The Victor

Some actors simply act. Some actors manage to gain popularity. Some actors manage to steal hearts. But only a few actors manage to steal the show, for their acting skills are beyond the level of perfection. The Victor was one of those few.

The undisputed actor of Indian Film Industry; Image Source: The News Minute

Jayan- a name that represents the Malayalam film industry, a name that reflects his macho image and unique style, a name that has a chauvinistic appeal, and a name that had the guts to perform some of the most dangerous stunts in the film industry. Regarded as one of the influential superstars in the history of the Malayalam film industry, his popularity never declined, not even when he left the world. But was he destined to be an actor with capabilities that would later on make him one of the most popular cultural icons among Malayalis all around the globe? Let’s find out.

Long long ago, in the faraway lands of Quilon (now Kollam), the Pillai family welcomed a tiny pea pod in their house, whose name was Krishnan Nair. Little did the Pillai family know that this tiny pod would, later on, grow up to become one of the most revered actors of the South Film Industry. Growing up to be a well-built handsome man, Jayan soon joined the troop of white and blue colour that represents the prestigious Indian Navy. Though he had a knack for acting, he never really thought of accepting it as his profession.

As days went by, Krishnan’s hidden talent came out flowing. He started showing his acting skills during the events that often took place during his army days. Mesmerised by his amazing dialogue delivery and body construct, many of his seniors and colleagues encouraged him to give his passion a chance. After working for sixteen long years in the Indian Navy and getting promoted to the post of Master CPO, he finally decided to give a shot in the field of acting. Destiny too was in his favour as he met Ranjan Prakash, the son of veteran actor Jose Prakash’s son. This meeting led Jayan towards his first film, Shapa Moksham. Getting into the film industry was easy, but becoming a revered actor was where the real struggle started. Apart from working in films, he also started taking jobs in Cochin, until his acting career finally came on track.

There are some speculations about his appearances in the film industry before his debut movie, Shapa Moksham. His first minor appearance was in the early 1970s in Postmane Kanmanilla. Yet another speculation was that he played the role of a vampire in a film made by Vidhubala, but it was never released.

After his performance in Shapa Moksham, Jayan got his first major break in Panchami, in which he played the role of an evil forest ranger. His tremendous performance earned him applauds all over the state. Opportunities started flowing in as he went on to act in films like Thacholi Ambu, and Etho Oru Swapnam. Krishnan’s performance in Sharapancharam as an antihero gave him an entirely different identity in the Malayalam film industry. Sharapancharam broke all box office records and became one of the highest-grossing movies of the 1970s and 80s, until his next super hit film, Angadi. His physical appearance and machismo roles landed him in numerous action films. Loved by people for his superhero portrayals, he never really got the chance to take up critically appreciated roles that would let him explore something that was out of his comfort zone. The majority of the films wanted him to display his well-built body and elevate the masculine image that he was known for. Apart from playing the superhero roles in most of the films, he made sure to engage in daredevilry. Considered as a high-risk taker, his stellar fighting scenes and thrilling and dangerous stunts showed his passion for films. From fighting the wild animals to breaking through a brick wall while riding on a motorbike, his stunts were always out of the ordinary.

However, little did the brave stuntman know that one of these stunts would take his life forever. It was on 16th November 1980 when he was shooting an action sequence for the movie Kolilakkam. Persistent on always performing his stunts, this time too he was performing a stunt that required him to board an airborne helicopter from a moving motorbike. While the director accepted the first take, Jayan insisted on another take as he was not satisfied with his performance. During the retake, the helicopter crashed to the ground along with Jayan, who was hanging onto it. Later, he succumbed to his injuries. His dead body was taken to Trivandrum and later to his hometown where he was ceremonially cremated.

Jayan’s death was no less than a piece of national news. With people bursting into tears and running out of their buildings, not being able to grasp the news of his death, the entire country was in chaos. Some said that his death was a conspiracy and that Balan K. Nair, who too was in the helicopter, was safe with little to no injuries.

After his death, many directors and producers tried to recreate the Jayan vibe by introducing actors who looked quite similar to him or had a similar voice. But all these experiments failed and finally, people realised that “Jayan's throne remains vacant and will forever be so.”