Rajan P. Dev

Summary

Rajan P. Dev (20 May 1951 – 29 July 2009) was an Indian film and stage actor. He was born in Cherthala in the Alappuzha district of the former state Thiru-Kochi (present day Kerala). He had acted in over 500 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. He was noted for his villain roles laced with a touch of humour. He came into the limelight for his characterisation of Kochuvava in the play Kattukuthira.[1] Rajan P. Dev died in Kochi Wednesday 29 July 2009 due to a liver disease.[2]

Rajan P. Dev
Dev at the 2008 A.M.M.A meeting in Kochi
Born(1951-05-20)20 May 1951
Died29 July 2009(2009-07-29) (aged 58)
Alma mater
Occupations
Years active1980 – 2009
SpouseSanthamma
Children3
Parents
  • S. J. Dev
  • Kuttyamma

Family edit

Rajan.P.Dev was born to Devassia who was known as S. J. Dev, a popular stage and drama actor of his times, and Kuttyamma in 1951 at Cherthala. He has a sister, Raniyamma. He had his education from Govt. Boys Higher Secondary School, Cherthala, St. Michael's College, Cherthala and Sree Narayana College, Cherthala.[3]

Rajan P. Dev was married to Shanthamma. The couple had three children; Asha, Jubil Raj and Unni. Asha is married to Binoy, a hotel businessman. Jubil Raj has been an actor from 2009. He has done more than 20 movies in Malayalam and Tamil. He has done some major roles in Yakshiyum Njanum, Thappana, Thank You, Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus, KQ, Welcome to Central Jail, King Liar, An International Local Story, Maffi Dona, Kaaval, etc. His younger son Unni also acted in movies like Zachariayude Garbhinikal, Aadu and its sequel.[4]

Stage career edit

Rajan P. Dev, born to noted stage actor S. J. Dev and Kuttyamma, started his acting career with various professional play troupes in Kerala. His father remained one of his major influences.[5] He was noted for his performances in various plays in the troupe of senior stage actor N. N. Pillai. He was cast by S. L. Puram Sadanandan to do the protagonist role of Kochuvava in his play Kattukuthira. The play was staged in over 100 venues and Dev became immensely popular all over Kerala. He received the Kerala State Theater Best Actor Award in 1984 and 1986. Along with his successful stage career, Dev launched his film career. Despite his success in films, he maintained a steady relationship with stage plays. He founded the play troupe Jubilee Theatres; and for its plays he did creative contributions in various departments. The last play by Jubilee Theatres, a satire titled Amminipuram Gramapanchayat had its lyrics and music by Dev.[5]

Film career edit

Dev launched his film career with Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku (1983), directed by Fazil. When his superhit play Kattukuthira was made into a film, the role went to Thilakan. Dev expressed his disappointment on this in a magazine interview, which caught the attention of director Thampy Kannanthanam. He invited Dev to play the villain role of Carlos in his film Indrajaalam (1990), starring Mohanlal. Just like his character Kochuvava, Carlos also became immensely popular so much so that for some years since then Dev was often referred to as Carlos, much like Keerikkadan Jose another popular villain character of that time.[6] The role of Carlos proved to be career-defining for Dev, as he was showered with villain roles in a number of films.

Several of Dev's villain roles had a touch of comedy, but he could not get out of the typical villain character mould. He got a break from this with Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava (1995), directed by Rajasenan, in which he played Aniyan Bava, the younger brother to Chettan Bava, played by Narendra Prasad. The film established his versatility. He went on to act in full-fledged comedy roles after it, most notably in the films Sphadikam (1995), Thommanum Makkalum (2005) and Chota Mumbai (2007). He still continued to act his signature villain roles. He expanded his career to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films starting with Gentleman (1993), directed by S. Shankar. He acted in over 50 films in those languages, most of which were villain roles. Out of about 800 films he acted in, many of the roles he played were of corrupt police officer, minister, etc., another testimonial to the several typecast roles he had to act in.[7] Dev has directed three films: Achammakuttiyude Achayan (1998), Maniyarakkallan and Achante Kochumolku (2003). He was planned to direct two more films titled Kayal Rajavu and Simham, starring Mammootty and Prithviraj, respectively.[8]

