A towering presence in Malayalam cinema for seven decades

G.K. Pillai acted in over 300 films and was active even in his 90s

G.K. Pillai, who died at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday at the age of 97, has been a towering presence in Malayalam cinema for the last seven decades. He may have been often typecast as a villain, but he was a talented character actor.

After making his debut in Snehaseema in 1954, in which he played a 65-year-old man (he was 29 at the time), he went on to act in over 300 films and several television serials. It was during the 1960s and 70s that he attained popularity as a villain. He was a regular presence in Malayalam cinema of that time. With his tall frame and powerful voice, it was a formidable presence too.

Born in 1924 at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district, he had left home and joined the Indian Army when he was 16. He had taken part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48 and had served as a soldier in Kolkata during the communal riots of 1946.