18. Thalakulam Sir in Vadakkunokkiyanthram
The know-it-all counselor to
the protagonist plagued by persecution complex, Thalakulam Sir is an overconfident
mentor who revels in his analytical mind that is all too predictable and anything
but practical.
17. Balagopalan in Nadodikattu
Relatively a less humorous
role donned by the comedian, Balaogopalan is a sociable and empathetic Malayali
driver who befriends Dasan and Vijayan in Madras during their celebrated misadventures
with M.N. Nambiar.
16. Daniel in Thalayanamanthram
Daniel is a blunt and self-absorbed
neighbor who is characterized by his obedience to his socialite wife and for
the spectacle he puts up in the neighborhood as the karate master hollering and
kicking in the air with a bunch of loud and clueless patrons.
15. Chacko Mappila in Manassinakkare
Chacko Mappila is the ageing
father of the protagonist played by Jayaram, whose unconditional love is almost
always compromised by his raging alcoholism. The father-son bond is one of the
most endearing aspects of this optimistic Sathyan Anthikkad film.
14. Lazar Muthalali in Keli
It was through the wealthy, smooth
talking businessman in Bharathan’s unsettling drama that Innocent took up the role
of a full-blown antagonist for the first time, and he gave us the willies every
time he flirted with his prospective targets.
13. Iravikuttan Pillai in Chandralekha
One of the few original features
associated with Priyadarshan’s reworking of While
You Were Sleeping, Innocent’s Iravikuttan Pillai unwittingly becomes the
protagonist’s partner in crime stirring up hilarious moments one after the
other.
12. Vasu Menon in Pranchiettan & The Saint
As Pranchiyetttan’s
confidante and friend, Vasu Menon, although extremely earnest in his
intentions, is a fickle piece of work that has a major part in pushing the gullible Pranchiyettan over the line every time resulting in public embarrassment.
11. Yashvant Sahai in Sandesham
In this unforgettable cameo in
Sathyan Anthikkad’s political masterpiece, Innocent appears as a smug, headstrong
political leader who in his snobbishly cracked Hindi ridicules and crushes
every creature beneath him like a bug.
10. Inspector Sheshadri Iyer in Adwaitham
One of the bad guys in a
film filled with bad guys, Innocent’s quirky and intolerant police officer
stands out for his sarcastic sense of humor and ill-timings that he more often
than not steals the show just by being there.
9. Unnithan in Manichitrathazhu
Although he was only being
all ‘Innocent’ about it, Unnithan is perhaps one of the most humorous and
original characters played by the actor, with a hilariously conservative
outlook and a heightened phobia for ghosts and other such beings.
8. Swaminathan in Godfather
You could call him a phony or
corrupt, and had it been anybody else who played the part you would even have
loathed him, but Swaminathan was not only adorable but also remarkably distinct
when portrayed with the deft timing of Innocent’s comedic genius.
7. Shankarankutty Menon in Mazhavilkavadi
Shankarankutty Menon may
seem insensitive and steadfast, and like the fabled memory of elephants,
pickles his hatred forever. His stubbornness may be damaging to the prospects
of the protagonist, but he is only looking out for the well being of his own
daughter.
6. K.K. Joseph in Vietnam Colony
Most of the credit may go to
the comic writing of the director duo Siddique- Lal, but Innocent’s
characteristic body language and eccentric facial contributions had a lot to do
with animating the desperate sidekick in Vietnam
Colony.
5. Lineman K.T. Kurup in Midhunam
The reckless K.T. Kurup,
forever suspended from government service for countless misconducts is the
closest to reality that any Innocent character has come. He is impulsive,
abusive and unintentionally amusing.
4. P.V. Panicker in Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu
The razor-mouthed unscrupulous
father to an equally if not more unprincipled daughter who swindles the “naïve”
goldsmith character is perhaps proud of his cunning, but is not always as sharp
as he thinks he is.
3. Kittunni in Kilukkam
The frustrated domestic help
who waits till he’s independent to reveal his insolence in Kilukkam, has already been immortalized by countless reruns of
comedy snippets on TV over the years, and is an important cog in this
rip-roaring joy ride.
2. Varrier in Devasuram
One of the most
author-backed roles in his career, Mangalasserry Neelakandan’s elderly advisor cum
father figure is memorable for its mellowness and authority that is omnipresent
throughout the spiraling flight in the glorified thug’s life.
1. Mannar Mathai in Ramji Rao Speaking & Mannar
Mathai Speaking
This one stands out for
being the one role that tapped Innocent’s potential as a comic actor to the
hilt. Besides being riotously wacky the protagonist of this Siddique-Lal comedy
series is basically a nice guy with a heart that melts at the drop of a hat.
Then there are also…
Dr. Pashupathy in Dr. Pashupathy
Innachan in Sarvakalashala
Johnny Vellikala in Narendran Makan Jayakandan Vaka
Karayogam President TPV
Kurup in Azhakiya Ravanan
Ayyappan Nair in Gajakesariyogam
Kannas in Kabooliwala
Ponjikkara Keshavan in Kalyanaraman
Pothuval in Pookkalam Varavayi
Radhakrishnan in Thooval Kottaram
Radhakrishnan in Thooval Kottaram
Great write-up sans the usual hero adoration so commonly seen in Malayalam film critiques; thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
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