Celebrated Malayalam Actor Madhu Marks His 90th Birthday

Madhu, prominent figure in Malayalam cinema, is on the cusp of celebrating his 90th birthday. With a career spanning six decades in the Malayalam film industry, where he has donned various roles as an actor, director, and producer, Madhu remains an iconic presence.

However, this milestone birthday will pass without extravagant celebrations, as Madhu prefers the quietude of his Kannanmoola residence. He mentioned that he receives regular visits from many well-wishers.

Born on September 23, 1933, Madhu’s birth name was R Madhavan Nair, which he shortened to Madhu for his silver screen debut. His parents were former Thiruvananthapuram mayor R Parameswaran Pillai and Thankamma Pillai.

Madhu commenced his career as a teacher at Hindu College in Nagercoil but later pursued drama studies at the Delhi School of Drama. His cinematic journey began with the film ‘Ninmaninja Kalpadukal,’ and over the course of his professional career, he portrayed more than 500 characters.

Even during the reign of Sathyan and Prem Nazir as leading actors in the industry, Madhu carved a niche for himself. He also ventured into film direction, overseeing 12 films. His contributions were acknowledged with a Padma Shri award at the national level, and he received the JC Daniel award from the state of Kerala.

Madhu’s wife, Jayalakshmi, passed away in 2014, and he has one daughter named Uma Nair.