Saikumar

Dubbing - 5 Characters

Saikumar is known for his handling of serious roles, though he started his career with comedy roles. Of late, he has been doing many negative roles as well.

Saikumar's father was a great malayalam actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. Saikumar started his career in cinema as a child artist in Vidarunna Mottukal. He started his career in theatres. He was offered the lead role in the film Swati Tirunaal, but later was done by a another actor. He made his debut in the Siddeeq-Lal directed blockbuster Ramji Rao Speaking(1989). It was directed by 2 debutants, Siddique and Lal (Siddique-Lal) and had debutant actors Saikumar and Rekha in the lead.

The success of the film helped him to earn a lot of opportunities in the next few years. He has done leading roles in a few films like Sauhradam, Thudarkkatha, Khoshayathra, Anantha Vrithantham, Thooval Sparsam etc. But in that age of comedy, he could not make an impact as a hero while Mukesh, Jagadeesh and Siddique were cast in the small budget movies. Sai Kumar remained active in the industry with supporting, character and negative roles in films including In Harihar Nagar, Saandram, Makkal Mahalmyam, Griha Pravesam, Ayushkalam. The sequel to Ramji Rao Speaking, Mannar Mathai Speaking was a block buster of 1995. This time Mukesh stole the show in the lead role. His villain roles in Mammootty's 1996 block buster Hitler was noted. This earned him the reputation of enacting the intelligent villain.

The golden period of Sai Kumar's started in the late 90's. He was casted in the mega hit Aaram Thampuran by Shaji Kailas where he played the role of the close friend of hero enacted by super star Mohanlal. Then he became the inevitable ingredient of all the super star movies. He played villain to Mohanlal in Narasimham(2000), Thandavam(2001), Chathurangam(2001). His prominence was evident from the posters of Thandavam where his pictures were printed in equal size as Mohanlal himself. In movies like Vallyettan and Vesham he played villain to Mammootty. In the Dileep movie Kunjikkoonan(2002), he appeared in a completely different get up of a cruel Goonda, which was much acclaimed.

2005 was a very good year for Saikumar in which he acted in RajaManikyam, the super hit of Mammootty where he played the character of an elder man. This made the directors to rethink on the range of characters he can do. Then in Suresh Gopi's come back film Bharath Chandran IPS, he played the villain. He himself described the role as anhe anti-hero not a villain, since he leads story in the first 45 minutes until Suresh Gopi appears. He also played the supporting role as DYSP Pothen in Suresh Gopi hit The Tiger.

In 2007, he won accolades for his performance as a Kathakali artist and the father of a highly talented but ailing son in Anandabhairavi. Director Vinayan described him as talented as Mohanlal which is the best compliment for his acting abilities.

His nephew Vinu Mohan made debut in Malayalam films in 2007 with Nivedyam. Interestingly Sai Kumar was cast as villain opposite his nephew in Cycle (2008). His elder sister Sobha Mohan is also acting in films in character roles while brother in law Late Mr. Mohan was a theatre artist.

Prepared by: Dr. Susie Pazhavarical