Death edit

Rajan P. Dev suffered from various disease like diabetes and liver cirrhosis during his last times. He was admitted to hospital many times due to these problems. He also lost his sight due to diabetes, and suffered without seeing camera during many shootings. On 26 July 2009, he vomited high amounts of blood at his home in Angamaly, and was admitted to Little Flower Hospital near his home. Later, he was shifted to Lake Shore Hospital in Kochi for advanced treatment, where he died on 29 July, aged 58.[7][9] The last film that he had acted in was Ringtone, directed by Ajmal.[10]

Filmography edit

As an actor edit

Malayalam edit

1980s edit
Year Title Role Notes
1981 Sanchari Chekuthaan Varghese
Sphodanam
1983 Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku Adv. Thomas George
1984 My Dear Kuttichathan School Teacher
1985 Akalathe Ambili
Makan Ente Makan
1986 Shyama Dance Master Cameo
Pappan Priyappetta Pappan Puli Sankaran
1988 Samvalsarangal
1989 Swantham Ennu Karuthi
1990s edit
Year Title Role Notes
1990 Vyooham Jayakumar
Indrajaalam Carlos
Ee Kanni Koodi Pillai
Appu Varma
Oliyampukal Nanu Mooppan
1991 Kadinjool Kalyanam Thalaivar Vellai Chami
Ezhunnallathu Ranger Uncle
Chakravarthy Patrick Perreira
Thudar Katha Receiver Shivasankaran
Amina Tailors Moori Hydrose
Mookilla Rajyathu Abdullah
Kuttapathram Augustine Fernandez
1992 Apaaratha Theeppori Madhavan
Maanyanmar Vikaraman
Kaazhchakkppuram Thomas Mathew
Aardram Mathai
Kizhakkan Pathrose Chandi Muthalaali
First Bell Vakkachan
Ente Ponnu Thampuran S.I. Idikulla
1993 Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans Sadanandan
Pravachakan Menon
Mafia Moosakutty
Janam Dasappan
Injakkadan Mathai & Sons David
Ekalavyan Home Minister Velayudhan
Aayirappara Govinda Menon
Paalayam Member Kuttapayi
1994 Commissioner IG Rajan Felix IPS
Chukkan Anandakrishna Iyyer
Puthran Easho
Gandeevam Karunakaran Nair
Kadal Musthafa Haji
Rudraksham Nair
Kambolam Tharakkandam Thommichan
Njan Kodiswaran Mathachen
Manathe Kottaram Lukochen Pettah
Kudumba Vishesham KRC
Cabinet Varghesekutty
1995 Tom & Jerry Krishnadas
Three Men Army Thomas
Ezharakoottam Vakkachan
Spadikam Manimala Vakkachan
Puthukkottayile Puthumanavalan Govindan
Mazhavilkoodaram Ram Saab
Maanthrikam Antonio
Kokkarakko
Mimics Action 500 Manimala Mamachan
Kidilol Kidilam Eappan George
Karma
Kalamasseriyil Kalyanayogam Edappally Raman Nair
Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava Kunjan Bava (Aniyan Bava)
Agrajan Ittikuru/Kunjupalu
Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary SP Sugunapal
Thirumanassu Divan Thampi
Peterscott Doctor
Special Squad Fernandez
The King Govindan Menon
Alancheri Thamprakkal Capt. Mukundan Menon/George Varghese
Saamoohyapaadam Kunjanandan Nair
1996 Patanayakan Maliyekkal Marthandan
Yuvathurki Somedraji/Gunashekharan
Dominic Presentation Marthandan Pillai
Mr. Clean Madhavan Thampi
Sathyabhamakkoru Premalekhanam Kovai Machan
Mookkilla Rajyathu Murimookkan Rajavu
Malayaalamaasam Chingam Onninu
Kinnam Katta Kallan Doctor Raghav
Kavadam
1997 Azhakiya Ravanan Chathothu Panicker
Newspaper Boy Dada
Manthra Mothiram Achuthan
Kottappurathe Koottukudumbam Bhaskara Menon
Kalyana Unnikal Muthu Nayakam
Junior Mandrake Nambiar
Janathipathyam DGP Padmanabhan Pillai IPS
Ekkareyanente Manasam Adv. Sreedharan
Asuravamsam Moosa Settu
Masmaram Willson Moriz
Bhoopathi Williams
Aattuvela
Varnapakittu Pullankunnel Pappan
