu is a region in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India, well known for its picturesque vast paddy fields and its geographical peculiarities. It's the region with the lowest altitude in India, and one of the few places in the world where farming is carried out below sea...
in 1929 as the son of V.T. Kunjuthomman and Cicily Thomas. He graduated with a B.A. degree. Toms joined Malayala Manorama
Malayala Manorama
Malayala Manorama is a daily news paper, in Malayalam language, published in the state of Kerala, India. It was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1890, and currently has a readership of over 16 million . The Malayalam word "manorama" roughly translates to "entertainer"...
as a cartoonist in 1961 and worked there till his retirement in 1987.
Toms’ impish cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
characters Boban and Molly had become a household name in Kerala for over 40 years mainly through the pages of the Malayala Manorama weekly. Besides Boban and his sister Molly, Toms peoples the cartoon with characters like Kunchukurup, Appy-Hippy, Unnikkuttan, Panchayat President Chettan, his wife, etc. who all had found a place in the hearts of Malayali society.
When asked by a young fan about the genesis of Boban and Molly, Toms said he had named the cartoon characters after two children in the neighbourhood, Jojo and Molly, who one day came before him and asked him to draw their picture. Toms proceeds “This took place after these two naughty children thwarted every attempt of mine to prevent them from jumping the fence around my house and walking through the kitchen, on their way to school.”
The real-life Boban(real name Jojo)and Molly are now two grownups, Boban in Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
and Molly in Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
. When further asked about the age of the two cartoon characters Toms said “They are ageless. I have never made them to age, because nobody would love a grandfather Boban or a grandmother Molly playing pranks.” But added a jubilant Toms “In fact just the other day I went to the naming ceremony of Molly's grandchild.” Recently they received awards from Mr Vayalar Ravi in New Delhi.
Boban and Molly hail from the Kuruvellithara family. Currently both of them are settled in Kerala. Boban in and Molly in Alapuzha.
In its peak of popularity it is even said humorously that Toms had influenced the way the Malayali comes to read a magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
– from back to front __ by way of habitually reading the Boban and Molly cartoon that had for long found a niche in the back pages of the Malayala Manorama weekly.
Upon his cessation of employment with Malayala Manorama, Toms started publication of Bobanum Mollyum in Kalakaumudi
Kalakaumudi
Kalakaumudi is an illustrated weekly news magazine published in Malayalam Language from Kerala, India. It is printed at Thiruvananthapuram and distributed throughout Kerala by Kalakaumudi publications private limited. Even though the magazine has leniages with Kerala Kaumudi news paper, its an...
which Manorama legally objected. A District Court temporarily restrained Toms and permitted Manorama to continue publication of the cartoon serial . On an appeal, High Court of Kerala ruled in pursuant of Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the ownership of cartoon strips drawn during Tom's employment with Manorama shall continue to be with the appellant, while Toms will be free to own the characters Boban and Molly and continue creating cartoon strips to publish at his will. Accordingly, he has since then, been drawing and publishing the cartoon as periodical publication.
Toms is married to Thresiakutty. They have three sons and three daughters.
They also have a grandson called Dominic Thomas.