Dileep

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Dileep started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal. He rose into prominence as a lead actor during the early 2000s. Dileep, who began his career as a mimicry artist, excels in films particularly of the comedy genre.

Dileep, born to Padmanabha Pillai and Sarojam, studied in S.N.V Sadanam School & Vidyadhiraja Vidya Bhavan High School, joined Aluva U.C. College, and then transferred to Maharajas College, Ernakulam. His talent for acting was not known in school and college where he rarely won any accolades or merits. During 1985-1987 he tried to perform as a mimicry artist in UC College but was not successful. On joining Maharajas College for a B.A. in Economics in 1989, Dileep started to take mimicry seriously. Mimicry was only getting its roots in Kerala at the time. He later went on for a M.A. in History.

Dileep started his career in a troupe called Kalabavan, working as a mimicry artist. Later he got a chance to be the assistant director to Kamal. While being an assistant director, Dileep did some small roles, debuting with just a small scene in Kamal's Ennodu Ishtam Koodaamo (1992). He was then brought up by actor Jayaram. He recommended his name to many directors. The film Manathe Kottaram (1994) gave him the first break and his screen name Dileep came into place through the character of the same name that he played. Other minor roles during this time includes Joshi's Sainyam (1993) and Sibi Malayil's Sindoora Rekha (1995).

By the mid-90s he started getting more prominent roles. He played a supporting role in Sathyan Anthikkad's Thooval Kottaram (1996) starring Jayaram and Manju Warrier in the lead. He also did another supporting role in the Jayaram starred film Swapna Lokathe Balabhaskaran (1996). The film Sallapam (1996) was a turning point in his career, with the commercial success of the film he started becoming noted as an actor. He plays the lead role in Kamal's Ee Puzhayum Kadannu (1996). In both Sallapam and Ee Puzhayum Kadannu he had co-star Manju Warrier whom he later married. He did a supporting role in I.V. Sasi's Varnapakittu (1997). It was playing Unnikrishnan in Raffi-Meccartin's Punjabi House (1998) that made him popular as a comic actor. Another interesting role of that time was Ommanakuttan in Meenathil Thalikettu (1998). His first Priyadarshan film was Megham (1999) starring Mammootty. A noted film by the end of the decade is Lal Jose's Chandranudikkunna Dikhil (1999) where he co-starred with Kavya Madhavan.

His real life began as a transvestite man from the family of fishermen. Critics and audiences alike have responded badly to his performance with Shaji Kailas's Don. He played the athlete Arjun in The Speed Track the debut of director Jayasurya. His second film with the acclaimed director Sathyan Anthikkad, Vinodayathra, was released in April 2007. It is one of the appreciated Malayalam movies of the year 2007. He also had the chance to play in Blessy's Calcutta News (2008), though this film wasn't as well received compared to Blessy's previous films.

Dileep produced Joshi's Twenty:20 (2008), which is considered to be the highest-grossing film in Malayalam cinema. In the year 2009, he had a good start. His film, Crazy Gopalan performed very well at the box-office compared to his other movie Colours which only did an average performance. Although the much awaited Moss N Cat directed by veteran director Fazil didn't perform that well at the box-office, his other film Passenger directed by debutant Ranjith Shankar, where he starred along with Mamta Mohandas and Sreenivasan, was a runaway success.His next film Swantham Lekhakan didan above average performance. His upcoming films are Siddique's Body Guard & Kamal's Aagathan.

Dileep's marriage with Manju Warrier created a controversy on whether married heroines have to leave the field or not as Manju Warrier was the leading female actor in the Malayalam cinema during the late 90s. She chose not to act after marriage. They got married on 20 October 1998 at the Aluva Srikrishna Temple, and later divorced on January 31, 2015. The couple have one daughter - Meenakshi.

Dileep also owns a restaurant named "Twenty:20 Food Mall" in Padma Cinemas at Kochi (MG Road) He lives at Deshom in Aluva.

Awards:

Kerala State Film Awards:

2011 - Best Actor for Vellaripravinte Changathi
2005 - Special Jury Award for Chanthupottu
2004 - Second Best Film (Producer) for Kathavasheshan
2002 - Special Jury Award for Kunjikoonan

Filmfare Awards:

2002 - Best Actor for Meesa Madhavan
Kerala Film Critics Association Awards
2004 - Best Actor Award for Kathavasheshan
2002 - Best Actor Award for Kunjikoonan
2000 - Best Supporting Actor Award for Joker

Mathrubhumi Film Awards:

2002 - Best Actor Award for Kunjikoonan
2001 - Best Popular Actor Award for Joker
Asianet Film Awards
2010 - Most Popular Actor Award for Kaaryasthan, Bodyguard, Pappy Appacha and Marykkundoru Kunjaadu
2008 - Best Film Award (Producer) for Twenty:20
2002 - Best Actor Award for Kunjikoonan
2002 - Best Star Pair Award for Meesa Madhavan

Kalakeralam Award:

2011 - Best Actor Award for Orma Mathram

Other Awards:

2006 - JC Foundation Special Jury Award for Chanthupottu
Sathyan Memorial Award
2010 - Amrita-FEFKA Film Award for Most Popular Actor
2010 - Jaihind TV Film Award's Chalachithra Prathibha Puraskaram

Assistant Director:

Manthramothiram (1997) (assistant director)
Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) (assistant director)
Champakulam Thachan (1992) (assistant director)
Ennodishtam Koodamo (1992) (assistant director)
EE puzhayum kadannu(assistant director)

Prepared by: Dr. Susie Pazhavarical