1998 Kottaram Veettile Apputtan Kozhikkaden Achuthan Nambiar
Kalaapam Vaniyamkulam Vishwam
Vismayam Thumbaseery Kuruppu
Kallu Kondoru Pennu Sreekandan
Grama Panchayath Pappu
Dravidan
Achaammakkuttiyude Achaayan Kattungal Anthony also director (debut)
Aalibabayum Aarara Kallanmarum Chathanadan
1999 Swastham Grihabharanam Veerabhadran Nair
Panchapandavar Parameswara Kurup
Jananayakan Doraiswami
Independence Mukundan
Ezhupunna Tharakan Kumbanadan Lazar
Deepasthambham Mahascharyam Nambiar
Crime File Mammala Mammachen
Parasala Pachan Payyannoor Paramu K.N. Pisharadi
Aayiram Meni Bhaskaran
Aakasha Ganga Meppadan Thirumeni
2000s edit
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Sathyameva Jayathe SSP Thomas Pattimattom IPS
Dada Sahib Skaraia Zachariah
The Warrant Navajeevan Madhavji
Mera Naam Joker Ittoop
Rapid Action Force Koshy Nainan
Cover Story
2001 Vakkalathu Narayanankutty DGP Kurian Kulapurayil IPS
Rakshasa Rajavu Minister Attuva Avarachan
Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu Rajashekharan
Kakkinakshathram Anamuttathu Hajiyar
Nagaravadhu Mamaji
Ee Nadu Innalevare Chief Minister
Karumadikkuttan Neelakantan Muthalali
Sharja To Sharja Karunan Kappithan
Nariman Adv. Vaikuntam
2002 Videsi Nair Swadesi Nair Rajappan Nair
Swarna Medal Balakrishanan
Akhila Sekharan Nair
Njan Rajavu
Shivam S.I. Eapen
Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan C.I. Chellappa Chettiar
Kaiyethum Doorath Prof. Sadasivan
Jagathy Jagadeesh in Town Minister Vishwanathan
2003 Leader Kaimal
Swantham Malavika
Achante Kochumolku Gabriel Panachikkadan
2004 Kusruthi Thathran
Vamanapuram Bus Route Ouseppu
Sethurama Iyer CBI Registar Bahuleyan
C. I. Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu Nambiar
Vellinakshatram Meppadan Thirumeni
Vajram Fr. Varghese
Thekkekkara Superfast Philippose Pookkattuparambil
Aparichithan Police Officer
Natturajavu Captain Menon
2005 Isra
Thommanum Makkalum Thomman
Udayon Chetti
Kalyana Kurimanam Aravindaksha Kuruppu
Thaskara Veeran Arakkalam Kuttappan
Pandippada Kuruppu / Karuppayya Swami
Bharathchandran I.P.S. DySP Pookkoya
Chanthupottu Thorayil Aasan
The Tiger Varkeychan Narimattathil
2006 Vargam Priest
Pothan Vava Vakkachan
Highway Police David D'Souza
Oruvan
2007 Ravanan I.G. Raman Menon
Panthaya Kozhi Astrologer
Nagaram Lonappan
Sketch Chandrasekhara Shetty
Chotta Mumbai Pambu Chackochan
Abraham & Lincoln Rahim Rawuthar
Athisayan Minister Divakaran
Nadiya Kollappetta Rathri Retired SI Mayilvahanam Kathireshan
Ali Bhai Karunakaran Thampi
Black Cat Tharakan Muthalali
Kichamani MBA DIG Somashekaran IPS
Indrajith 'Chemparunthu' Bhaskaran
Chocolate Bahuleyan
2008 Roudram IG Mohammed Shihabudeen IPS
Mayabazar Akri Damodharan
Annan Thampi Dharmarajan
Kanichukulangarayil CBI Krishna Gopan
Lollipop Chandykunju
Sound of Boot Retd IGP Raghavan Nambiar IPS
Gopalapuranam Gopalan Nair
De Ingottu Nokkiye
Shakespeare M.A. Malayalam Veerabhasan
Aayudham Plavinchottil Chacko
Bullet Ganga Prasad
2009 Love In Singapore Irumbu Mani
Hailesa Maniyappan's father
I. G. – Inspector General Chief Minister Ramachandran
Ee Pattanathil Bhootham Kora
Daddy Cool Roy's father
Sambhu Puthukodi Balan
2010s edit
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Black Stallion Sebastian Zacharia
Brahmasthram Ramachandran
Vandae Maatharam Dy. SP Mansoor
Ringtone Rajasingam Thampuran
2013 Rhythm
2020s edit
Year Title Role Notes
2021 The Priest Joseph Alatt Photo presence
Kaaval Kuzhiyil Chandy Photo presence

