Sankaradi

Sankaradi Biography

Sankaradi was one of the veteran actors of Malayalam industry who has done movies for 4 decades since 1960’s. He was one of those rare artists of Malayalam who has witnessed all reformations on screen from the earliest era of Black and White 60’s to Techno Colour of 80’s and the latest 90’s. Earlier he was better known as a comedian who shared good chemistry by other comedians like Adoor Bhasi and Bahadur. As age passed by he switched on to character roles since middle 80’s. He also holds the record for featuring in over 300 films with evergreen hero Prem Nazir. He passed away on October 9, 2001. Apart from being a talented actor, he is also known as a Politician and Journalist.

Born in Cherai, Kochi in the year 1924 as the son of Paravoor Memana Parameswara Pillai and Thoppil Parambil Janaki Amma, Sankaradi passed intermediate from Maharajas College, Ernakulam. He has been associated with politics, journalism and theatre before joining film industry. While doing Marine engineering at Baroda he joined the trade union movement at Baroda Railways. He abandoned his studies to join journalism in Mumbai. Though he was an active participant of Indian National Congress in his early age, later he switched on to Communist Party of India. But when the communist party spilt in 1964, he gave his political career a break and returned to theatre. He was active in theatre till middle 60’s and entered Malayalam cinema with Kunchacko's Kadalamma. Till his death, he was an integral part of Malayalam cinema who acted with all stars of 4 decades till the year 2000. 

He has won supporting actor award/second best actor award in Kerala state awards. In 1970, he won the awards for Vazhvemayam and Ezhuthatha Kadha. In the next year he got it for various films. His latest appearances in character roles during 90’s have given a few memorable roles like meleparambil aanveedu, Aniyathipravu, Harikrishnans and Kalapani.  

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Updated: April 22, 2014