KOCHI: Film and theatre actor K T S Padannayil, who captured the hearts of Malayalam movie buffs with his distinctive dialogue delivery and comic timing, passed away here on Thursday. He was 88. Padannayil had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments at Indira Gandhi Cooperative Hospital at Kadavanthra in Kochi.
Padannayil, who hails from Trippunithura, began his career as a theatre artist and later on branched out to Malayalam cinema in the 1990s. He forayed into the world of theatre at the age of 21 by portraying the lead character in a play called Vivaha Dalal, which he directed. The play was staged as a part of the Kerala Piravai Day celebrations at the Kannamkulangara Ambedkar Charka class where he worked.
Following this, he became active in the world of theatre by acting in various plays staged by Jayabharath Nrutakalalayam, Changanassery Geetha, Vaikom Malavika, Attingal Aiswarya and Kollam Tune. He has won many awards including the state award for best actor.
Padannayil made his entry into Malayalam cinema with Aniyan Bava, Chettan Bava directed by Rajasenan. In the very first movie, he caught the eye and admiration of the movie buffs with his very distinctive laughter and also comic style.
His dexterity in handling the character in the film soon led to a landslide of opportunities in the film world. Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshatrathilakam, Adiyathe Kanmani, Vrudanmare Sookshikuka, Kalamasseryil Kalayanayogam, Swapnalokathe Balabhaskaran, Kakkakum Poochakum Kalyanam, Kottapurathe Koottukudumbam, Kathanayakan, Kunjiramayanam, Amar Akbar Antony, and Rakshadikari Baiju are some of the films in which he had played important characters. He had also been a constant presence on the small screen with Sanmanasullavarku Samadanam and Pakida Pakida Pambaram being the notable ones.
Though he had reaped success in films and small screen soap operas, his major source of income remained the tiny shack that he had bought for Rs 300 years ago. He used to arrive at the shack located at Kannankulangara at Trippunithura very early in the morning and met the financial needs of his family with the help of the earnings from the stall.
He was unable to make any substantial monetary gains from cinema but had been at the receiving end of duplicitous people in the industry.
Padannayil, for whom hunger and poverty had been a constant companion right from his childhood days, was born as the youngest of the six children of Kochupadannayil Thazhi and Mani, who was a labourer at a coir factory. He was predeceased by his wife Ramani and is survived by children Swapna, Sannan and Saljan.
Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan offered his condolences on the death of K T S Padannayil. He said Padannayil brought to life many characters which reflected the harsh realities of life.