Ratheesh: The Malayalam superstar whose reign lasted only a few years; but made a comeback as one of the most iconic villains

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‘Jayan’s successor’

Much similar his modern superstars, the astir potent arrow successful Ratheesh’s arsenal excessively was his spectacular dialog delivery, particularly successful fiery scenes. His bully looks, accentuated by his striking airy eyes, further enhanced his beingness successful romanticist and affectional moments.

While Thrishna brought Mammootty overmuch acclaim, it besides garnered important designation for Ratheesh, whose 70th commencement day was earlier this month, owed to his beardown performance. From Munnettam (1981), Karimpoocha (1981), Ammakkorumma (1981), Ahimsa (1981) and Ee Nadu (1982) to John Jaffer Janardhanan (1982), Theeram Thedunna Thira (1983), Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare (1983) and Iniyenkilum (1983), Ratheesh excelled successful astir each movie helium appeared successful and his chemistry with some pistillate leads and antheral co-stars — particularly Mammootty — won the audience’s hearts. During this period, portion Ratheesh was astatine the highest of his vocation arsenic a superstar, the comparatively caller Mammootty and Mohanlal mostly played supporting roles successful films wherever helium was the lead.

Ratheesh successful Ahimsa. (Image: Scube Films/YT)

The superstar

Meanwhile, helium tied the knot with Diana, girl of erstwhile Kerala curate MK Hemachandran, connected September 11, 1983. Diana aboriginal remarked that though Ratheesh appeared unsmooth and pugnacious from the outside, helium had a bosom afloat of love. In a 2012 nonfiction she wrote for Mangalam Varika successful his memory, Diana recalled how, aft their children were born, helium would unreserved location whenever helium had clip disconnected from shooting to walk it with his family. Ratheesh and Diana, who passed distant successful December 2014, are survived by their 4 children — Parvathy, Padmaraj, Padma and Pranav.

Although Ratheesh was nonstop successful expressing his emotions — whether emotion oregon choler — helium ne'er fto ego oregon jealousy unreality his relationships, according to his wife. She added that helium was ever consenting to assistance anyone successful need. Ratheesh’s generous and affectionate nature, contempt his superstar status, earned him a wide ellipse of friends. By 1984-85, helium had go a defining fig successful Malayalam cinema, commanding a important instrumentality following. His entreaty was further enhanced by his openness to instrumentality connected meaty roles, steering wide of being confined to the emblematic leader mould. In films similar Muhurtham Pathnonnu Muppathinu (1985), Guruji Oru Vakku (1985) and Snehicha Kuttathinu (1985), helium took connected supporting roles, often receiving arsenic much, if not more, acclaim than the leads successful those movies.

Ratheesh successful Rajavinte Makan. (Image: Empire Video/YT) Ratheesh with Mohanlal successful Rajavinte Makan. (Image: Empire Video/YT)

Mammootty and Mohanlal’s fortunate charm

Ratheesh besides played a important relation successful Mammootty’s career, offering fierce on-screen contention portion besides recommending Mammootty for supporting roles successful films wherever Ratheesh was the lead. He proved to beryllium a fortunate charm for Mohanlal too. As Mohanlal gradually ascended to stardom with singular performances crossed assorted genres, helium landed the relation of the notorious gangster Vincent Gomes successful manager Thambi Kannanthanam’s Rajavinte Makan (1986). In enactment with the cinematic normal that a almighty leader requires an arsenic formidable villain, Ratheesh was formed arsenic Gomes’ rival. However, Rajavinte Makan broke distant from the accepted formula, arsenic some Gomes and Ratheesh’s quality Krishnadas were antiheroes with galore shades of grey. While Mohanlal delivered an outstanding show arsenic the cold, ruthless and stylish Gomes, Ratheesh’s portrayal of Krishnadas was besides arsenic compelling. Together, their dynamic on-screen created cinematic history, turning the movie into a monolithic blockbuster that established Mohanlal arsenic the adjacent superstar.

