HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYARAM: Actor Jayaram was a force to be reckoned with back in the 1990s as he delivered blockbuster films one after another. Now, years later, the Malayalam star’s charismatic personality hasn’t diminished a tad bit. Such was his contribution to the film industry that he was awarded the Padma Shri award back in 2011. In addition to this, he has earned multiple national and state-level accolades for his exceptional acting prowess.
Though he carved a niche for himself by delivering several hit comedy films, however, he is known to portray versatile roles on the silver screen, the latest one being a historical figure in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan. Today on Saturday, December 10, Jayaram is celebrating his 58th birthday.
To mark the special occasion, here’s taking a look at some of his hit movies.
Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022)
The film is an epic historical action drama directed by Mani Ratnam and co-written by Elango Kumaravel and B. Jeyamohan. It is based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 novel Ponniyin Selvan, produced by Ratnam and Subaskaran Allirajah. Celebrities like Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Jayaram, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prabhu, R. Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu and Prakash Raj starred in the film.
A. R. Rahman composed the music. The movie depicts the childhood of Chola prince Arulmozhi Varman, who would grow up to become the renowned emperor Rajaraja I. Ponniyin Selvan: I was released in theatres worldwide on September 30 this year. The film grossed around Rs 500 crore, becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2022.
Meleparambil Anveedu (1993)
Meleparambil Anveedu is an Indian Malayalam romantic drama movie that was directed by Rajasenan. The lead actors in the movie are Jayaram as Harikrishnan Pillai and Shobana as Pavizham, with supporting performances by Narendra Prasad, Meena Joseph, Jagathy Sreekumar, Janardanan, Vijayaraghavan, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, and Vinu Chakravarthy.
Mani C. Kappan was the producer and distributor of the movie. This movie has a cult following and is regarded as one of the best comedies ever made in Malayalam cinema. Two Tamil remakes of it, Valli Vara Pora (1995) and Naiyaandi (2013) were made.
Thooval Kottaram (1996)
Thooval Kottaram is a drama film directed by Sathyan Anthikad and written by A. K. Lohithadas. Jayaram, Sukanya, Dileep, Manju Warrier, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, and Murali played the main characters.
The film received three South Filmfare Awards and was a commercial success. Jayaram received his first Kerala State Film Award, a Special Jury Award for his role as Adv. Mohanachandra Poduval.
Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu (1998)
This Malayalam romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Sathyan Anthikad, starred Sreenivasan, Urvashi, and Jayaram in lead roles. In 2010, Dus Tola, a Hindi remake of the movie, was released.
The movie is about Bhaskaran, a goldsmith, who is madly in love with Snehalatha, the astrologer of Panicker’s daughter. To Bhaskaran’s surprise, Snehalatha denies their love affair when he asks for her hand in marriage.
Friends (1999)
The comedy-drama film was produced by Lal and starred Jayaram as Aravindan Menon, Mukesh, and Sreenivasan with Meena, Divya Unni, Jagathy Sreekumar, V. K. Sreeraman, Janardhanan, and Cochin Haneefa in supporting roles. The film was written and directed by Siddique.
The movie had the highest box office take in Malayalam for the year, earning about 11 crores against a 2 crore budget. Later, it was remade in Tamil (2001) under the same name, in Telugu (2001) as Snehamante Idera, and in Odia (2001) as Dosti. The movie depicts the tale of three childhood friends and how one of their lives is affected by love.
