Malayalam cinema occupies a prominent place in the South Indian film industry and Indian cinema to a large extent for its rich content. It is an open secret that films in India more often than not are ‘hero-centric’.

A consistent feature of Indian commercial or mainstream cinema has been that the success rate of such movies at the box office had, to a large extent, been determined by the lead heroes who had large fan bases to garner numbers at the box office.  

Filmmakers, in the earlier years, banked on big names like M.G. Ramachandran, Rajnikant, or Kamal Hassan (Tamil), Rajkumar (Kannada), N.T. Rama Rao or Chiranjeevi (Telugu), Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, or the Khans (Hindi), and the like.

Film industries rely on a superstar’s drawing power to attract the masses and scripts are tailormade to revolve around the characters that the superstars portray in their quest for box office success.

Malayalam cinema too had its share of dues ex machina in its decades-long history. Guinness record holder Prem Nazir and superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty whipped up passions and continued to create fresh legions of fans across genres with their brilliant portrayals.

The last action hero

For the unversed, Malayalam cinema’s evolution to a more hero-centric culture, perhaps, began with Jayan, arguably the first macho hero who actively entered the collective consciousness of the masses, especially with the runaway success as an anti-hero in Sharapancharam.

Krishnan Nair, who adopted the screen name, Jayan, had served in the Indian Navy for several years before stepping into Malayalam cinema with Shapamoksham. In a span of just six years, until his final stunt scene in the Air Force ground at Sholavaram, a suburb in Madras, Jayan left behind a legacy which perhaps would never be equalled.

Janardhanan, a famous actor from the Malayalam film industry, who starred alongside Jayan in some of his films, had stated in an interview, “Marichittum jana hrudayangalil jeevichirikkuna ore uru nadan aanu Jayan.” (Even after his death, Jayan is the only actor who is living in the hearts of the public).

From an almost guest role in Shapamoksham (1974), the action hero galloped his way to stupendous box office success with sheer badassery something unparalleled back then. His physical appearance was first noted when he portrayed the role of a forest ranger in Panchami (1976).

Although he had only a cameo presence in Kannapannunni (1977), the aura that the young star then wielded struck a chord with filmmakers and movie audiences alike. The years 1979 and 1980 were memorable with Jayan hitting a purple patch and every one of his films raking in the moolah upon its release.

Be it the cruel Rajasekharan with an unapologetic demeanour to anyone who did not agree with his way of life in Sarapanjaram (1979), or the tough engineer in Venalil Oru Mazha in the same year where he held his own against thespian Madhu, Jayan’s performance was well received.  

The 1979 movie, Anupallavi, directed by AG Baby was perhaps the only film in which he got an opportunity to explore humour and Jayan did a fabulous job as a family man trying to control his wife while having a fling with his secretary in his office.

His famous English dialogue in Angadi (1980): “Maybe we are poor, coolies, trolley pullers but we are not beggars” although misspelt as buggers may have gained cult infamy due to video sharing sites and portrayal by slapstick comedians. Yet, Jayan, as the educated labourer Babu in Angadi, did a commendable job creating a stir at the box office. His song Kannum Kannum Thammil Thammil with Seema has been an evergreen hit, and subsequently readapted in a Mammootty movie decades later.

Similarly, the 1980 action-drama, Karimbana, showcased more of the actor within him. Jayan was brilliant in portraying the palm-toddy tapers’ community onscreen, having let his emotions flow freely and bringing rich diversity to the film industry. The adult dialogues in the movie may sound clichéd but the superstar rescues it all with his body language and magnetism.

As the contract muscleman Suresh in Love in Singapore (1980), Jayan comes to the rescue of Prem Nazir each time the CID runs into trouble. His opening lines in the movie “Daridravasikalude Idi Kollamellodo” (the pauper’s strike is admirable) became etched in public memory.

Jayan’s golden run came to an abrupt end on 16 November 1980 while shooting a climax scene for one of the all-time hits, Kolilakkam. He was killed when the helicopter he boarded from a moving bike in his climax stunt scene chasing Balan K. Nair, the villain, crashed to the ground, in what was the fourth retake of a shot reportedly done on the perfectionist actor’s insistence. The movie created a shockwave in the Malayalam cinema industry with the picture captured moments before his untimely death saying it all.

