Rajan P. Dev

Rajan P. Dev (20 May 1951 – 29 July 2009) was an Indian film and stage actor. He was born in Cherthala in the Alappuzha district of the former state Thiru-Kochi (present day Kerala). He had acted in over 500 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. He was noted for his villain roles laced with a touch of humour. He came into the limelight for his characterisation of Kochuvava in the play Kattukuthira. Rajan P. Dev died in Kochi Wednesday 29 July 2009 due to a liver disease.

Family Rajan P. Dev was born to Devassia who was known as S. J. Dev, a popular stage and drama actor of his times, and Kuttyamma in 1951 at Cherthala. He has a sister, Raniyamma. He had his education from Govt. Boys Higher Secondary School, Cherthala, St. Michael's College, Cherthala and Sree Narayana College, Cherthala.

Rajan P. Dev was married to Shanthamma. The couple had three children; Asha, Jubil Raj and Unni. Asha is married to Binoy, a hotel businessman. Jubil Raj has been an actor from 2009. He has done more than 20 movies in Malayalam and Tamil. He has done some major roles in Yakshiyum Njanum, Thappana, Thank You, Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus, KQ, Welcome to Central Jail, King Liar, An International Local Story, Maffi Dona, Kaaval, etc. His younger son Unni also acted in movies like Zachariayude Garbhinikal, Aadu and its sequel.

Stage career Rajan P. Dev, born to noted stage actor S. J. Dev and Kuttyamma, started his acting career with various professional play troupes in Kerala. His father remained one of his major influences. He was noted for his performances in various plays in the troupe of senior stage actor N. N. Pillai. He was cast by S. L. Puram Sadanandan to do the protagonist role of Kochuvava in his play Kattukuthira. The play was staged in over 100 venues and Dev became immensely popular all over Kerala. He received the Kerala State Theater Best Actor Award in 1984 and 1986. Along with his successful stage career, Dev launched his film career. Despite his success in films, he maintained a steady relationship with stage plays. He founded the play troupe Jubilee Theatres; and for its plays he did creative contributions in various departments. The last play by Jubilee Theatres, a satire titled Amminipuram Gramapanchayat had its lyrics and music by Dev. The role of Carlos proved to be career-defining for Dev, as he was showered with villain roles in a number of films.

Several of Dev's villain roles had a touch of comedy, but he could not get out of the typical villain character mould. He got a break from this with Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava (1995), directed by Rajasenan, in which he played Aniyan Bava, the younger brother to Chettan Bava, played by Narendra Prasad. The film established his versatility. He went on to act in full-fledged comedy roles after it, most notably in the films Sphadikam (1995), Thommanum Makkalum (2005) and Chota Mumbai (2007). He still continued to act his signature villain roles. He expanded his career to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films starting with Gentleman (1993), directed by S. Shankar. He acted in over 50 films in those languages, most of which were villain roles. Out of about 800 films he acted in, many of the roles he played were of corrupt police officer, minister, etc., another testimonial to the several typecast roles he had to act in. Dev has directed three films: Achammakuttiyude Achayan (1998), Maniyarakkallan and Achante Kochumolku (2003). He was planned to direct two more films titled Kayal Rajavu and Simham, starring Mammootty and Prithviraj, respectively.

Illness and death Rajan P. Dev suffered from various disease like diabetes and liver cirrhosis during his final years. He was admitted to hospital many times due to these problems. He also lost his sight due to diabetes, and suffered without seeing camera during many shootings. On 26 July 2009, he vomited high amounts of blood at his home in Angamaly, and was admitted to Little Flower Hospital near his home. Later, he was shifted to Lake Shore Hospital in Kochi for advanced treatment, where he died on 29 July, aged 58. The last film that he had acted in was Ringtone, directed by Ajmal.

Filmography

As an actor

Malayalam

1980s Year Title Role Notes 1981 Sanchari Chekuthaan Varghese Sphodanam 1983 Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku Adv. Thomas George 1984 My Dear Kuttichathan School Teacher 1985 Akalathe Ambili Makan Ente Makan 1986 Shyama Dance Master Cameo Pappan Priyappetta Pappan Puli Sankaran 1988 Samvalsarangal 1989 Swantham Ennu Karuthi

