Malayalam actor-director EA Rajendran dies at 71 after prolonged illness
India Today
Veteran Malayalam actor-director EA Rajendran died on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 71.
Malayalam actor and director EA Rajendran died at the age of 71 on Thursday (March 26) after a prolonged illness. He died at his residence in Pattathanam, Kollam in Kerala. Rajendran was widely recognised for his contributions to theatre, cinema and television.
Rajendran began his artistic career in theatre, gaining prominence as a stage actor before moving into films. Over the years, he acted in around sixty films, portraying a variety of roles including villains and character parts. He was also a familiar face on television through numerous serials.
Born to Ayyappan and Sumathi in the Engoor Tharavadu at Thrithallur in Thrissur district, Rajendran showed an early interest in performing arts. While studying at Thrithallur UP School, he actively participated in stage productions organised by the school’s literary society.
After completing college, he enrolled in the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, graduating with first rank. He further pursued a television course at the Film Institute in Pune. Upon returning from Pune, he married Sandhya, daughter of renowned theatre personality O Madhavan and sister of actor Mukesh. Sandhya was a student at the Thrissur School of Drama at the time.
After settling in Kollam, Rajendran became closely associated with Kalidasa Kalakendram, the theatre troupe managed by his father-in-law. With support from playwright Jose Chirammal, he adapted a Russian novel into a stage production that won the Kerala State Government Award for Best Play in 1987. He and Sandhya were principal performers in the troupe for several years, with Sandhya receiving the State Award for Best Theatre Actress during this period.
Though Rajendran had an early film appearance in VR Gopinath’s Greeshmam after graduating from Pune, steady opportunities in cinema came later. He made a notable return with the film Kaliyattam, directed by Jayaraj. He also featured in films such as Pranayavarnangal, Daya and Pattabhishekam.
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