Padma Shri Surendranath Thilakan, mononymously known as Thilakan, is an actor beyond compare and is undoubtedly one of the greatest in India. He is one of the key figures that shaped the modern Malayalam Cinema to its present form bringing realistic acting to the table during the nascent stages of its evolution. Extremely dexterous and versatile, there is not a genre that he has not mastered in looking at his illustrious career that won him numerous accolades on the way. While he was unnerving as the depraved stepfather in Namukku Parkkan Munthitithoppukal, he was also hilarious as the paranoid villain in Nadodikkattu and heartbreaking as the father of the doomed hero in Kireedam at the same.
It would be a hopeless effort to compare his roles based on performances, as they were all par excellence. So following is a list of 20 of the most memorable roles played by this acting behemoth that stayed with us all these years after his departure.
20. Valyammama in Thaniyavarthanam
The complicit uncle in the unsettling Thaniyavarthanam is a very dangerous entity in society that with blind adherence to ritual traditions and superstitions had a major hand in driving Mammootty’s vulnerable Balan over the edge of sanity to that full blown lunatic that we all dreadfully still remember.
19. Achutha Menon in Indian Rupee
The sharp and brainy elderly that comes to the rescue of two rookie real estate agents in time to kick-start the key plotline of this satire is a delight to watch especially for the unpredictable nature of his background and the unexploited reserve of his genius.
18. Kesavan in Mookkillarajyathu
The unhinged ex-service man, who escapes from a mental asylum with three other inmates to meet Amitabh Bachchan on his visit to the city for film production, is one of the funniest roles in the actor’s vivid career, and one that is hard to forget for the candid stage scene and many more.
17. Kochuthomman in Veendum Chila Veettukaaryangal
Understanding and friendly like most ‘unconventional’ parents, this ageing father of a frivolous protagonist is memorable for the daring stunt that he pulls on his son by duping him into a conflict encouraging antagonism eventually helping him become a responsible citizen out of sheer determination and competitiveness.
16. Kochuvava in Kaatukuthira
By the time Thilakan was offered the role of the embittered Kochuvava, the infamous landlord with an acid tongue, Rajan P. Dev had already immortalized the role on stage, and the comparisons were unavoidable. But he decided to take the leap of faith and styled it out his own way, and guess what, it turned out to be one of his finest performances of all time.
15. Vakkachan in Yavanika
The proprietor of the theatre company that runs into trouble for the man missing case of the lead percussionist is a pragmatic leader that keeps the group together through the tremors of the investigation, and Thilakan gave a commendable performance considering it was just his fifth acting role in films.
14. Brahmadathan Namboothiripaad in Manichitrathazhu
As the weighty presence that added credibility to the stirring final act of one of the most popular Malayalam films of all time, Thilakan’s striking tantric appeared compellingly imposing enough to tame the full-blown lunatic in Shobana’s unstable Ganga who was seemingly hard to lock in every aspect.
13. Raghavan Nair in Sandesham
In one of the less fiery roles as the gullible and clueless parent in Sathyan Anthikkad’s political satire, Thilakan was adorable- initially being swept off the feet by the crackling campaigns of his sons representing two opposite political idealisms and eventually disillusioned by the futility and heartlessness of them both.
12. Kareem’ka in Ustaad Hotel
As the window that opens a view to the protagonist’s life goals giving a direction to his seemingly shortsighted career path, the endearing presence of the ageing patriarch was key to the plot, and the leisurely wisdom exuded by the actor will be remembered as the characteristic trait of one of the most memorable roles from the twilight years of his career.
11. Damodaran in Sanmanasullavarku Samadhanam
In one of the funniest cameos ever, Thilakan as the “dreaded” mobster who comes to save the hapless tenants in Sathyan Anthikkad’s comedy left a cheery aftertaste even to this day and age that his modest quotes like “Aathma-prashamsa enikku ishtamalla” still lives on.
10. Moothedath Bhattathiri in Parinayam
The prudent Samarthan that leads the trial of the ‘wronged’ Namboothiri Antharjanam in Hariharan’s outstanding Prinayam, written by M.T. was stately, commanding, haughty and everything that Thilakan could pull of convincingly in a stride. He portrayed the trifle concerns and excesses of the interrogators with such exceptional subtlety that it played as a comical tangent against the damning fate of the accused.
9. Justice Pillai in Kilukkam
As Justice Pillai, a high-maintenance man-child with endless antics, Thilakan was vital to this ensemble film that went on to become one of the most enduring comedies in Malayalam language. Tough on the outside and soft on the inside, he was lovable and hilarious alongside Revathy, Innocent and Mohanlal contributing to all the major laughs in the second act of the film.
8. Balaraman in Godfather
Everybody in Siddiue-Lal’s laugh riot Godfather was a joy to watch, but even in the dwarfing presence of N.N. Pillai’s iconic Anjooraan, Thilakan stood his own as the powerfully loyal eldest son commanding respect and a tad bit fear as the string of comical incidents increasingly spirals out of control towards an uncertain climax.
7. Nateshan Muthalali in Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu
The presence of the ageing but debauched landlord of this folk lore-ish revenge film is notable for his raunchy dialogues that lapped its tongue unrestrained by the exhaustion of old age towards Manju Warrier’s femme fatale with effortless sleaze making him an unforgettable villain.
6. Ananthan Nambiar in Nadodikkattu & Pattana Pravesham
The hilarious and quirky villain opposite the iconic Dasan-Vijayan sleuth duo was equally if not more legendary. As a metaphor of paranoia, this mobster drug baron with his unforgettable hysteria and sarcastic retorts has delivered some of the most illustrious one-liners like “Pavanayi shavaayi” and “Prabhakaraaa…” for us to cherish.
5. Paul Pailokarn in Namukku Parkkan Muntirithoppukal
Thilakan was despicable, scary and smug as the noxious stepfather in Padmarajan’s love story, and his heinous deed in the penultimate act, although not completely surprising given his character arc, forever erased any hopes of redemption making him one of the most dangerous villains in Malayalam.
4. Karnavar in Moonnam Pakkam
As the ageing patriarch trying to preserve an ecosystem of small joys amidst neglect and gloom, Thilakan gave face to this haunting tragedy with such effortless likeability that it still offers one of the most distressing movie viewing experiences in Malayalam Cinema.
3. Chacko Maash in Spadikam
The despotic father in Badran’s angry Spadikam, whose obsessions and persistence blew our minds out, is easily one of the most unyielding characters written for films, and it quite obviously must have been a cakewalk for Thilakan to stand tall as the explosive opponent to an equally volatile Mohanlal.
2. Achuthan Nair in Kireedam & Chenkol
Achuthan Nair, whose small hopes and dreams are dashed against the wall with irreparable consequences, is one of the saddest characters in Malayalam Cinema that even the distant memory of anguish on the actor’s face in the climax alone leaves you distraught with pain and hopelessness.
1. Raman in Perunthachan
There is no better example of a character tailor-made for an actor than Perunthachan played to perfection by Thilakan that also made him one of the top contenders of the year’s National Awards but lost to what is notoriously rumored to be a political move to gain confidence of another frontrunner. One legend played another is all that is remembered at the end of it all.
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