Mukesh

Mukesh Madhavan (born 5 March 1957), known mononymously as Mukesh, is an Indian actor, film producer, television presenter, and politician who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil-language films.

In a film career spanning four decades, he has acted in over 275 Malayalam films.

Mukesh was born to actors O. Madhavan and Vijayakumari, in Kollam, Kerala, India on 5 March 1957.

He has two sisters, Sandhya Rajendran and Jayasree.

Sandhya and her husband, E.A. Rajendran are also actors (stage and film).

He attended Infant Jesus School, Tangasseri and pursued a bachelor's degree in science (B.Sc.) from Sree Narayana College, Kollam.

He holds a second bachelor's degree in law (LLB) from Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.

He was active in stage dramas before he entered the film industry.

They would go on to star in several films in the late 1980s, usually starring Mohanlal in the lead role.

He made his onscreen debut in the 1982 film Balloon in a minor role. He continued to do minor roles and rose to secondary lead roles in the following years.

Mukesh made his acting debut in 1982 with the film Balloon.

Later, that same year he landed his first leading role with the drama film Ithu Njangalude Katha, a remake of the Tamil-language film Palaivana Solai. The film was an average grosser, with the film's songs becoming chartbusters.

In the mid-80s, he appeared in several comedy films directed by Priyadarshan, usually in supporting roles.

His first film as solo hero came in 1985 with Mutharamkunnu P.O. Despite being an average grosser at the box office, the film has over the years attained a cult status.

His first major commercial hit came with the 1985 film Boeing Boeing, directed by Priyadarshan.

He appeared in a supporting role in the film to Mohanlal.

This was his first collaboration with Mohanlal.

Examples include Ninnishtam Ennishtam (1986), Adiverukal (1986), Hello My Dear Wrong Number (1986) and Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu (1986).

He also appeared in supporting roles to Mammootty in the late-80s with successful films like Snehamulla Simham (1986), Shyama (1986), Thaniyavarthanam (1987), 1921 (1988), Sangham (1988), Mahayanam (1989) and Nair Saab (1989).

He married South Indian film actress Saritha in 1988, and they have two sons.

In 1988, he appeared as Chacko in the cult investigative thriller Oru CBI Diary Kurippu. also featuring Mammootty.

The character of Chacko has over the years attained a cult status.

He rose to stardom after playing the lead in the comedy thriller film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).

He reprised his role as Chacko in the CBI series sequels in 1989, 2004, 2005 and 2022.

Then, in 1989, he starred in Ramji Rao Speaking, a blockbuster that ran for 200 days in theatres and went on to become the second highest grossing film of the year.

The film gave Mukesh his major break.

Ramji Rao Speaking is considered by audiences and critics to be one of the best comedy films made in Malayalam cinema.

The film still has a huge cult following.

By the early-1990s, he established himself as a bankable leading actor after starring in several successful comedy films in the early 1990s directed by Siddique-Lal.

He continued to appear in successful comedy films throughout the 1990s, establishing himself as one of the major stars of the Malayalam film industry.

His 1996 film Kaanaakkinaavu premiered at the IFFI and won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

Towards the 2000s he switched back to supporting roles.

He was the chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy.

Mukesh is the current MLA representing the Kollam constituency of Kerala state.

He co-produced Kadha Parayumbol (2007), which won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value.

After a lengthy separation, they divorced in 2011.

He also produced the 2012 film Thattathin Marayathu, which is considered one of the defining films of the Malayalam New Wave.

Their elder son Shravan made his acting debut in the 2018 film Kalyanam. Mukesh married dance scholar Methil Devika on 24 October 2013.

The couple filed for divorce in 2021.

He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Kollam constituency in the election of 2016.