Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran actor GK Pillai died of age-related illness on Friday morning. He was 97. He is one of the oldest actors in the Malayalam film industry.
Pillai has acted in over 325 Malayalam films in his 65-year-long career and was known for revolutionizing the role of the antagonist in the Malayalam film industry. He had once said that his close relations with late actor Prem Nazir brought him into the film industry.
Snehaseema (1954) was his first film. He had served in the armed forces before entering films.
Born in 1924 to Govinda Pillai and Saraswathiyamma at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram, G Kesava Pilla joined the Army at the age of 16 and served the country for 12 years.
His wife Ulthpalakshi Amma predeceased him and he is survived by his children Prathapachandran, Sreekala R Nair, Sreelekha Mohan, Sreekumari B Pillai, Chandramohan and Priyadarshan. He was cremated at his home town in Varkala at around 6pm.
A hugely respected actor, Pillai’s baritone voice was his stand out feature which won him many roles and several film awards. Known for his villain characters, Pillai was one of the busiest actors in the 70s and was active till the late 1980s. Pillai, who took a break from films then, returned to acting in 2005 through television serials.
In between, he also dabbled in politics and was seen in Congress party circles too.
Snapaka Yohannan, Thumbolarcha, Light House, Nayaru Pidicha Pulival, Kannur Deluxe, Sthanarthi Saramma, Lottery Ticket, Harischandra, Manthravadhi, Pattabhishekam, Koodepirappu, Aswamedham, Aromal Unni, Choola, Anakalari, and Karyasthan were some of his popular movies.
Kadamattathu Kathanar and Kunkumapoovu are among the popular TV serials he acted in.
Condoling his death, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan remembered Pillai as an actor who gained a place in the minds of different generations through his unique acting style.
Tributes poured in for the veteran actor. Aswathy, who played late actor’s granddaughter in ‘Kumkumapoovu’, took to Instagram and wrote, “May your soul rest in peace”. “It’s the last day of the year and GK Pillai Chettan also chose to bid adieu on the very same day. Condolences,” posted actor Kishor Satya on Instagram.
Pillai has acted in over 325 Malayalam films in his 65-year-long career and was known for revolutionizing the role of the antagonist in the Malayalam film industry. He had once said that his close relations with late actor Prem Nazir brought him into the film industry.
Snehaseema (1954) was his first film. He had served in the armed forces before entering films.
Born in 1924 to Govinda Pillai and Saraswathiyamma at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram, G Kesava Pilla joined the Army at the age of 16 and served the country for 12 years.
His wife Ulthpalakshi Amma predeceased him and he is survived by his children Prathapachandran, Sreekala R Nair, Sreelekha Mohan, Sreekumari B Pillai, Chandramohan and Priyadarshan. He was cremated at his home town in Varkala at around 6pm.
A hugely respected actor, Pillai’s baritone voice was his stand out feature which won him many roles and several film awards. Known for his villain characters, Pillai was one of the busiest actors in the 70s and was active till the late 1980s. Pillai, who took a break from films then, returned to acting in 2005 through television serials.
In between, he also dabbled in politics and was seen in Congress party circles too.
Snapaka Yohannan, Thumbolarcha, Light House, Nayaru Pidicha Pulival, Kannur Deluxe, Sthanarthi Saramma, Lottery Ticket, Harischandra, Manthravadhi, Pattabhishekam, Koodepirappu, Aswamedham, Aromal Unni, Choola, Anakalari, and Karyasthan were some of his popular movies.
Kadamattathu Kathanar and Kunkumapoovu are among the popular TV serials he acted in.
Condoling his death, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan remembered Pillai as an actor who gained a place in the minds of different generations through his unique acting style.
Tributes poured in for the veteran actor. Aswathy, who played late actor’s granddaughter in ‘Kumkumapoovu’, took to Instagram and wrote, “May your soul rest in peace”. “It’s the last day of the year and GK Pillai Chettan also chose to bid adieu on the very same day. Condolences,” posted actor Kishor Satya on Instagram.
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