Kuthiravattam Pappu

Kuthiravattam Pappu Biography

Kuthiravattam Pappu, simply known as Pappu was one of the most popular comedians of Malayalam cinema during 80’s and 90’s. He was a successful theatre artist also who has thousand instant plays and two professional dramas, Samasya and Manasu.  He has won best comedian award for the drama – Samasya. Among all his movies, his roles in Manichitrathazhu, Thenmavin kompathu, Vennaanakalude naadu and The king are remembered most. He has acted in more than 1000 movies. He was verse in his unique style and use of the Kozhikodan dialect and the perfect timing too, have resulted in many of the classic comedy scenes of his movies.

He has acted in over thousand Malayalam films. He has also acted as Master Pappu (child artist) in many Bollywood films (brief roles) – Ab dilli door nahi, Amar prem, Ek Phool Do Mali, hare kaanch ki choodi, Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke, Bhari bahen, Chote nawab, Kavi kalidas and Parivar. His earliest works in Malayalam include super hit movies like Ammaye Kaanan and Bhargavi Nilayam. Bhargavi Nilayam was one of his earliest noted works and Kuthiravattam Pappu was his screen name in this movie. The name was assigned to him by Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer, who scripted its story and script. From there one, he was known as Kuthiravattam Pappu. Kuthiravattam is a place of Kerala, known for an asylum.

Pappu was born as Padmadalaksham in Feroke in Kozhikode. Later the family moved to Kuthiravattom. He was interested in acting since early childhood and started working as a stage actor at the age of 17. Pappu has worked with Nellikode Bhaskaran, Thikkodiyan and K. T. Muhammed, great personalities of dramas and movies. He worked for a Malayalam movie first in Moodupadam. But his first noticed work was Bhargavi Nilayam.

As a comedian, his best movies include - Mutharamkunnu P.O., Appunnu, Amaram, Kadinjool Kalyanam, Manichitrathazhu, Akkottathil Thaniye, Belt mathai, Advaitham, Ekalavyan, Etho Oru Theeram, Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Highway, Alancherry Thambrakkal, Pingami, Nirnayam, Kanakkinavukal,  Thenmavin kompathu, Vennaanakalude naadu and Neelagiri. In many of his movies, his roles have been brief. But the directors have agreed several times that it’s not at all an easy task to find a substitute to Pappu. He loved drama a lot and founded Akshara Theatres a few weeks before his death. He died on February 25, 2000 following a cardiac arrest. His most popular dialogues are – ‘Taski Viliyeda’, ‘Ippo Sariyakkitharam’ and 'Thamaraseri Churam'.

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Updated: July 01, 2018