Unlike other superstars, Jayan never used a dupe for his stunt scenes. In a career spanning around six years, it was only in the last two years that he got numerous opportunities to act as the leading man. Jayan enthralled audiences with his grit and adventurism standing tall among his portly peers.

Reminiscing about his co-star Madhu had said that Jayan forever will stay young and cannot be visualised as an old man. Even after 43 years, this is true and we wonder what cinema would have been if the mishap in Sholavaram had not happened.

What Malayalam cinema missed by Jayan's untimely death?

Jayan’s sudden death created a void in the Malayalam cinema industry. The actor had reportedly signed some 30-35 films, some for which shooting was underway and some being in the discussion stage. All these projects were stalled with many being scrapped altogether or being altered with new heroes brought in as replacements.  

IV Sasi’s Thushaaram, the 1981 movie shot in Kashmir with a military storyline made newcomer Ratheesh an overnight star, even if briefly, was originally planned with Jayan in mind. Mega star Mammootty too was supposedly in the race to act in the film but had failed to impress IV Sasi then. Similarly, Sphodanam another film from the era which starred Mammootty and Sukumaran, the father of current superstar Prithviraj, was also reportedly scripted for Jayan.

Incidentally, the Prithivraj-starrer Ennu Ninte Moideen of 2015, which ran successfully in the theatres and attained cult status, was a story that Jayan should have enacted had he lived to pursue the project. Jayan and Moideen were friends and used to share their life stories and struggles with the late superstar having shown interest in showcasing Moideen’s story on the screen. Unfortunately, fate had other plans as Moideen too passed away soon after Jayan left the scene, thus leaving the dream unrealised.

Kerala’s biggest-ever superstars, Mohanlal and Mammootty, were still evolving as actors when Jayan was at his peak. While Mohanlal was doing villain roles in his early films had acted opposite Jayan in Sanchari (1980). Mammootty also acted in one Jayan film Komaram albeit not sharing the screen space with him.

One big counterfactual often raised by cinema lovers is whether the two big Ms of Malayalam cinema have hit their respective purple patches had Jayan been around. Possibly, Jayan would have done well as an action hero as it makes stars quicker than any other genre, as evident from the movies of the likes of Rajnikant, Vijaykanth, Sharathkumar, Chiranjeevi, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Tom Cruise, etc., which fared well in Malayalam box-office despite being from other languages.

This is where Jayan had an edge and the only major competition he would have faced was from Mohanlal with his versatility. Also, if things had panned out as planned, Jayan could have gradually gained a pan-India appeal with the macho image he came to represent. His forays into Tamil and Telugu films could have been a given, which could have led to his rise as a much bigger star, creating excitement and winning over a fresh legion of fans for decades to come.

Malayalam cinema that has carved out space for the action genre, much like its South Indian counterparts, could have seen Jayan ruling the roost with filmmakers more often making films to taste box office success. In any scenario, Jayan would have continued delivering hits at least until the end of the 1980s with eventually more talented actors surpassing him which of course is the law of nature be it cinema, sports, or any other activity of life.

Such long innings could have enabled Jayan to have made forays in meaningful cinema of the type that Padmarajan, Bharathan, K.G. George, or even Sathyan Anthikad promoted in Malayalam filmdom. 

No stars, however, could have supplanted the imagery and machoism that Jayan represented although many were touted as his successors and potential action stars. Thus identified talent including Ratheesh, Bheeman Raghu, Captain Raju, Babu Antony and so on were expected to fill the void left by Jayan’s demise. None of them, however, became star material and after some initial hype were relegated to playing villain roles, sidekicks or character roles. 

Jayan came into cinema at a time when the Malayalam cinema had not yet arrived as decisively on the national scene. By the 1980s, Malayalam cinema, riding on its new wave and parallel cinematic impulses, made an imprint on the national scene even as Bollywood hit a nadir.