1990s Year Title Role Notes 1990 Indrajaalam Carlos Vyooham Jayakumar Ee Kanni Koodi Pillai Appu Varma Oliyampukal Nanu Mooppan 1991 Kadinjool Kalyanam Thalaivar Vellai Chami Ezhunnallathu Ranger Uncle Chakravarthy Patrick Perreira Thudar Katha Receiver Shivasankaran Amina Tailors Moori Hydrose Mookilla Rajyathu Abdullah Kuttapathram Augustine Fernandez 1992 Apaaratha Theeppori Madhavan Maanyanmar Vikaraman Kaazhchakkppuram Thomas Mathew Aardram Mathai Kizhakkan Pathrose Chandi Muthalaali First Bell Vakkachan Ente Ponnu Thampuran S.I. Idikulla 1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Sadanandan Pravachakan Menon Mafia Moosakutty Janam Dasappan Injakkadan Mathai & Sons David Ekalavyan Home Minister Velayudhan Aayirappara Govinda Menon Paalayam Member Kuttapayi 1994 Commissioner IG Rajan Felix IPS Chukkan Anandakrishna Iyyer Puthran Easho Gandeevam Karunakaran Nair Kadal Musthafa Haji Rudraksham Nair Kambolam Tharakkandam Thommichan Njan Kodiswaran Mathachen Manathe Kottaram Lukochen Pettah Kudumba Vishesham KRC Cabinet Varghesekutty 1995 Tom & Jerry Krishnadas Three Men Army Thomas Ezharakoottam Vakkachan Spadikam Manimala Vakkachan Puthukkottayile Puthumanavalan Govindan Mazhavilkoodaram Ram Saab Maanthrikam Antonio Kokkarakko Mimics Action 500 Manimala Mamachan Kidilol Kidilam Eappan George Karma Kalamasseriyil Kalyanayogam Edappally Raman Nair Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava Kunjan Bava (Aniyan Bava) Agrajan Ittikuru/Kunjupalu Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary SP Sugunapal Thirumanassu Divan Thampi Peterscott Doctor Special Squad Fernandez The King Govindan Menon Alancheri Thamprakkal Capt. Mukundan Menon/George Varghese Saamoohyapaadam Kunjanandan Nair 1996 Patanayakan Maliyekkal Marthandan Pallivathukkal Thommichan Thommichan Yuvathurki Somedraji/Gunashekharan Dominic Presentation Marthandan Pillai Mr. Clean Madhavan Thampi Sathyabhamakkoru Premalekhanam Kovai Machan Mookkilla Rajyathu Murimookkan Rajavu Malayaalamaasam Chingam Onninu Kinnam Katta Kallan Doctor Raghav Kavadam 1997 Azhakiya Ravanan Chathothu Panicker Newspaper Boy Dada Manthra Mothiram Achuthan Kottappurathe Koottukudumbam Bhaskara Menon Kalyana Unnikal Muthu Nayakam Junior Mandrake Nambiar Janathipathyam DGP Padmanabhan Pillai IPS Ekkareyanente Manasam Adv. Sreedharan Asuravamsam Moosa Settu Masmaram Willson Moriz Bhoopathi Williams Aattuvela Varnapakittu Pullankunnel Pappan 1998 Kottaram Veettile Apputtan Kozhikkaden Achuthan Nambiar Kalaapam Vaniyamkulam Vishwam Vismayam Thumbaseery Kuruppu Kallu Kondoru Pennu Sreekandan Grama Panchayath Pappu Dravidan Achaammakkuttiyude Achaayan Kattungal Anthony also director (debut) Aalibabayum Aarara Kallanmarum Chathanadan 1999 Swastham Grihabharanam Veerabhadran Nair Panchapandavar Parameswara Kurup Jananayakan Doraiswami Independence Mukundan Ezhupunna Tharakan Kumbanadan Lazar Deepasthambham Mahascharyam Nambiar Crime File Mammala Mammachen Parasala Pachan Payyannoor Paramu K.N. Pisharadi Aayiram Meni Bhaskaran Aakasha Ganga Meppadan Thirumeni

