Jayaram

Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasional playback singer. Jayaram has acted in more than 200 films and has received several awards, including the Padma Shri, two Kerala State Film Awards, one Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and four Filmfare Awards South.

Jayaram started as a mimicry artist at the Kalabhavan institute during the 1980s. He made his acting debut in a leading role in Padmarajan's 1988 film ''Aparan''. He established himself as a successful leading actor in 1990s by starring in family dramas and comedies—such as, but not limited to ''Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal'' (1989), ''Shubhayathra'' (1990), ''Sandhesam'' (1991), '' Georgootty C/O Georgootty'' (1991), ''Malootty'' (1992), ''Ayalathe Adheham'' (1992), ''Meleparambil Aanveedu'' (1993), '' CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed.'' (1994), '' Puthukkottayile Puthumanavalan'' (1995), '' Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava'' (1995), ''Thooval Kottaram'' (1996), ''Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu'' (1997), '' Summer in Bethlehem'' (1998), ''Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal'' (1999), ''One Man Show'' (2001), and ''Manassinakkare'' (2003). The 2000 Tamil film ''Thenali'' won him two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Jayaram won his first Kerala State Film Award, the Special Jury Award for his performance in ''Thooval Kottaram'' (1996). He won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his performance in ''Swayamvara Panthal'' (2000). Jayaram won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor 3 times, for his performances in ''Thooval Kottaram'' (1996), '' Theerthadanam'' (2001), and ''Manassinakkare'' (2003).

In 2011, the Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the country for his contributions towards the Indian film industry.

Early life

Jayaram was born on 10 December 1965 in a Tamil brahmin family as the second among three children of late Subramaniyam and late Thankam at Perumbavoor, Kerala. He had an elder brother named Venkataram, who died at a young age, and a younger sister named Manjula. He did his primary education at Government Boys High School, Perumbavoor. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Sree Sankara College, Kalady. And also did a graduate course in Chenda from the National Institute of Ulsavam Sciences & Technology, Thrissur. He became a medical representative soon after college and later joined the Kalabhavan institute and learned and performed mimicry on a number of stages, which paved his way to the Malayalam film industry. Malayalam writer Malayattoor Ramakrishnan is Jayaram's maternal uncle.

Career

After college, he joined Kalabhavan, a professional mimicry troupe in Kochi. At the age of 22, he was introduced into the cinema field by script writer and filmmaker Padmarajan who gave Jayaram his launching pad with the 1988 film ''Aparan''. Jayaram subsequently acted in Padmarajan's ''Moonnam Pakkam'' (1988) and ''Innale'' (1989). Padmarajan became his mentor in his film career till the former's death in January 1991. He became one of the Superstars of the Malayalam film industry through the film ''Meleparambil Aanveedu''(1993) which Rajasenan directed. The film was a commercial success and ran for over 200 days in theatres. His on-screen chemistry with Shobana worked well in films Innale, Meleparambil Aanveedu and Dhwani.

He is noted for playing in Kamal's films during the late 1980s and early 1990s, in films such as ''Pradeshika Varthakal'' (1989), ''Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal'' (1989) and ''Shubha Yathra'' (1990) (all of which scripted by Ranjith), where he co-starred with his wife Parvathy. He later did a film scripted by Ranjith with the story by Jagathy Sreekumar and directed by Viji Thampi named ''Witness'' (1988). He teamed up with Viji Thampi and Ranjith in ''Nanma Niranjavan Srinivasan'' (1990), where he played a police constable who is in search of a criminal played by Mukesh. During the early 90s he acted in Bharathan's ''Keli'' (1991) and ''Malootty'' (1992).

He has acted in several of Sathyan Anthikkad's films. Their first film was ''Ponn Muttayidunna Tharavu'' (1988). Around that time, Jayaram played a supporting role in Sathyan Anthikkad's ''Artham'' (1989). '' Thalayanamanthram'' (1990) and ''Sandesham'' (1991), were both written and co-starred by Sreenivasan. Anthikkad and Jayaram later went on to make ''Thooval Kottaram'' (1996), which was commercial success, continued their success in films - ''Irattakuttikalude Achan'' (1997), ''Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal'' (1999), ''Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal'' (2000), ''Yathrakarude Sradhakku'' (2002), ''Manassinakkare'' (2003), '' Bhagya Devatha'' and ''Kadha Thudarunnu