Thilakan

Palappurathu Keshavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012), known mononymously as Thilakan, was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films. Spanning more than five decades, Thilakan’s acting career was marked by critical acclaim for his versatility and powerful screen presence. He won several major honours including the Padma Shri from the Government of India, multiple National Film Awards and numerous Kerala State Film Awards, becoming the most frequent winner of the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor.

Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting and realistic, spontaneous performances and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, whose style influenced generations of Malayalam actors and audience.

Early life Thilakan was the second of the six children of P. T. S. Keshavan of the Palappurathu house (1904–1972) and Devayani Amma (1912–2010). Thilakan was born in Ayroor, in the present-day Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. He had his primary education from Asan Pallikoodam, Manikkal and St. Louis Catholic School, Nalamvayal, M. T. Seminary School Kottayam and Sree Narayana College, Kollam.He 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. During this period he and several friends formed a drama troupe called the Mundakayam Nataka Samithy in Mundakayam, where his father was working as an estate supervisor. He worked with the Kerala People's Arts Club till 1966, followed by stints in Kalidasa Kalakendram, Changanacherry Geetha, and P. J. Antony's troupe. He also performed in several radio plays presented by All India Radio.

Career Thilakan began his career in cinema with a role in the P. J. Antony-directed Malayalam movie Periyar (1973). He then worked in Gandharvakshetram and Ulkadal (1979). His first role as a lead character was as Kallu Varkey, a drunkard in Kolangal (1981). Thilakan was awarded his first Kerala State Film Awards in 1982 for his role in Yavanika. He also won Kerala State Award for supporting actor in Yathra which also starred Mammootty.

In 1988, he received the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Rithubhedam, and again in 1994. In 1998, he won State awards for Santhanagopalam and Gamanam. He 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. In 2009, he was also seen in Pazhassi Raja, and in the same year he played Mohanlal's father one last time in the actor's 300th movie Evidam Swargamanu. In 2011, he played a significant role in the Prithviraj blockbuster Indian Rupee directed by Renjith. In 2012, he played the role of Kareem Bhai in Ustad Hotel and as the grandfather of Faizy, acted by Dulquer Salmaan.

Controversies

National Film Award Thilakan, in an interview, claimed that the then jury chairman Ashok Kumar was keen on giving him the 1991 National Film Award for Best Actor for Perumthachan but that a Congress leader wanted the award to be given to Amitabh Bachchan to woo him back to their party.

FEFKA In February 2010, it was reported that the producer of the movie Christian Brothers excluded Thilakan from the film at the request of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), the predominant film technicians association. 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 (AMMA) 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. On 20 February 2010 the CPI's trade union wing, AITUC, came out openly in support of Thilakan, while a senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member K. E. Ismail expressed reservations about political involvement in the issue.

Thilakan was originally cast to play a role in a UAE-Indian co-production film Dam 999. He was later replaced following a notice from FEFKA stating that the association would boycott the film if Thilakan were to act. Sohan, the director, was forced to seek a substitute for Thilakan when it "came to the point that shooting might be disrupted." Eventually, Rajit Kapur was cast instead of Thilakan. Some reports contended that Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) also had intervened in Thilakan's replacement.

Personal life

Relationships Thilakan's first partner was actress Santha with whom he appeared in several productions. Thilakan and Santha have three sons, Shaji, Shammi & Shobhi. Later, he had a second partner, his co-artist Sarojam with whom he had a son, Shibu Thilakan, and two daughters Dr. Sonia Thilakan and Sophia Ajith.

His grandson Abhimanyu made his debut in Marco (2024) starring Unni Mukundan.

Views Thilakan was an atheist throughout his life, and was a supporter of Communist Party. He was a member of many drama troupes which actively promoted Communism in Kerala. When he died, his dead body was draped with Communist flag.

Death For a long time, Thilakan dealt with numerous health issues like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. He was hospitalized multiple times due to these problems. Finally, he was admitted to Jubilee Mission Hospital in Thrissur on 1 August 2012 after he collapsed during the shooting of the film Scene Onnu Nammude Veedu. He was then shifted to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and was in critical condition after suffering two heart attacks. Besides having cardiac problems, Thilakan was suffering from pneumonia. He was put on a ventilator and died on 24 September 2012. He was cremated with full state honours.

Awards

Civilian honours 2009 – Padma Shri

National Film Awards: 1987 – Best Supporting Actor – Rithubhedam 1990 - Special Jury Mention - Perumthachan 2006 – Special Jury Mention – Eakantham 2012 – Special Jury Mention – Ustad Hotel

Kerala State Film Awards: 1981 – Second Best Actor – Yavanika 1985 – Second Best Actor – Yathra 1986 – Second Best Actor – Panchagni 1987 – Second Best Actor – Thaniyavarthanam 1988 – Second Best Actor – Mukti, Dhwani 1989 – Special Jury Award – Various films 1990 – Best Actor – Perunthachan 1994 – Best Actor – Gamanam, Santhanagopalam 1999 – Second Best Actor – Kattathoru Penpoovu