Tamil edit

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Vasanthakala Paravai Inspector
1992 Naangal Rathnaswamy
Suriyan Koopu Konar
1993 Gentleman Chief Minister
1996 Sengottai Thirumoorthy
Selva Vaappa
1997 Vaimaye Vellum Perumal
Love Today Inspector Vasudevan
Periya Idathu Mappillai Chinna Thambi
1998 Golmaal Karnal Rajappa
En Uyir Nee Thaane Rajasekhar
1999 Poomagal Oorvalam Sengodan
Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham Anand's father
2000 Simmasanam Thambidurai
Kushi MP Ambareesh
Maayi MLA Sundarapandiyan
2001 Thaalikaatha Kaaliamman Raghavan
2002 Red Sarathy
Bala Pasupathi
Sri Bannari Amman Vellangiri
2003 Nadhi Karaiyinile Mohammed Khan
2004 Jai Vajravelu
Campus Sathyaseelan
2005 Sukran Judge Needhi Manikkam
Manthiran Local Gangster
2006 Aathi Pattabhi
Kalinga Chanakya
2007 Manase Mounama Aadhi
2008 Vambu Sandai Malayali Doctor
Thenavattu Minister
2009 Karthik Anitha Krishnamoorthy
Malayan M. R. K. Vedachalam

Telugu edit

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Khushi Gudumba Satti
2002 Aadi Nagi Reddy
2003 Naaga Home Minister
Aayudham Varadaraju
Dil Nandini's grandfather
Okkadu Siva Reddy
Simhadri Kerala Chief Minister Cameo
Seetayya Sivayya's father
Praanam Special Appearance
2004 Koduku Basava Punnayya
Arya MP Avataram
Arjun Govindarajulu
Gudumba Shankar Kumaraswamy's Uncle
2005 Balu
Bunny Chief Minister Gudumba Chatti
Veerabhadra Zamindar
2007 Yogi
Vijayadasami Kodanti Koteshwar Rao
2008 Kalidasu Home Minister

Kannada edit

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Don Sadhu Shetty
Annavru
2006 Student
2008 Nee Tata Naa Birla
2009 Maccha JK

As director edit

  1. Achamakuttiyude Achayan (1998)
  2. Achante Kochumol (2003)
  3. Maniyarakallan (2005)

Serials edit

References edit

  1. ^ "The 'wild horse' has left all, for ever". The New Indian Express. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Veteran Malayalam actor Rajan P. Dev dead". The New Indian Express. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  3. ^ "CiniDiary". cinidiary.com. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Mangalam varika 9 july 2012". mangalamvarika.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ a b "Actor who never gave up theatre despite the lure of filmdom". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  6. ^ "Kattukuthira in play acts (in Malayalam)". Malayalam Webduniya. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Veteran actor Rajan P. Dev dead". Sify. 29 July 2009. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  8. ^ "Kayal rajavu and Simham remained (in Malayalam)". Malayalam Webduniya. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  9. ^ "Veteran Malayalam actor Rajan P. Dev dead". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  10. ^ "Actor Rajan P Dev passes away". The Press Trust of India. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.

External links edit

  • Rajan P Dev at MSI
  • Rajan P. Dev at IMDb