Jayaram

Jayaram is a Malayalam film actor who has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Sanskrit cinema, with more than 200 films to his name. Audiences know him best for warm family comedies such as Meleparambil Aanveedu (1993), Thooval Kottaram (1996) and Manassinakkare (2003). In 2011 the Government of India gave him the Padma Shri. Before acting, he performed mimicry at the Kalabhavan Institute in the 1980s. Padmarajan cast him as the lead in Aparan (1988), and Rajasenan's Meleparambil Aanveedu (1993) turned him into a Malayalam star. Through the 1990s he led a long run of light-hearted hits, including Sandhesam (1991), CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed. (1994), Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava (1995) and Summer in Bethlehem (1998). The Tamil comedy Thenali (2000) widened his audience beyond Kerala. Later he moved into Telugu and Tamil films like Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020), both parts of Ponniyin Selvan (2022, 2023) and Hi Nanna (2023), alongside the Malayalam film Abraham Ozler (2024) and Kantara - A Legend: Chapter 1 (2025). Off screen he plays the chenda, does mimicry and sometimes sings for films. His honours include two Kerala State Film Awards, a Special Jury award for Thooval Kottaram and Second Best Actor for Swayamvara Panthal (2000). He also holds a Tamil Nadu State Film Award, four Filmfare Awards South, with Best Actor wins for Thooval Kottaram, Theerthadanam (2001) and Manassinakkare, and seven Asianet Film Awards.