32 Facts About Thilakan

Palappurathu Keshavan Surendranatha Thilakan was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films.

Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting, realistic and spontaneous appearances and is considered to be one of the greatest actors in Malayalam cinema.

Thilakan was born in Ayroor, in the present-day Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.

Thilakan had his primary education from Asan Pallikoodam, Manikkal and St Louis Catholic School, Nalamvayal, M D Seminary School Kottayam and Sree Narayana College, Kollam.

Thilakan served in military while Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime minister before starting his acting career.

Thilakan lived in Ayroor until he started acting in films for which he moved to Trivandrum.

Thilakan started his full-time career in acting after leaving college in the year 1956.

Thilakan worked with the Kerala People's Arts Club till 1966, followed by stints in Kalidasa Kalakendram, Changanacherry Geetha, and P J Antony's troupe.

Thilakan performed in several radio plays presented by All India Radio.

Thilakan began his career in cinema with a role in the P J Antony-directed Malayalam movie Periyar.

Thilakan was awarded his first Kerala State Film Awards in 1982 for his role in Yavanika.

Thilakan won Kerala State Award for supporting actor in Yathra which starred Mammootty.

Thilakan was strongly favored to get another National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the movie Perumthachan, but the award was given to Amitabh Bachchan over Thilakan amidst suspicions of strong lobbying, as Amitabh had announced his retirement earlier that year.

Thilakan starred in the National award winning movie Mathilukal, which was directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan in which he played the role of a warden of the jail who develops a rapport with the prisoner Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.

Thilakan has acted in other South Indian languages, such as Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

Thilakan has portrayed a range of characters; however, his most well-known role is that of the father of Mohanlal, portraying a father-son duo.

Thilakan has played father roles to other popular actors, including with Mammootty in Sangham, The Truth, Oliyampukal, No 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North and Pallavur Devanarayanan, with Jayaram in Veendum Chila Veettu Karyangal and Sandesam, with Kunchacko Boban in Aniyathi Pravu, with Dileep in Punjabi House and Meenathil Thalikettu and with Prithviraj in Sathyam.

Thilakan has played a number of antagonists, such as in Randam Bhavam, Karma and Kaalal Pada.

Thilakan has played comical roles in films like Nadodikkattu and Pattanapravesham, Mookkilla Rajyathu, Kuttettan and Naaduvazhikal.

Thilakan is remembered for the role of comic underworld don Damodarjj in Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam.

Thilakan played lead roles in Ekantham, Perumthachan, Santhanagopalam, Kaattukuthira, My Dear Muthachan, Mukhamudra, etc.

Thilakan had been earlier signed for a role in the film.

The exclusion was reportedly due to Thilakan acting in a film by director Vinayan, who till recently headed the rival association MACTA.

On 3 February 2010, Thilakan publicly protested against the unofficial ban enforced on him by FEFKA and blamed FEFKA for engineering the ban.

The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists issued a show cause notice to Thilakan for bringing the issue into the public domain.

Thilakan accused AMMA, of which he too is a member.

Thilakan was originally cast to play a role in a UAE-Indian co-production film Dam 999.

Thilakan was later replaced following a notice from FEFKA stating that the association would boycott the film if Thilakan were to act.

Thilakan was an atheist throughout his life, and was a supporter of Communist Party.

Thilakan was a member of many drama troupes which actively promoted Communism in Kerala.

Thilakan was then shifted to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and was in critical condition after suffering two heart attacks.

Thilakan was put on a ventilator and died on 24 September 2012.