Thilakan
തിലകൻ
Born	P. K. Surendranatha Thilakan (1935-07-15)15 July 1935 Aranmula,[1]Travancore State,British Raj (present dayPathanamthitta,Kerala,India)
Died	24 September 2012(2012-09-24) (aged 77) Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala, India
Years active	1956–1978 (stage) 1972, 1979–2012 (film)
Partner(s)	Shantha Sarojam
Children	6 (incl.Shammi andShobi)
Parents	Palapurath S. Keshavan Devayani Amma

Palappurathu Keshavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012), known mononymously asThilakan, was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200Malayalam films.^[2][3][4] 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 thePadma Shri (2009) from the Government of India, multipleNational Film Awards and numerousKerala State Film Awards,^[5] becoming the most frequent winner of theKerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor.

Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting and realistic, spontaneous performances^[6] and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, whose style influenced generations of Malayalam actors and audience.

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 inAyroor, in the present-dayPathanamthitta district ofKerala. 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 toTrivandrum.

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 theMundakayam Nataka Samithy inMundakayam, where his father was working as an estate supervisor. He worked with theKerala People's Arts Club till 1966, followed by stints inKalidasa Kalakendram, Changanacherry Geetha, andP. J. Antony's troupe. He also performed in several radio plays presented byAll India Radio.

Thilakan began his career in cinema with a role in theP. J. Antony-directed Malayalam moviePeriyar (1973). He then worked inGandharvakshetram andUlkadal (1979). His first role as a lead character was as Kallu Varkey, a drunkard inKolangal (1981). Thilakan was awarded his firstKerala State Film Awards in 1982 for his role inYavanika. He also won Kerala State Award for supporting actor inYathra which also starredMammootty.

In 1988, he received theNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance inRithubhedam, and again in 1994. In 1998, he won State awards forSanthanagopalam andGamanam. He was strongly favored^[7] to get anotherNational Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the moviePerumthachan, but the award was given toAmitabh Bachchan over Thilakan amidst suspicions of strong lobbying, as Amitabh had announced his retirement earlier that year.^[7] The filmKireedam was a milestone in Thilakan's career; in this film, he portrayed a helpless policeman silently watching the fate of his son, played byMohanlal, who was corrupted by society's influences. In 1989 he performed inMammootty starrerMrugya, in which his role of a Reverend Father Panangodan was well appreciated by critics and won him many accolades. In the 1990s Thilakan was part of manyMammootty andMohanlal evergreen hit films. In 1987, he was appreciated for his role inThaniyavarthanam where he portrayed a man who is the head of a family where his nephew played by Mammootty becomes lunatic due to superstition and lack of awareness of mental health. He was awarded theSecond Best Actor forThaniyavarthanam. In the same year, he also played the comic role ofAnanthan Nambiar in the cult-classic comedy movieNadodikkattu, from which several of Thilakan's lines became very popular. He also starred in the National award winning movieMathilukal, which was directed byAdoor Gopalakrishnan in which he played the role of a warden of the jail who develops a rapport with the prisonerVaikom Muhammad Basheer (Mammootty). In 1993, he continued his role as the father of Sethu Madhavan (Mohanlal) in the movieChenkol. Like its prequelKireedam, this movie also fared well both commercially and critically. His role as a retired mathematics teacher and headmaster C.P Chacko alias Kaduva Chacko, father of Thomas Chacko alias Aadu Thoma (Mohanlal), in the 1995 blockbuster movieSpadikam was well appreciated by critics and audiences alike. In 1998, he played the role of Dileep's father in the superhitMeenathil Thalikettu, and in his subsequent release he donned the role of a villain in the Kunchako Boban starrerMayilpeelikavu. In the same year, he was also seen inChinthavishtayaya Shyamala. Other notable films Thilakan has acted in includeYathra,Mukthi,Kauravar,Moonnam Pakkam,Kilukkam,Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal,Mookkilla Rajyathu,Randam Bhavam,Kaattu Kuthira andYavanika.

He has also acted in other South Indian languages, such asTamil,Telugu andKannada.