Had Jayan been around, the 1980s would have been the most opportune time for stalwarts like him to make an impact in South Indian as well as Indian cinema as a whole. His build and physique were unique at that time although Bollywood had contemporaries like Dara Singh, Puneet Isaar, Amjad Khan, Mukesh Khanna, Dharmendra and so on, who could match him in physical prowess albeit not in acting chops.

The Aryans, to describe an ethnic variety, had men of such build and height. Barring Dharmendra, however, none of them gained stardom or the kind of standing in Bollywood that Jayan held forth in Malayalam.

The post-Jayan evolution of Malayalam cinema

A lot has transpired since that fateful day in 1980 with the arrival of new actors, scriptwriters and filmmakers. Filmmaking and cinema have undergone massive transformations, technology has improved, and audience tastes have changed – there has been a total facelift.

Some of the hit Malayalam movies from the 1980s to the present times can be considered as examples. Many filmmakers brought fresh and innovative approaches to movie making. Leading directors made films that were realistic, socially relevant and aesthetically pleasing making Malayalam cinema stand out and getting its due respect.

While superstars like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram, and several support actors created benchmarks, new generation actors like Fahadh Faasil, Nivin Pauly, Dulquer Salman, Prithviraj, Dileep, Asif Ali, Jayasuriya, Kunchako Boban, and many female artists have starred in movies known for versatility and depth.

Malayalam cinema today is known for its strong narratives and relatable characters. Audience preferences too have changed with moviegoers preferring to watch stories that are presented well as against watching one just because a superstar is acting in it. Digital cameras, editing software, special effects, and the like are enhancing the visual appeal making Malayalam cinema truly global.

Content writers, filmmakers, and technicians work as a cohesive unit to produce films that can appeal to various segments of movie audiences, entertain them, as well as educate and inspire them. It is no longer about star power and charisma alone; it is about content and the way it is presented which determines success.

Perhaps this notable shift first came to the fore when Traffic hit the screens in 2011. The emotional thriller directed admirably by Rajesh Pillai breathed new life into an otherwise waning industry. It was a welcome break from the moustache-twirling, hyper-masculine protagonist beating a few baddies to score a point.

The beauty of Traffic was that it incorporated several narratives in one film akin to some Hollywood flicks. Its resounding success and critical acclaim paved the way for more films which no longer rely on superstars or larger-than-life characters. Movie makers got a clue to make films that everyday people could relate to.

The young crop of filmmakers and actors are exploring different genres, moving past the set stereotypes. Movies like Salt and Pepper, Bangalore Days, Maheshinte Prathikaram, Uyare, Kumbalangi Nights, and many more had offbeat and unconventional plotlines that drew accolades from the media and critics alike.

Another big development is the remarkable coming of age of female characters, of women fighting the odds to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. Aashiq Abu with his 22 Female Kottayam portrays a female character extracting justice for the wrongdoing she had experienced.

Likewise, in How Old Are You, Manju Warrier as a government servant overcomes obstacles to become an entrepreneur without support from her family. Other women-centric movies such as Mayaanadhi, June, Helen, etc. have been ushering in change.

No wonder that Malayalam cinema is cutting across linguistic divides and winning big in many international film festivals and OTT platforms. Even non-Malayali audiences, especially from the onset of the pandemic are queuing up to watch Malayalam movies.

Adroit subtitling, faster internet speed, and multiple streaming services enabled Malayalam films to travel across India and the globe when the general public was confined to their homes due to the pandemic and lockdowns.

Acting, cinematography, editing, scripting, and music are getting better with the emergence of new talents. Needless to say, actors and everyone else working in the Malayalam film industry are getting offers from other film industries.

Jayan acted many moons ago, in a different era when Malayalam cinema was still evolving and it is perhaps unfair to compare actors from that generation with the current ones. Each era is different and as society changes and technology improves, cinema continues to undergo changes.

Yet, Jayan is a phenomenon that comes once in a blue moon, and a void that Malayalam cinema, and in consequence, Indian cinema, could not fill.