Actor Thilakan is dead

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran Malayalam actor Surendranatha Thilakan passed away at KIMS hospital here early today. He was 74. The actor, who died at 3.35 am, was in a critical condition after suffering two heart attacks. 

Thilakan was admitted to a hospital at Thrissur on August 21 after he collapsed during the shooting of a new film. He was then shifted to KIMS hospital, Thiruvananthapuram and was in a critical condition after suffering two heart attacks. Besides having cardiac problems, Thilakan was suffering from pneumonia. The actor has been put on ventilator since then. 

The body will be kept at the VJT Hall at 11.00 am for the public to pay homage. The body will be cremated at Shantikavadam at 4 pm will full state honours.


Thilakan started his career in acting as a theatre artist. He ventured into full-time acting in theatre after leaving intermediate college mid-way in the year 1956. It was during his years in theatre that he honed his skills in acting. During this period he and a few friends formed a drama troupe called the Mundakayam Nataka Samithy. He worked with Kerala People's Arts Club till 1966, followed by stints in Kalidasa Kala Kendra, Changanacherry Geetha, and P J Antony's troupe. He had also performed in several radio plays presented by All India Radio. Thilakan is now in the fiftieth year of his acting career.

He began his career in cinema with a minor role in the film Ulkadal (1979). His first role as a lead character was as Kallu Varkey, a drunkard in Kolangal (1981). Thilakan established himself as an actor after he got his first state  award in 1981 for his role in Yavanika.

In 1988, he received the National Film Award for best supporting actor for his performance in Rithubhedam. Again in 1994, and in 1998, he won state awards for Santhanagopalam and Gamanam. He was strongly favored to get another national film award for best actor for his performance in the movie Perumthachan. As noted in the rediff interview, the award was steered away from him to Amitabh Bachchan due to strong lobbying, as Amitabh announced his retirement that year. The film Kireedam was a milestone in his career; in this film he portrayed a helpless policeman silently watching the fate of his son, played by Mohanlal, who was made into a rowdy by society. Some of Thilakan's other notable films are Sphadikam, Moonnam Pakkam, Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Mookkilla Rajyathu, Chenkol, Randam Bhavam, Kaattu Kuthira and Yavanika.

He has also acted in other South Indian languages, such as Tamil.

He was part of nearly 300 films, most of them in Malayalam. Beginning his career in the 1950s, he became famous with his 1979 film "Ulkadal". His last film was "Ustad Hotel".