Thilakan has portrayed a range of characters; however, his most well-known role is that of the father ofMohanlal, portraying a father-son duo. Movies where he donned this role includeKireedam,Spadikam,Narasimham,Evidam Swargamanu,Pavithram andChenkol. He has also played father roles to other popular actors, including withMammootty inSangham,The Truth,Oliyampukal,No. 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North andPallavur Devanarayanan, withJayaram inVeendum Chila Veettu Karyangal andSandesam, withKunchacko Boban inAniyathi Pravu, withDileep inPunjabi House andMeenathil Thalikettu and withPrithviraj inSathyam. He has also played a number of antagonists, such as inRandam Bhavam,Karma andKaalal Pada. He has played comical roles in films likeNadodikkattu andPattanapravesham (as a coward underworld don),Mookkilla Rajyathu (as a break-out from a mental hospital),Kuttettan (as a pimp) andNaaduvazhikal (as a good-for-nothing, vain person). He is also remembered for the role of comic underworld donDamodarjj inSanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam. Thilakan played lead roles inEkantham,Perumthachan,Santhanagopalam,Kaattukuthira,My Dear Muthachan,Mukhamudra (double role), etc.

In 2006, he was seen in the Suresh Gopi-Shaji Kailas blockbuster,Chinthamani Kolacase, where he played the father of the title character Chinthamani enacted byBhavana. In 2007, he acted inEkantham, for which he received a special mention from the jury.^[8]In 2009, he was also seen inPazhassi Raja, and in the same year he playedMohanlal's father one last time in the actor's 300th movieEvidam Swargamanu. In 2011, he played a significant role in thePrithviraj blockbusterIndian Rupee directed byRenjith. In 2012, he played the role of Kareem Bhai inUstad Hotel and as the grandfather of Faizy, acted byDulquer Salmaan.

Thilakan, in an interview, claimed that the then jury chairman Ashok Kumar was keen on giving him the1991 National Film Award forBest Actor forPerumthachan but that aCongress leader wanted the award to be given toAmitabh Bachchan to woo him back to their party.^[9]

In February 2010, it was reported that the producer of the movieChristian Brothers excluded Thilakan from the film at the request of theFilm 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 directorVinayan, 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. TheAssociation 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.^[10][11] On 20 February 2010 theCPI's trade union wing,AITUC, came out openly in support of Thilakan, while a senior party leader andRajya Sabha memberK. E. Ismail expressed reservations about political involvement in the issue.^[12]

Thilakan was originally cast to play a role in a UAE-Indian co-production filmDam 999.^[13] 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."^[14] Eventually,Rajit Kapur was cast instead of Thilakan.^[15] Some reports contended that Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) also had intervened in Thilakan's replacement.^[15] In response, Thilakan and his supporters orchestrated a march near the shooting location of the film inAlappuzha.^[16]

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 inMarco (2024) starring Unni Mukundan.^[17]

Thilakan was anatheist^[18] throughout his life, and was a supporter ofCommunist Party. He was a member of many drama troupes which actively promoted Communism in Kerala. When he died, his dead body was draped withCommunist flag.

For a long time, Thilakan dealt with numerous health issues likediabetes,hypertension andheart disease. He was hospitalized multiple times due to these problems. Finally, he was admitted toJubilee Mission Hospital inThrissur on 1 August 2012 after he collapsed during the shooting of the filmScene 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.^[19] He was cremated with full state honours.^[20]

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)^[21]

Other awards

• 2010 –Bharath Gopi Award^[22]
• 2007 –Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship^[23]
• 2001 –Asianet Film Award for Lifetime Achievement

• 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)

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

• Mother India (1995)

• 1983Asthi as the managing director portrayed onscreen by Vijayan Karote
• 2003Magic Magic 3D – Voice forS. P. Balasubrahmanyam

• Thilakan atIMDb
• Thilakan at MSI

• Artists from Kerala
• Indian male film actors
• Male actors from Pathanamthitta
• People from Aranmula
• Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
• Kerala State Film Award winners
• 1935 births
• Male actors in Malayalam cinema
• Filmfare Awards South winners
• Indian male stage actors
• 2012 deaths
• Best Supporting Actor National Film Award winners
• Indian atheists
• 20th-century Indian male actors
• 21st-century Indian male actors
• Indian male voice actors
• Male actors in Tamil cinema
• Male actors in Telugu cinema
• Indian male television actors
• Male actors in Malayalam theatre
• Special Mention (feature film) National Film Award winners
• Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship
• Kerala Film Critics Awards winners

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