E. P. P. Sukumaran Nair (10 June 1948 – 16 June 1997), known mononymously as Sukumaran, was an Indian actor and producer of Malayalam films.[1][2] Sukumaran became a popular film star in Malayalam cinema during the 1970s. He was considered one of the superstar trios of Malayalam cinema during the late 1970s and early 1980s along with Soman and Jayan.[3]

Sukumaran
Born
Edappal Ponnamkuzhi Veettil Parameswaran Sukumaran Nair

(1948-06-10)10 June 1948
Edappal, Malabar District, Madras State, India (Present-day Malappuram, Kerala, India)
Died16 June 1997(1997-06-16) (aged 49)
NationalityIndian
Occupations
Years active1973–1997
Spouse
(m. 1978)
Children
Relatives

Later, he became known for his character roles and antagonistic roles during the 1980s and 1990s, notably the villain in CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed.(1994) and Onnaam Muhurtham(1991), playing character roles in films like Souhrudam(1990). In 1978, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in M. T. Vasudevan Nair's Bandhanam. As a producer, he produced such films as Irakal and Padayani.

On 16 June 1997, Sukumaran suffered a massive heart attack and died. He was 49 at the time of his death.

Early life

edit

Sukumaran was born at Edappal, Ponnani taluk, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India (Present-day Malappuram District, Kerala, India) in the year 1948 as the eldest son of Parameshwaran Nair and Subhadra P Nair.[4] He had two younger brothers and a sister. Dr Sethumadhavan, Dr Sivadasan and Smt Sathee Devi.

Sukumaran was educated at St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Pala,[5] and at Church Mission Society Higher Secondary School, Thrissur. After completing his master's degree in English literature from University College, Trivandrum with gold medal, he began a job as a college lecturer for three years at Government College, Kasaragod and Scott Christian College, Nagercoil.

Career

edit

During his tenure teaching English at Scott Christian College in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, Sukumaran got an offer to act in the Malayalam movie Nirmalyam, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. He accepted the role of a defiant youngster in the film. The film went on to win accolades from all over and won a couple of National Film Awards as well. Despite being noted as a talented actor, Sukumaran did not receive any offers for some time after. He was thinking of returning to the teaching profession, when he was offered a role in Shankupushpam.[6] With that film, Sukumaran carved a niche for himself in the Malayalam film industry. He worked with director P. Venu in the film Thacholi Thankappan (1983). Thakilu Kottampuram, directed by Balukiriyath was one of his Best films in the 80s, He then went on to act in substantial roles in films such as Avalude Ravukal, Angadi, Bandhanam, Etho Oru Swapnam, Manasa Vacha Karmana, Ahimsha, Spodanam, Shalini Ente Koottukari, Angakkuri, Kolilakkam, Theekkadal, Sandarbam, Witness and Kottayam Kunjachanan. By the year 1985, he had stopped playing hero roles.[7] His role as a defiant police officer in Oru CBI Diary Kurippu and its sequel Jagratha, directed by K. Madhu, was noted for its characterisation and earned cult status when the third sequel in the series, Sethurama Iyer CBI, had Sai Kumar portraying the son of the police officer, with the mannerisms and voice tone of Sukumaran. Sukumaran won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in Bandhanam.[4] Sukumaran had his own production company, called Indraraj Creations. One of his productions Irakal, directed by K. G. George, was selected for the Indian Panorama in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).[4] The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) had sidelined and unofficially banned Sukumaran from films for around three years during the mid-90s, for some of the comments he made on the industry and its politics.[8] His last film was Shibiram, directed by T. S. Suresh Babu.

Personal life

edit

Sukumaran married actress Mallika Sukumaran on 17 October 1978.[9] They have two sons who both work in Malayalam film industry; Indrajith Sukumaran and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Actress Poornima Mohan and journalist Supriya Menon are his daughters-in-law.[10] His grand daughter Prarthana Indrajith is a playback singer. Sukumaran died due to a massive heart attack on 16 June 1997.