2000s Year Title Role Notes 2000 Sathyameva Jayathe SSP Thomas Pattimattom IPS Dada Sahib Skaraia Zachariah The Warrant Navajeevan Madhavji Mera Naam Joker Ittoop Rapid Action Force Koshy Nainan Cover Story 2001 Vakkalathu Narayanankutty DGP Kurian Kulapurayil IPS Rakshasa Rajavu Minister Attuva Avarachan Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu Rajashekharan Kakkinakshathram Anamuttathu Hajiyar Nagaravadhu Mamaji Ee Nadu Innale Vare Chief Minister Karumadikkuttan Neelakantan Muthalali Sharja To Sharja Karunan Kappithan Nariman Adv. Vaikuntam 2002 Videsi Nair Swadesi Nair Rajappan Nair Swarna Medal Balakrishanan Akhila Sekharan Nair Njan Rajavu Shivam S.I. Eapen Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan C.I. Chellappa Chettiar Kaiyethum Doorath Prof. Sadasivan Jagathy Jagadeesh in Town Minister Vishwanathan 2003 Leader Kaimal Swantham Malavika Achante Kochumolku Gabriel Panachikkadan 2004 Kusruthi Thathran Vamanapuram Bus Route Ouseppu Sethurama Iyer CBI Registar Bahuleyan C. I. Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu Nambiar Vellinakshatram Meppadan Thirumeni Vajram Fr. Varghese Thekkekkara Superfast Philippose Pookkattuparambil Aparichithan Police Officer Natturajavu Captain Menon 2005 Isra Thommanum Makkalum Thomman As Title Role Udayon Chetti Kalyana Kurimanam Aravindaksha Kuruppu Thaskara Veeran Arakkalam Kuttappan Pandippada Kuruppu / Karuppayya Swami Bharathchandran I.P.S. DySP Pookkoya Chanthupottu Thorayil Aasan The Tiger Varkeychan Narimattathil 2006 Vargam Priest Pothan Vava Vakkachan Highway Police David D'Souza Oruvan 2007 Ravanan I.G. Raman Menon Panthaya Kozhi Astrologer Nagaram Lonappan Sketch Chandrasekhara Shetty Chotta Mumbai Pambu Chackochan Abraham & Lincoln Rahim Rawuthar Athisayan Minister Divakaran Nadiya Kollappetta Rathri Retired SI Mayilvahanam Kathireshan Ali Bhai Karunakaran Thampi Black Cat Tharakan Muthalali Kichamani MBA DIG Somashekaran IPS Indrajith 'Chemparunthu' Bhaskaran Chocolate Bahuleyan 2008 Roudram IG Mohammed Shihabudeen IPS Mayabazar Akri Damodharan Annan Thampi Dharmarajan Kanichukulangarayil CBI Krishna Gopan Lollipop Chandykunju Sound of Boot Retd IGP Raghavan Nambiar IPS Gopalapuranam Gopalan Nair De Ingottu Nokkiye Shakespeare M.A. Malayalam Veerabhasan Aayudham Plavinchottil Chacko Bullet Ganga Prasad 2009 Love In Singapore Irumbu Mani Hailesa Maniyappan's father I. G. – Inspector General Chief Minister Ramachandran Ee Pattanathil Bhootham Kora Daddy Cool Roy's father Sambhu Puthukodi Balan

2010s Year Title Role Notes 2010 Black Stallion Sebastian Zacharia Brahmasthram Ramachandran Vandae Maatharam Dy. SP Mansoor Ringtone Rajasingam Thampuran 2013 Rhythm

2020s Year Title Role Notes 2021 The Priest Joseph Alatt Photo presence Kaaval Kuzhiyil Chandy Photo presence

Tamil Year Title Role Notes 1991 Vasanthakala Paravai Inspector 1992 Naangal Rathnaswamy Suriyan Koopu Konar 1993 Gentleman Chief Minister 1994 Pathavi Pramanam R. K. (Rajakumar) 1996 Sengottai Thirumoorthy Selva Vaappa 1997 Vaimaye Vellum Perumal Love Today Inspector Vasudevan Periya Idathu Mappillai Chinna Thambi 1998 Golmaal Karnal Rajappa En Uyir Nee Thaane Rajasekhar 1999 Poomagal Oorvalam Sengodan Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham Anand's father 2000 Simmasanam Thambidurai Kushi MP Ambareesh Maayi MLA Sundarapandiyan 2001 Thaalikaatha Kaaliamman Raghavan 2002 Red Sarathy Bala Pasupathi Sri Bannari Amman Vellangiri 2003 Nadhi Karaiyinile Mohammed Khan 2004 Jai Vajravelu Campus Sathyaseelan Jana Minister Arasatchi Contractor Muthupandi 2005 Sukran Judge Needhi Manikkam Manthiran Local Gangster 2006 Aathi Pattabhi Kalinga Chanakya 2007 Manase Mounama Aadhi 2008 Vambu Sandai Malayali Doctor Tharagu Encounter Specialist Thenavattu Minister 2009 Karthik Anitha Krishnamoorthy Malayan M. R. K. Vedachalam

Telugu Year Title Role Notes 2001 Khushi Gudumba Satti 2002 Aadi Nagi Reddy 2003 Naaga Home Minister Aayudham Varadaraju Dil Nandini's grandfather Okkadu Siva Reddy Simhadri Kerala Chief Minister Cameo Seetayya Sivayya's father Praanam Special Appearance 2004 Koduku Basava Punnayya Arya MP Avataram Arjun Govindarajulu Gudumba Shankar Kumaraswamy's Uncle 2005 Balu Bunny Chief Minister Gudumba Chatti Veerabhadra Zamindar 2007 Yogi Vijayadasami Kodanti Koteshwar Rao 2008 Kalidasu Home Minister

Kannada Year Title Role Notes 2003 Don Sadhu Shetty Annavru 2006 Student 2008 Nee Tata Naa Birla 2009 Maccha JK

As director Achamakuttiyude Achayan (1998) Achante Kochumol (2003) Maniyarakallan (2005)

Serials Samayam (Asianet) Ashtapadi (Surya TV) Kadamattathu Kathanaar (Asianet) Sanmanassulavarkku Samadhanam (Asianet) Swami Ayappan (Asianet) 123 Sat (Asianet) Kaala (Kairali TV)