Sankaradi is one of my favourite actor...
Personally, in malayalam films I have seen no other actor- who in so natural in any of his character, maybe a small scene with couple of dialogues, or a thru-out character....supporting actor, comedian or villain- I have never seen him with a bad performance.
Any actors, if you see their graph-may have started in a low phase and might have an impact of the period they have started their carrier, but with Sankaradi-even if you watch a very old B&W movie-you will never find an 'over dramatised' performance or dialogue rendering.
He was very much ahead of his time from those days itself.....
It was during an era, where the whole body was used to prompt a scene, dialogue presentation was so un-natural (actually it was believed that acting and dialogues should be dramatised to the maximum to prove the height of calibre) -and here we find Sankaradi so natural and genuine.
Born in 1924 at Cherai (a place close to Kochi)-his actual name was Chandrasekhara Menon. Sanakaradi was his family name-he really dominated malayalam film industry for decades, to be precise from 1960's till 1980's I think there were only a few films that you could count on with fingers- in which Sankaradi may have not appeared during this period.
I have read that he passed intermediate from Ernakulam Maharajas College.
Before entering films, Sankaradi was involved in politics, journalism and theatre. His political life started in Indian National Congress, but later became a cardholder of the undivided Communist Party of India but he returned his party card after the CPI split in 1962 and turned to theatre.
Also joined the trade union movement at Baroda Railways while he was studying Marine Engineering at Baroda, and later he abandoned his studies to pursue journalism in Mumbai.
It's belived that the stint in theatre during the mid 1960's in Kerala-prepared Sankaradi for his clear polished entry into films.
His debut film was Kunchacho's Kadalama- the story started, and then he remained an integral part of Malayalam cinema till his death.
He even holds the record for featuring in over 300 films with evergreen hero Prem Nazir.
It was a late marriage for Sankaradi- his wife Sharada came to his life in 1980; the couple had no children.
He died in Oct. 2001.
There are hundreds of films that I could list to prove his versatile acting talent-and as I mentioned before, from the very old B&W era-to medieval films- and the third and final phase films after 80's
And one among them is from the film "Sandesham"-one of the best political satires in Indian cinema, is my all time favourite too- I would like to point out his role in this film.
Though not a lengthy role-even today when this film is discussed -Sankaradi's presence is so strongly felt..!
Whenever I see this scene, I cannot control myself and laugh......
The questioning by Bobby Kottarakara....NAMMAL ENTHUKOND THOTTU.???...........................and Sankaradi's answer to it....or as it says 'Thathvika avalokanam'...
Vigadanavadhikalum prathikriyavadiakalum prathamadrishtiyal akalchayil ayirunnuvenkilum avarkidayilulla andardara sajeevam ayirunnu.............boorshwashikalum thakam paathu irikukayayirunnu...
The questioning by Bobby Kottarakara....NAMMAL ENTHUKOND THOTTU.???...........................and Sankaradi's answer to it....or as it says 'Thathvika avalokanam'...
Vigadanavadhikalum prathikriyavadiakalum prathamadrishtiyal akalchayil ayirunnuvenkilum avarkidayilulla andardara sajeevam ayirunnu.............boorshwashikalum thakam paathu irikukayayirunnu...
(Spice to this clip is Sreenivasan's 'pennukaanal'scene...........really memorable..! )