Awards

edit

Filmography

edit

1970s

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1973 Nirmalyam Appu
1974 Neelakannukal Sreedharan
1975 Ayodhya Guest role
Chumaduthangi Reghu
Omanakkunju
Priye Ninakku Vendi
Ullasa Yaathra
Utsavam Nanu
Utharayanam Premkumar
1976 Lakshmi Vijayam
1977 Amme Anupame
Angeekaaram Ravi
Innale Innu
Santha Oru Devatha
Sankhupushpam Venu
Sooryakanthi
1978 Aazhi Alayaazhi
Bandhanam Unnikrishnan Menon
Bhrashtu
Ee Manohara Theeram Chandrashekhara Menon
Etho Oru Swapnam Divakaran Nair
Gaandharvam
Ini Aval Urangatte
Jayikkaanaay Janichavan
Kalpavriksham Ajayan/Vasu
Kaathirunna Nimisham Raghu
Madaalasa Pattalam Vasu
Mannu Rajan
Pichipoo
Rajan Paranja Kadha
Randilonnu Mohan
Randu Penkuttikal
Sathrathil Oru Raathri
Soothrakkaari
1979 Agnivyooham
Angakkuri Balakrishnan
Ente Neelakaasham Shekharan
Ente Sneham Ninakku Mathram
Hridayathil Nee Mathram
Ival Oru Naadody
Kannukal Damu
Kazhukan Gopi
Lilly Pookkal
Lovely
Maalika Paniyunnavar Kuttappan
Manasa Vacha Karmana Sukumaran
Mochanam Soman
Neeyo Njaano Prasad
Radha Enna Pennkutti
Sandhyaragam
Thuramukham
Vadaka Veedu

1980s

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Aagamanam George Thomas
Adhikaram Rajendran
Aambal Poovu
Angaadi Gopi
Aniyatha Valakkal Ganesh
Chaakara Devarajan
Dooram Arike James
Idi Muzhakkam Krishnan Thirumeni
Ishtamanu Pakshe
Ithile Vannavar Venu
Ivar Raghavan Nair
Kalika Joseph
Kaavalmaadam Rajasekharan Thampi
Kochu Kochu Thettukal
Pralayam Vishwan
Shalini Ente Koottukari Jayadevan
Sishirathil Oru Vasantham
Soorya Daaham
Thaliritta Kinakkal
Theekkadal Varghese
Theeram Thedunnavar
Vedikkettu Jayan
Vilkkanundu Swapnangal Rajagopal
1981 Aarathi Simon Peter
Agni Saram
Agni Yudham
Ahimsa Devan
Aambal Poovu
Anthiveyilile Ponnu
Arangum Aniyarayum Raghu
Arayannam Madhu
Asthamikkatha Pakalukal Suku
Avatharam Shivan
Dantha Gopuram
Dhruvasangamam
Ellam Ninakku Vendi Mohan
Enne Snehikkoo Enne Maathram
Greeshma Jwala Hari
Itha Oru Dhikkari Suku
Ithihasam
Kathayariyathe Vishnu
Kaattu Kallan Ravindran
Kolilakkam
Nizhalyudham
Orikkal Koodi Soman
Sankharsham Jagadeesh
Sneham Oru Pravaaham
Sphodanam Gopi
Thakilu Kottampuram Unnikrsihna Kurup
Swarnappakshikal
Valarthumrugangal Daredevil Bhaskaran
1982 Aa Divasam Dr. Rajan
Anguram Babu
Ayudham Rajan
Dheera Vinod
Aarambham Rajan
Ethiraalikal Gopi
Ivan Oru Simham Gopi
Kazhumaram
Kurukkante Kalyanam Sivasubrahmania Hariramachandran
Marupacha Sukumaran
Mazhu
Ponnum Poovum Balan Nair
Post Mortem Peter
Sara Varsham Dr. K. Sumesh
Sharam Sunil
Sooryan Gopinadhan Nair
Thuranna Jail Gopi
Varikuzhi
1983 Belt Mathai Belt Mathai/Mathews
Ee Yugam Soman
Kattaruvi Munni
Kinnaram Sethu
Mandanmmar Londanil Raghu
Pourusham Sreeni
Sandhya Vandanam Ramachandran
Thacholi Thankappan Thankappan
Vaashi
Swapname Ninakku Nandi Madhavankutty
1984 Attahaasam
Aayiram Abhilashangal
Inakkilly The Priest
Ivide Ingane Raju
Karimbu
Kudumbam Oru Swargam Bharya Oru Devatha Aravindan
Mainakam Sathyan
NH 47 Rahim
Nethavu
Nishedhi Raju
Onnum Mindatha Bharya Sethu Pilla
Oru Sumangaliyude Katha Rajendran
Rakshassu Sukumaran
Sandarbham
Shabadham Sathyaseelan
Unaroo Janardanan
1985 Aarodum Parayaruthu
Choodatha Pookal Mohan
Irakal Sibi Mathews
Janakeeya Kodathi Chennikal Velayudhan
Mounanombaram
1986 Aavanazhi Jayachandran
Annoru Ravil Indrajith
Nyayavidhi Makforce Saayippu
Padayani Sahadevan
1987 Achuvettante Veedu Prabhakaran
Sarvakalashala Jayadevan/Kurup Sir
1988 August 1 K G Ramachandran
Ayitham Abukka
Moonnam Mura D. I. G. Menon
Oozham
Oru CBI Diary Kurippu Dy SP Devadas
Oru Muthassi Katha Rajasekharan
Ulsavapittennu Ravi
Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas Paul Kallookkaran
Witness Thomas Mathew
1989 Aayiram Chirakulla Moham
Aazhikkoru Muthu Prabhakaran
Adhipan SP Nambiar
Adikkurippu Chief Minister
Bhadrachitta Sivan
Carnival Chandrappan aka Bhai
Dasharatham Dr. Hameed
Jaathakam Somasekharan Nair
Jagratha Devadas
Kaalal Pada Income Tax Officer Raveendranath
Mudra Sugunan
New Year Circle Inspector Stephen
Utharam Mathew Joseph
Eenam Thettatha Kattaru Jayan

