1. Kukku Parameshwaram
Kukku Parameshwaram is a Malayalam film industry actress. She is best known for her work in movies ‘Vanaprastham’ in 1999, Moonilonnu in 1996, and Janam in 1993. She has received Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress. She is married to actor Murali Menon. In 2001, she worked in the movie ‘Jeevan Mashai’.
...2. Mohanlal
Mohan Lal is the Super Star of the Malayalam film industry. He is the Son in Law of a famous producer cum veteran actor Balaji. Mohan Lal is married to Suchithra, the elder daughter of Balaji. Mohan Lal was born in the year 1960 in Elanthoor in Kerala. He is very popular for his natural acting and simplicity. The first movie, he committed was Thiranottam, but the first to release was Manjil Virinja Pookal. This movie had Poornima Jayaram as his pair and that is the debut movie in Malayalam for her too. Rajavinte Makan was the movie that made him to reach super heights. Mohan Lal is not choosey in particular character; but he acts in all types of film that give him a good performance scope.
...3. O. N. V. Kurup
Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup also known as O.N.V Kurup, was a famous Malayalam lyricist and amazing poet of Kerala in India. His father was O.N. Krishna Kurup and mother was K. Lakshmikutty Amma. He was born on 27 May 1931 in Chavara, Kollam, Kerala. His father died when Kurup was eight years old. He somehow tackled the situation and completed his graduation with a Bachelor's Degree from the SN College in Kollam. He had an interest in literature, so he shifted to Trivandrum and pursued Masters in Malayalam literature from The Travancore University, also called The Kerala University. After completing his Masters of Arts, he worked as a Professor at Maharajas College in Ernakulam, Arts and Science College in Kozhikode, University College in Trivandrum, and Brennen College in Thalassery. He also served as a Visiting Officer at The Calicut University. In the year 1946, in a local weekly, his first poem ‘Munnottu’ was published. In the year 1949, came out his first poetry collection named “Porutunna Soundaryam”. His book Dahikunna Panapatram came out during 1946 to 1956 and was a collection of his classic poems. Marubhumi (The Desert), Mayipeeli (Peacock feather), Aksharam were his various classics published in the subsequent years.
...4. Mathew Paul
Mathew Paul is an Indian director in the Malayalam industry. He is mainly known for working in ad films and commercials. He is known for directing the musical film Ayyappante Amma Neyyappam Chuttu in 2000, starring Parvin Dabas, Yamuna Mahesh, Antara Mali, Rohan Painter, Ancy K. Thampi, etc. He also worked as an assistant director in films like Padayottam and My Dear Kuttichathan. He won National and State level awards for the category of best short film director. He worked with advertising brands like Alappad, Alukas, St. George Umbrella, etc.
...5. I. V. Sasi
I.V. Sasi or Irruppam Veedu Sasidaran is a prominent film director known for directing more than 150 Indian films in various languages. He married a Malayalam actress, Seema, on 28 August 1980 and the couple has a daughter and a son by the names of Anu and Ani. The Sasidaran family lives in Chennai, where his son, Ani, studied at Loyola College in Visual Communication. His son is working towards becoming a director himself whereas his daughter, Anu, acted in the symphony, directed by Sasi. Symphony is a Malayalam movie produced by M. N. Thankachan. The movie is a debut for Anu Sasi as well as the lead actor, Shiva. His wife, Seema, is known to have acted in over 250 movies in various languages including Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.
...6. K P Kumaran
7. Thilakan
Surendranatha Thilakan, more popularly known as Thilakan was one of Malayalam cinema’s most prominent actors. He was one of the few actors who was awarded a Padma Bhushan (India’s highest Civilian Award), and was affectionately called Perumthachan (Master Craftsman) of the Malayalam Cinema industry.
Born on the 15th of July, 1935 in Ayroor, Travancore, Kerala, he began his acting career as a thespian when he left intermediate college mid-way to pursue this career as a fulltime option in 1956. Having formed a troupe with a few friends, called the Mundakayam Nataka Samithy, he performed at various venues including the Kerala People’s Arts Club till 1966, followed by sessions at the Kalidasa Kala Kendra, P.J Antony’s troupe, Changanacherry Geetha, and several radio plays for the All India Radio.
Thilakan began his movie career in the P.J Antony movie Periyar (1973), and then in Gandharvakshetram and Ulkadal in 1979. He found his first lead role in the character of Kallu Varkey in Kolangal (1981). He was also awarded his first State Award for the role in Yavanika in 1981. He received the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Rithubendham. He won two more State Awards in 1994, and 1998 for his roles in Santhanagopalam and Gamanam.
The most notable milestone, in his diverse career was probably the movie Kireedam, where he played the role of a helpless policeman watching his son slowly evolve into a rowdy under society’s influence (the son was played by Mohanlal). Some of his other notable movies include Chenkol, Moonnam Pakkam, Mookkilla Rajyathu, Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Randam Bhavam, Kaattu Kuthira.
He had also acted in several Tamil and Telugu movies, making him one of the most versatile actors in the South Indian movie industry. Among the most popular roles played by Thilakan, the repeating motif was that with Mohanlal where they played a father-son duo, including the hits Kireedam, Evidam Swargamanu, Spadikam, Pavithram, Chenkol. He also reprised father roles with other popular actors such as Mammootty in Sangham, Pallavur Devanarayanan, No. 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North; with Kunchacko Boban in Aniyathi Pravu, with Dileep in Meenathil Thalikettu; Jayaram in Sandesham, and Veendum Chila Veettu Karyangal.
He also showed his versatility with negative roles including that of a don in Randam Bhavam, Kaalal Padam; comic roles in movies including Pattanapravesham, Nadodikkattu; as a narcissist in Naaduvazhikal; as a pimp in Kuttettan, apart from lead roles in many movies including My Dear Muthachan, Mikhamudra, Kaattukuthira, Perumthachan, Santhanagopalam etc.
In his lifetime, Thilakan was the recipient of several awards including three National Awards, nine Kerala State Film Awards, three Filmfare Awards South awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Asianet Film Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2001, apart from several nominations and accolades.
Thilakan passed away on the 24th of September 2012 following a debilitating series of heart attacks and pneumonia that had him hospitalised for nearly two months. His legacy still lives on through the more than 200 movies that he was part of.
...8. S Jayachandran Nair