Filmfare Awards South 2006- Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award - South 2011- Best Supporting Actor Male (Indian Rupee)

Other awards 2010 – Bharath Gopi Award 2007 – Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship 2001 – Asianet Film Award for Lifetime Achievement

Filmography

Malayalam films +1990sYearMovie RoleNotes1990SasnehamRetired StationmasterRajavazhchaMadhava PanikkarRadha MadhavamN. S. AnadapadmanabhanPerumthachan Raman (Perumthachan)MaalayogamVarkeyKattukuthiraKochuvavaEe KannikoodiSimonMathilukalJail WardenOliyampukalJohn Mathew1991Venal KinavukalGopalakrishnan NairSandesamRaghavan NairMookilla Rajyathu Keshavan / KeshuKilukkamJustice PillaiKadavuGodfather Balaraman (elder son of Anjooran)Georgekutty C/O GeorgekuttyIttichanDhanam1992MukhamudraAchuthan Pilla & Ananthan PillaMahanagaram Kelu writerSwaroopamSadayamDr. K. V. G. NambiarMy Dear MuthachanParameswaran / Major K. K. MenonEzhara PonnanaMadhava MenonDaivathinte VikrithikalKumaranKauravarAliyaar1993SamagamamPallivathukkal KariyachanBandhukkal ShathrukkalDamodaranKalippattamK. MK. MenonGhoshayathra Moideen Haji AacharyanKrishna Menon IASJanamD.G.P Thomas MathewMaya MayooramThanoor Shankunni MenonEnte SreekuttikkuBalakrishnan NairChenkolAchuthan Nair (Sethu's father)Ammayana SathyamR. Varghese MathewAagneyamVelu AashanManichithrathazhuPullattuparam Brahmadathan Namboothiripad1994Vendor Daniel State LicencyVendor DanielAgrajanPavithramEaswara PillaiPaksheVikraman ContractorPingamiKumaranMinnaramRetd. I. G. MatthewsKudumba ViseshamMadhavan NairKinnaripuzhayoramThirusherry Madhavan VaidyarChukkanShankaran NairGamanamSanthanagopalamKrishna Kurup1995Thacholi Varghese ChekavarAvarachanSundari Neeyum Sundaran NjanumAchuthan NairSpadikamC. P. Chacko alias Kaduva Chacko Peter ScottKarmaM. R. Sreedhara Menon1996Naalamkettile Nalla ThampimarI.G Rasheed KhanYuvathurkiJustice T. N. SharmaKathil Oru KinnaramUnnithanHarbourPattalam PappachanRajaputhranBalaramanKaanchanam1997Itha Oru SnehagathaKulamKudaman PillaiUllasappoonkattuJohn FernandezAthyunnathangalil Koodaaram PanithavarIshtadanamAniyathipravuRaghupal, Sudhi's FatherMangamma Karuppan MoopparFive Star HospitalCarlosOru Yathramozhi Adhruman (Abdul Rahiman)Nee VaruvolamMadhavan NairRishyasringan Vaachalam GangothriPoonilamazhaOral MathramShekhara MenonNagarapuranamSathya NarayananManickakoodaramBhoopathi Bawa/ChindanKattathoru Penpoovu1998Sidhartha RaghavanNakshathra TharattuMeenathil ThalikettuGovindan NambeesanThe TruthSivapuram PatteriBritish MarketPunjabi HouseKaimal MasterIlamura ThampuranKalapamValayar MadhavanMayilpeelikkavuValyathanElavamkodu DesamMoossChinthavishtayaya ShyamalaKarunan Mash1999Kannezhuthi Pottum ThottuNatesan MuthalaliSaphalyamSparsham Veendum Chila VeettukaryangalKochuthomaThachiledathu ChundanVikraman NairPrem PoojariMusic directorPallavur DevanarayananPallavur Sreekanta Pothuval

Tamil films Sathriyan (1990) as Arumai Nayagam Moondrezhuthil En Moochirukkum (1991) as Namboodiri Udan Pirappu (1992) Kilipetchu Ketkava (1993) Karuppu Vellai (1993) Ayudha Poojai (1995) as Samiyappan Mettukudi (1996) Aravindhan (1997) Kallazhagar (1999) Bala (2002) Nee Venunda Chellam (2006) as Viswanathan Suyetchai MLA (2006) Alibhabha (2008) Uyirin Yedai 21 Ayiri (2011)

Telugu films Samarasimha Reddy (1999) as Balakrishna's father Sri Mahalakshmi (2007) as Sri Mahalakshmi's father

Kannada films Mother India (1995)

As a dubbing artist 1983 Asthi as the managing director portrayed onscreen by Vijayan Karote 2003 Magic Magic 3D – Voice for S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

Television serials

TV shows Show (Title) NetworkDirectedAnveshiDDMannuDDKadamathathu KathanarAsianetSwami AyyappanAsianetSuresh UnnithanOrmaAsianetK K RajeevSree Ayyappanum VavarumSurya TVMadhavamSurya TVPeythozhiyaatheSurya TVK.K Rajeev