Shankar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Shankar Panicker (1960-06-22)22 June 1960 (age 65)[1] |
| Other names | Oru Thalai Ragam Shankar Shankar T. Shanky |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Shankar Panicker, better known asShankar, is an Indian film and television actor, film director and producer, known for his work inMalayalam andTamil films. He has acted in nearly 200 films in lead and supporting roles inMalayalam andTamil cinema in the 1980s and early 90s.[2] Shankar’s Tamil debutOru Thalai Ragam and Malayalam debutManjil Virinja Pookkal enjoyed theatrical runs of 365 and 250 days respectively, catapulting him to overnight stardom. The immense success of these films established him as a bankable lead and earned him a huge fan base among audiences in the 1980s. Celebrated for his handsome, chocolate-boy looks, he became a youth sensation in the 1980s, which helped him quickly rise to the status of a superstar. From the late 1990s onward, he has also worked as a director and producer while continuing his acting career.[2]
Shankar produced the filmEzhuthola (2024), which won four awards at London Independent Film Award, Sundarban International Film Festival, and Tagore International Film Festival. Beyond his acting career, Shankar is involved in business and social welfare activities. He is widely considered as the one of the romantic heroes in Malayalam cinema history.
Shankar was born to Thekkeveettil N. K. Panicker and Sulochana inKechery,Thrissur,Kerala in 1960.[3] His family later moved to Chennai when he was four years old. His father was a senior manager atIndian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited. He has two siblings, Krishnakumar and Indra.[4] He completed the schooling fromSt. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School,Chennai.[citation needed] He pursued a Bachelors in History fromHemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University,Rishikesh. Later, he completed 2 years of acting course at South Indian Film Chamber School of Acting, Chennai.
Shankar's first film was with superstarJayan starredSharapanjaram in 1979. Shankar auditioned for and was the lead actor ofOru Thalai Ragam.Oru Thalai Ragam not only completed 365 days run in theatres[5][6] but also became a cult romantic film of Tamil film history. ThenNavodaya Studio signed Shankar for their romantic filmManjil Virinja Pookkal along with newcomersMohanlal andPoornima Jayaram, directed byFazil. The success ofManjil Virinja Pookal and films likeKadathu oppositeRoja Ramani,Oothikachiya Ponnu withPoornima Jayaram andEnte Mohangal Poovaninju cemented Shankar as the romantic hero of Malayalam films.[7] Simultaneously his Tamil filmsSujatha,Koyil Puraa,Mouna Yuddham andRaagam Thedum Pallavi also done okay business.[8]
Success continued in Malayalam with Shanker getting a chance in movies of hit directors likeP.G. Viswambharan,Joshiy andI.V. Sasi with movies likePadayottam,Anuragakodathy,Veendum Chalikkunna Chakram,Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu andEngane Nee Marakkum. Following this success, he decided to concentrate on Malayalam films. His other successful films of 1983 areMortuary,Hello Madras Girl andHimam.[7] In 1984, Shankar appeared inEnte Kalithozhan,Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla,Muthodumuthu,Poochakkoru Mookkuthi andItha Innu Muthal.[7] Next year, he was a part of the filmsArchana Aaradhana,Ambada Njaane!,Aram + Aram = Kinnaram andVannu Kandu Keezhadakki.
In mid-1980's Shankar began losing his market for doing repetitive roles, so he became a producer to save his career.[8] He directedSibi Malayil'sChekkaeran Oru Chilla, but the film flopped. His other major films of that year wereNaale Njangalude Vivahum,Oppam Oppathinoppam andSughamo Devi along withMohanlal. Shankar had fewer Malayalam releases in the late 1980s and his attempt to become a director withSuresh Gopi starrerRakshakan also did not materialize, so he decided to take a break[8] from films to concentrate on business, although he did guest roles in the filmsManathe Kottaram,Gandharvam andGuru.
Shankar staged a comeback as lead hero in the filmsSooryavanam (1998),Bhadra,Sundarippravu andThe Fire. He also acted inStalin Sivadas withMammootty, but all these films failed at the box office.[9] So he moved to television with a successful serialIthu Manju Pole and continued to perform in serialsSwara Raagam andParasparam. He also won the 2006 Film Critics Television Best Actor Award for his performance inTV serialChithrashalabham. His last serialAmmakkayi (aired on Surya TV) was a success. As he wanted to concentrate on films, he stopped doing serials and made his debut as a director withVirus,[8] a film onHIV/AIDS, which was censored in 2007.
Shankar later appeared in films likeIvidam Swargamanu,Casanovva alongsideMohanlal,Rhythm,Koottukar,Banking Hours 10 to 4,Hide N' Seek,Father's Day,Oomakkuyil Padumbol andBhoomiyude Avakashikal. In 2013, he was appreciated for his good performance in a comic role inAnoop Menon scripted filmHotel California. His other releases wereMiss Lekha Tharoor Kaanunnathu andCleopatra,Naku Penda Naku Taka and in 2015, Shankar played the lead role inVishwasam... Athallae Ellaam along withShine Tom Chacko directed byJayaraj Vijay, but the film flopped. In 2018, he starred inNiranjana Pookkal as the hero. He also starred inBhramam along withPrithviraj Sukumaran in 2021.
Shankar directed a video filmKaatti in 2006 based onchild labour, which won him the best director award from Malayalam Television viewers DRISHYA awards for video film. He made his feature film debut withVirus,[8] an Indo-American co-production urging society not to shunHIV/AIDS-affected people.[9] His first commercial Malayalam directorial ventureKeralotsavam 2009 starredKalabhavan Mani andVinu Mohan dealt with how three youngsters falling prey to terrorist links.[9] In 2015, he directedManal Naharam, a bilingual Tamil-Malayalam film[7] based on NRI Indians in theU.A.E., which released to positive reviews.[10][11][12]
Shankar's first marriage was with Radhika in December 1992, which ended in a divorce.[13] After the failure of his first marriage, he married Rooparekha, but this marriage also ended in divorce. The couple has a son named Gokul.[14] In 2013, he married Chitra Lekshmi, a dance teacher, and settled in theU.K.[15][16]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Oru Thalai Ragam | Raja | |
| Sujatha | |||
| 1981 | Mouna Yuddham | ||
| Koyil Puraa | |||
| 1982 | Nadamaadum Silaigal | ||
| Udhayamakirathu | |||
| Kanalukku Karaiyethu | |||
| Raagam Thedum Pallavi | Madhu | ||
| Punitha Malar | Prasad | ||
| 1989 | Kadhal Enum Nadhiyinile | Prem Kumar | |
| 1990 | Panthaya Kuthiraigal | Unreleased | |
| 1991 | Thayamma | Rangarajan | |
| MGR Nagaril | Victor | ||
| 2007 | Ninaithu Ninaithu Parthen | ||
| 2015 | Manal Nagaram | Ibrahim Rabbani | Also director |
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