State bids adieu to Thilakan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state bid a tearful adieu to the veteran actor Thilakan, who passed away early Monday morning. The last rites were performed by his sons and his body was consigned to flames with full state honours at Shantikavadam at 4.30 pm.

People from different walks of life paid homage to the veteran actor Thilakan. A heavy rush was witnessed at the VJT Hall in the capital city where the body of Thilakan, was kept for public viewing from 11 am.

Ministers K C Joseph, K B Ganesh and K Babu, opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, former ministers Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, M A Baby, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, E P Jayarajan, and many from the film fraternity paid homage to the departed soul.   

An imposing presence on the Malayalam screen, Thilakan carved for himself an enviable position among actors in the last three decades of his film career with rare versatility and genius.



As many film-makers and actors openly acknowledge, it will be a void very hard to fill. Thilakan's colleagues in Malayalam filmdom had often stated that a positive energy flowed from him while doing combination scenes.

Thilakan (77), who died following cardiac arrest, had a special 'chemistry' with Mohanlal with whom he had acted in numerous films. He had a role to play in most of the superstar's hit movies.

He leaves behind his children Shammi Thilakan, Shoby Thilakan, Shibu Thilakan, Shaji Thilakan, Sophy Thilakan and Soniya Thilakan.

Starting his career as a theatre artiste in the midst of his intermediate course, Thilakan lent life to many strong characters in plays staged by various drama troupes including Kerala Peoples' Arts Centre (KPAC). He was associated with the KPAC till 1966 before joining another famous drama troupe, Kalidasa Kalakendram.

Later, he associated himself with renowned stage actor P.J. Antony, who won the national award for best actor for his sterling performance in Nirmalyam in 1970s . Thilakan also lent his voice to many radio plays and he was a virtual presence for listeners of All India Radio.

Even last year, he did a solo performance in a radio play Ottawhich had only a single character in it. With a solid background through years of acting on stage, he outshone almost all other Malayalam actors when it came to doing character roles.

Thilakan appeared on screen for the first time in 1979 when director K G George offered him a minor role in his film Ulkadal. He again acted in the director's next films two Kolangal and Yavanika (1981). For his role in Yavanika, he got the state government's best supporting actor award.

In his prolific career, Thilakan acted in over 300 films which left none in doubt about the range of his acting. He donned the role of a villain or comic character with the same ease with which he did his character roles.

Kireedam, Perumthachan, Irakal, Moonnam Pakkam, Sphadikam, Santhanagopalam, Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu and Kattukuthira are some of the films in which Thilakan did defining roles. In films like Pattana Pravesam, Nadodikkattu and Sanmanassullavarku Samadhanam he had the viewers in splits, while the villain roles in films like Namukku Parkan Munthirithoppukal were exemplary by any standard.

An outspoken person, Thilakan often got embroiled in controversies in the twilight of his career. The actor's self-conviction on certain issues was often mistaken for arrogance in the film field. He took up cudgels against the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), alleging that it was of late behaving like a trade union and a mafia gang run by superstars without caring for the welfare of actors.

Film Employees Federation of Kerala had for a short period placed an unofficial 'ban' on him by influencing producers and directors not to include him in their projects. However, Thilakan's talent was something that film-makers could never overlook.

He made a forceful comeback last year with a strong character in Indian Rupee directed by Ranjith, which fetched him the second best actor award of the state government for a sixth time.

Ustad Hotel in which he acts along with Dulqer Salman, Mammootty's son and the new face in Malayalam, is the latest film he acted in, besides a small role in Spirit.