Rajan P. Dev
Rajan P. Dev was an Indian film actor and stage actor. He was born in Cherthala in the Alappuzha district of the former state Thiru-Kochi. He had acted in over 200 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. Rajan P. Dev died in Kochi Wednesday 29 July 2009 due to a liver disease.
Family
He was born to 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.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 and is married to Riya Varghese. He has done more than 18 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, etc. His younger son Unni also acted in movies like Zachariayude Garbhinikal and Aadu.
Stage career
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. 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.Film career
Dev launched his film career with Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku, 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, 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. 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, 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, Thommanum Makkalum and Chota Mumbai. He still continued to act his signature villain roles. He expanded his career to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films starting with Gentleman, 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. Dev has directed three films: Achammakuttiyude Achayan, Maniyarakkallan and Achante Kochumolku. He was planned to direct two more films titled Kayal Rajavu and Simham, starring Mammootty and Prithviraj, respectively.
Death
Rajan P. Dev died in Kochi on 29 July 2009. The funeral ceremony was held on Thursday, 30 July 2009 at 11 am at St. Xavier's church, Angamaly. The last film that he had acted in was Ringtone, directed by Ajmal. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.Filmography
As an actor
Malayalam
- Ringtone
- Brahmasthram... Ramachandran
- Black Stallion... Sebastain
- Sambhu
- Daddy Cool
- Ee Pattanathil Bhootham
- I. G.
- Hailesa
- Love In Singapore... Irumbu Mani
- Bullet
- Aayudham... Plavinchottil Chacko
- Shakespeare M. A. Malayalam
- Dae! Ingottu Nokkiye...
- Gopalapuranam... Gopalan Nair
- Sound of Boot
- Lollipop
- Kanichukulangarayil CBI... Krishna Gopan
- Annan Thambi
- Mayabazar... Akri Damodharan
- Roudram
- Chocolate
- Indrajith... 'Chemparunthu' Bhaskaran
- Kichamani M.B.A.
- Black Cat... Tharakan
- Alibhai... Karunakaran Thampi
- Nadiya Kollappetta Rathri
- Athisayan
- Abraham & Lincoln... Rahim Ravuthar
- Chotta Mumbai
- Sketch... Chandrasekhara Shetty
- Nagaram... Lonappan
- Panthaya Kozhi... Jyotsar
- Raavanan... Raman Menon
- Oruvan
- Highway Police... David D'Souza
- Pothan Vava
- Vargam
- The Tiger
- Chanthupottu
- Bharatchandran IPS
- Pandippada
- Thaskara Veeran
- Kalyana Kurimanam... Aravindaksha Kuruppu
- Udayon... Chetti
- Thommanum Makkalum
- Isra
- Natturajavu
- Aparichithan
- Shambu... Puthukodi Balan
- Thekkekkara Superfast... Philippose
- Vajram... Varghese
- Vellinakshatram
- C. I. Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu... Nambiar
- Sethurama Iyer CBI
- Vamanapuram Bus Route
- Kusruthi
- Relax
- Achante Kochumolku... Gabriel Panachikkadan
- Swantham Malavika
- The King Maker Leader... Kaimal
- Jagathi Jagathish in Town... Minister Vishwanadan
- Kai Ethum Doorathu
- Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan
- Sivam
- Njan Rajavu
- Akhila .... Sekharan Nair
- Swarna Medal.... Balakrishanan
- Videsi Nair Swadesi Nair
- Nariman
- Sharjah To Sharjah
- Karumadikkuttan
- Ee Nadu Innalevare ... C.M
- Nagaravadhu
- Kakkinakshathram... Anamuttathu Hajiyar
- Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu
- Rakshasa Rajav
- Vakkalathu Narayanankutty
- Cover Story
- Rapid Action Force... Koshi Naina
- Mera Naam Joker... Ittoop
- The Warrant... Navajeevan Madhavji
- Dada Sahib... Skaraia Zachariah
- Satyameva Jayate
- Kallukondoru Pennu... Sreekandan
- Aakasha Ganga
- Aayiram Meni
- Parasala Pachan Payyannoor Paramu
- Crime File... Mammala Mammachen
- Deepasthambham Mahascharam
- Ezhupunna Tharakan.... Kumbanadan Lazar
- Independence
- Jananayakan... Doraiswami
- Panchapandavar
- Swastham Grihabaranam
- Alibabayum Arara Kallanmarum
- Achammakuttiyude Achayan, also director
- Dravidan
- Grama Panchayath
- Kallu Kondoru Pennu
- Vismayam
- Kalaapam... Vaniyamkulam Vishwam
- Kottaram Veettile Apputtan
- Varnapakittu... Pappan
- Aattuvela
- Bhoopathi
- Masmaram
- Asuravamsam... Moosa Settu
- Ekkareyanente Manasam... Sumathi's Uncle
- Janathipathyam
- Junior Mandrake
- Kalyana Unnikal
- Kottapurathe Koottukudumbam
- Manthramothiram
- Newspaper Boy
- Azhakiya Ravanan
- Kinnam Katta Kallan... Doctor Raghav
- Malayala Masom Chingam Onnu
- Mookkilla Rajyathu Murimookkan Rajavu
- Sathyabhaamaykkoru Pranayalekhanam
- Mr. Clean
- Dominic Presentation... Marthandan Pilla
- Yuvathurki
- Patanayakan
- Saamoohyapadom
- Alanchery Thambrakal
- The King
- Special Squad... Fernandez
- Peterscott... Doctor
- Thirumanassu... Divan Thampi
- Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary
- Agrajan
- Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava
- Kalamasseriyil Kalyanayogam
- Karma
- Kidilol Kidilam
- Mimics Action 500... Manimala Mamachan
- Kokkarakko
- Maanthrikam
- Mazhavilkoodaram
- Puthukottyile Puthu Manavalan
- Commissioner
- Sphadikam... Manimala Vakkachan
- Ezharakkoottam
- Three Men Army
- Tom & Jerry
- Cabinet... Varghesekutty
- Kudumba Visesham
- Manathe Kottaram
- Njan Kodiswaran
- Kambolam... Thommichan
- Rudraksham
- Kadal... Musthafa Haji
- Gandeevam... Karunakaran Nair
- Puthran... Easho
- Chukkan... Anandakrishna Iyyer
- Commissioner.... Rajan Philip
- Palayam
- Gentleman
- Aayirappara
- Ekalavyan
- Injakkadan Mathai & Sons
- Janam... Dasappan
- Mafia... Moosakutty
- Pravachakan
- Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans
- Ente Ponnu Thampuran
- First Bell
- Kizhakkan Pathrose... Chandi Muthalaali
- Ardram... Mathai
- Kaazhchakkppuram
- Maanyanmaar
- Aparatha... Madhavan
- Kuttapathram... Augustine Fernandez
- Mookkilyarajyathu
- Amina Tailors... Hydrose Moori
- Thudarkadha... Receiver Shivasankaran
- Chakravarthy... Patrick Perreira
- Ezhunnallathu
- Kadinjool Kalyanam... Thalaivar Vellai Chami
- Oliyampukal... Nanu
- Appu
- Ee Kannilkoodi
- Indrajaalam... Carlos
- Vyooham
- Swantham Ennu Karuthi
- Samvalsarangal
- Pappan Priyappetta Pappan
- Shyama
- Makan Ente Makan
- Akalathe Ambili
- Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku
- Sphodanam
- Sanchary Chekuthaan Varghese
Tamil
- Malayan
- Karthik Anitha
- Thenavattu
- Vambu Sandai
- Manase Mounama
- Kalinga
- Aathi
- Sukran
- Campus
- Jai
- Nadhi Karaiyinile
- Sri Bannari Amman
- Bala
- Red
- Thaalikaatha Kaaliamman
- Kushi
- Simmasanam
- Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham
- Poomagal Oorvalam
- En Uyir Nee Thaane
- Golmaal
- Periya Idathu Mappillai
- Love Today
- Vaimaye Vellum
- Selva
- Sengottai
- Gentleman
- Suriyan
- Naangal
- Vasanthakala Paravai
Telugu
- Krishna
- Lakshmi Putrudu
- Kalidasu
- Yogi
- Veerabhadra
- Bunny
- Balu ABCDEFG
- Gudumba Shankar
- Arjun
- Arya
- Okkadu
- Dil
- Naaga
- Aadi
- Khushi
As Director
- Achamakuttiyude Achayan
- Achante Kochumol
- Maniyarakallan
Serials
- Samayam
- Ashtapadi
- Kadamattathu Kathanaar
- Sanmanassulavarkku Samadhanam
- Swami Ayappan
- 123 Sat