K. L. Antony

K. L. Antony Biography

K. L. Antony is a veteran theatre artist who made a late entry to Malayalam films through 2016 super hit film - Maheshinte Prathikaram. He played an old photographer in the movie, the father of lead actor Fahadh Fazil. His wife, Leena who is also a theater artist made her film debut through the same movie. She played the character role of lead actress Aparna Balamurali’s and villain’s mother. Both these roles got noticed after the super success of the film and it was something like an unexpected lottery to the senior drama artist couple who made a very late entry to movies, though had been associated with theater for more than 5 decades.

K. L. Antony is a native of Cherthala of Alapuzha district. Poochakkal is his native place. He started his acting career in the year 1952 as a child artist for theater. In those younger days, he started off as a stage actor with his elder brother’s plays. His brother used to script the plays in which Antony acted. In 1957 when School Competitions had just started, Antony decided to compete in stage play. He expected his elder brother to write the play for him. But his brother was not willing to write for young children. Heartbroken Antony decided to write the play himself. He wrote the play – Jeevitham Aaranbhikkunnu, which won first prize at district level.

It was the beginning of his illustrious stage career as an actor, playwright and director. Later he wrote and staged many successful plays like Manusha Putran, Changala, Agni, Kuruthi, Iruttara etc. In those days the artists need to give a copy of the script to police before it is to be staged. Leena joined his theater group and later became his wife and mother of three children. The couple took a break from theater after their children grew up and returned back once again in 2015 through the play – Ammayum Thommanam. Only Antony and wife played the characters on stage and the show staged at Kochi gained popularity in a short time. This play opened doors to cinema and the couple made their debut with Maheshinte Prathikaram in 2016. Antony is fondly called ‘Chachan’ by his neighbours and close ones.

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Updated: April 16, 2016