1990s

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1990 Crime Branch SI Susheelan
Kottayam Kunjachan Uppukandam Korah
Marupuram Issac Thomas
Mukham Minnal Madhavan
Vasavadatha
Naale Ennundengil Jayan
Oliyampukal M. Thomas
Randam Varavu Hariprasad
Vyhooham Mohan
1991 Arangu Adv. Robert Pereira Vallokkaran
Chakravarthy Shivaraman
Koodikazhca Thommichan
Onnaam Muhurtham Ananthan Nambiar
Souhrudam John Samuel
Mahassar MG Panikkar
1992 Police Diary
1993 Janam Lukose
Sainyam Air Vice Marshal Nambiar
Uppukandam Brothers Uppukandam Kora
1994 Cabinet Madhava Menon
CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed. Ananthapadmanabhan
Pingami George Mathew
Rajadhani C.K. Radhakrishnan
Bharanakoodam Commissioner Venugopal
1995 Boxer John Samuel
Indian Military Intelligence Major B. Rajaraja Varma
Prayikkara Pappan DFO James Antony
Kidilol Kidilam Superintendent of Police
1997 Shibiram
Vamsam

Producer

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "അനശ്വരമായ സുകുമാര ഭാവം". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Sukumaran Malayalam Actor 20th Death Anniversary". malayalam.samayam.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. ^ Sukumaran: The ‘arrogant, defiant, rebellious’ Malayalam superstar https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/sukumaran-the-arrogant-defiant-rebellious-malayalam-superstar-9375886/
  4. ^ a b c Weblokam – Profile: Page 2 Archived 9 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "CINIDIARY - A Complete Online Malayalam Cinema News Portal". Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  6. ^ Weblokam – Profile: Page 1 Archived 9 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Manorama Online | Movies | Nostalgia |". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  8. ^ ""സുകുമാരന്‍ അഭിനയിച്ചാല്‍ തിയേറ്റര്‍ ലഭിക്കാതിരുന്ന 'അമ്മ'യുടെ വിലക്ക് കാലം"". Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  9. ^ "പൃഥ്വിയ്ക്ക് എന്തെങ്കിലും വിഷമമുണ്ടായാല്‍ ഇന്ദ്രനാണ് ദുഃഖം :Interview with Mallika Sukumaran". malayalam.oneindia.com. 16 October 2015. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ^ "അച്ഛന്‍ എന്ന പച്ച മനുഷ്യന്‍ | mangalam.com". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
edit