Rajavinte Makan held different deeper value for Ratheesh, arsenic it was during this movie that helium archetypal met a young, emerging actor,Suresh Gopi. Their enslaved grew into a profound friendship, which aboriginal became a root of enactment for Ratheesh’s household aft his untimely passing, with Gopi stepping successful arsenic a trusted fig successful their lives.

Ratheesh with Suresh Gopi successful Commissioner. (Image: Saina Movies/YT)

Ratheesh continued to shine, overmuch similar his striking airy eyes. During this period, helium besides ventured into production, bankrolling movies specified arsenic Revenge (1985), Black Mail (1985) and Ente Shabdham (1986), though nary of these made a important interaction astatine the container office. Gradually, similar galore of his peers, Ratheesh’s popularity excessively began to wane arsenic a caller procreation of actors emerged. While Sukumaran had already switched to supporting and antagonist roles, Ratheesh chose to bounds his movie appearances and absorption connected his farming concern successful Cumbum, Tamil Nadu. In 1989, helium appeared successful conscionable 4 films. The pursuing year, helium produced and starred successful the Mammootty movie Iyer the Great and took connected a cardinal relation successful the Tamil movie Salem Vishnu (1990). In 1991, helium acted successful 1 Malayalam and 1 Tamil film. After that, helium stepped distant from cinema for 2 years, astir arsenic if successful exile.

The instrumentality arsenic ‘Mohan Thomas’

Many thought this marked the extremity of Ratheesh’s career, but helium made an unprecedented comeback by portraying the formidable, undefeatable governmental kingmaker Mohan Thomas — 1 of the astir iconic villains successful Malayalam cinema — successful manager Shaji Kailas’ Commissioner (1994), starring Suresh Gopi. The chemistry betwixt Ratheesh and Gopi, similar brothers from antithetic mothers, stole the hearts of audiences crossed Kerala. While Gopi’s Bharathchandran IPS had much massy lines, outburst moments and enactment sequences, Rajya Sabha MP Mohan Thomas was the embodiment of commanding power, with a calm demeanour that signified the calm earlier the storm, wearing a smile, but having nary remorse successful eliminating anyone successful his path. The occurrence of the movie propelled Gopi to articulation the ranks of Mohanlal and Mammootty, and successful gratitude, Gopi ensured Ratheesh continued to person important roles successful his projects specified arsenic Kashmeeram (1994) and The City (1994). Ratheesh’s displacement successful strategy, including his willingness to instrumentality connected smaller parts, worked good arsenic helium ensured to permission a lasting content connected audiences. He delivered beardown performances successful films specified arsenic Paalayam (1994), Nirnayam (1995), Agnidevan (1995), Yuvathurki (1996), The Godman (1999) and James Bond (1999).

The caller millennium brought a important resurgence for Ratheesh arsenic helium returned to the metallic surface successful 1 of his astir iconic roles, Maniyampra Purushothaman, successful manager Ranjith’s Mohanlal-starrer Ravanaprabhu (2001). Though helium was 1 of respective villains, his quality — a cunning, money-hungry monster — evoked beardown disdain from the audience, highlighting the effectiveness of his performance. He besides earned acclaim for his roles successful Dany (2001) and Shivam (2002). At the aforesaid time, helium besides explored tv serials, winning implicit viewers determination arsenic well. Though helium had, meanwhile, faced a large setback successful his farming task successful Cumbum, starring to fiscal difficulties, his efforts successful movie began to output affirmative results. Tragically, Ratheesh’s untimely decease successful 2002 near his household successful debt, but they were soon saved by Suresh Gopi and shaper Suresh Kumar, whom Ratheesh’s children see their godfathers and support adjacent ties with adjacent today.

Although Ratheesh’s superstardom lasted lone 7 to 8 years, his bequest endures adjacent present owed to his almighty performances and commanding surface presence. Even 22 years aft his passing, Ratheesh’s sanction remains integral to the past of Malayalam cinema.