Pratap Pothen (13 August 1952 – 15 July 2022) was an Indian actor and filmmaker who acted in about 100 films and directed 12 films. He worked predominantly in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. He also worked as a scriptwriter and producer for films.
Early life and career Pratap was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on 13 August 1952. His father was Pothan of the Kolathinkal house, a businessman who died in 1967, when Pratap was 15 years old. Pratap had five siblings, including an elder brother, Hari Pothan, who also worked as a film producer.
Pratap was educated at the Lawrence School, Lovedale in Ooty. Initially, he was interested in painting; however, once he joined college, he started acting in plays with the help of his friends, and gradually got more interested in acting than painting. After his graduation from the Madras Christian College, Pratap worked as a copywriter in an ad agency in Mumbai. Later he also worked at Sistas ad agency and Hindustan Thomson.
Personal life Pratap married actress Radhika in 1985, but their marriage did not last long and they separated in 1986. In 1990, he married Amala Sathyanath, with whom he had a daughter named Keya.
Film career Pratap worked with The Madras Players. After seeing Pratap's performance in Shaw's play Androcles and the Lion, Bharathan invited Pratap to appear in his Malayalam film Aaravam.
Pratap later starred in three more films: Thakara, Lorry and Chamaram.
He also acted in Tamil films such as Moodupani, Varumayin Niram Sivappu, Nenjathai Killathe, Panneer Pushpangal. His debut as a director was in Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai, which he received a national award for. Prathap worked with Kamal Haasan in Vettri Vizhaa (1989). The film is noteworthy for being the first Tamil movie to use a steadicam.
Pratap created three more films in Malayalam Rithubhedam, Daisy, Oru Yathramozhi. His only Telugu film is Chaitanya and his only role in Bollywood is in Guru. His notable roles in Malayalam cinema include Once Upon A Time There Was A Kallan, Ayalum Njanum Thammil, 22 Female Kottayam, Idukki Gold, Ezra, Uyare, and Bangalore Days.
He directed Tamil films including Jeeva, Vettri Vizhaa, Seevalaperi Pandi and Lucky Man.
In 2006, Pratap Pothan announced that he would direct Madhavan in a script written by K. Rajeswar. Pre-production works proved to be difficult and the film went through several changes of title and lead actress, before it was announced that the film would be called Oru Naal Podhuma and would feature Rukmini Vijayakumar in the leading female role. The team had made plans to complete shooting for the film in Canada, though creative differences meant that the film was subsequently shelved.
In the last few years, he was busy with his ad agency named "Green Apple" and focused on commercials for MRF Tyres and Nippo. He used to host Naalaya Iyakkunar on Kalaignar TV.
The turn of the century saw him playing many gratifying roles in films like Priyasakhi, Aayirathil Oruvan and Ponmagal Vandhal. As a filmmaker, in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, he directed veterans like Sivaji Ganesan, Mohanlal, Kamal Haasan, Thilakan and Nagarjuna.
Death Pratap was found dead in his apartment in Kilpauk, Chennai on 15 July 2022. He is believed to have died of natural causes.
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Film Result National Film Awards 1984 Best Debut Film of a Director Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai Kerala State Film Awards 2014 Special Jury Award for acting Once upon a Time There was a Kallan Filmfare Awards South 1979 Best Actor (Malayalam) Thakara Best Actor (Tamil) Azhiyatha Kolangal 1980 Best Actor (Malayalam) Chamaram Best Actor (Tamil) Nenjathai Killathe 1987 Best Director (Malayalam) Rithubhedam 2012 Best Supporting Actor (Malayalam) Ayalum Njanum Thammil South Indian International Movie Awards 2012 Best Actor in a Negative Role (Malayalam) 22 Female Kottayam Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Malayalam) Ayalum Njanum Thammil Asianet Film Awards 2013 Special Jury Mention for acting Idukki Gold 3 Dots Vanitha Film Awards 2012 Best Supporting Actor Ayalum Njanum Thammil
Filmography Order based on number of films that he acted in.
As an actor Tamil films Year Film Role Notes1979 Azhiyatha Kolangal Indumathi's husband Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil1980 Ilamai Kolam Ilangovan Moodu Pani Chandru Varumayin Niram Sivappu Prathap Nenjathai Killathe Prathap Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil 1981 Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo C. Kalyana Raman Madhu Malar Madhu Kudumbam Oru Kadambam Kannan Panneer Pushpangal Prem Sollathe Yarum Kettaal Nenjil Oru Mull Prathap Vaa Intha Pakkam Thillu Mullu Himself Cameo appearance Rani Panimalar 1982 Vaazhvey Maayam Prathap Amma Echchil Iravugal Oru Varisu Uruvagiradhu Sattam Sirikkiradhu Raj Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal Nandri, Meendum Varuga Prathap 1983 Yudhakaandam 1984 Pudhumai Penn Advocate David Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai Ganapathi "Guppi" Also director 1985 Sindhu Bhairavi Sanjeevi 1987 Manaivi Ready Doctor Jallikattu Guest appearance 1988 En Jeevan Paduthu Dr. Vijay Penmani Aval Kanmani Parandhaman Raththa Dhanam Jeeva Magician in song "Abracadabra"Cameo appearance Ithuthan Arambam 1990 Sirayil Sila Raagangal Pratap 1992 Amaran Raja Varma 1997 Thedinen Vanthathu Vicky 2005 Priyasakhi Priya's father Raam Psychiatrist 2008 Velli Thirai Himself Cameo appearance2009 Padikathavan Ramakrishnan Sarvam Psychiatrist Cameo appearance 2010 Aayirathil Oruvan Chandramouli Veerasekaran 2011 Muran Cameo appearance 2012 Suzhal Daniel Mathews 2013 Alex Pandian Radhakrishnan 2014 Poojai Divya's Father 2016 Remo Dr. Ravichandran 2017 Sathura Adi 3500 Fahad Yaar Ivan Dr. Xavier D'Souza 2019 Kolaiyuthir Kaalam Business manager 2020 Ponmagal Vandhal Judge 2021 Kamali From Nadukkaveri Arivudainambi Tughlaq Durbar Doctor Cameo appearance2022 Coffee with Kadhal Ravi, Saravanan, Varshini and Kathir's father Posthumous release Yugi Purushothaman Posthumous release 2024 Ippadiku Kadhal Posthumous release 2025 Gajaana Posthumous release
Malayalam films Year Film Role Notes 1978 Aaravam Kokkarakko 1979 Thakara Thakara Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam 1980 Aarohanam Raju Pavizha Mutthu Santhosh Chandra Bimbam Gopi Thaliritta Kinakkal Lorry Dasappan Chamaram Vinod Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam Oormakale Vida Tharu Pappu Pappu 1981 Aparna 1982 Sindoora Sandhyakku Mounam Anil-Raju Idavela Preeyasakhi Radha Novemberinte Nashtam Das 1983 America America Baby Kaikeyi 1984 Aksharangal 1986 Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare Josekutty 1987 Nirabhedangal Jayadevan 2005 Thanmathra Doctor 2009 Calendar Cleetus 2010 Pulliman 2012 22 Female Kottayam Hegde SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role Ayalum Njanum Thammil Dr.Samuel Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam2013 3 Dots Padmakumar/Pappettan Aaru Sundarimaarude Katha Alex Paul Up & Down - Mukalil Oralundu Edathil Govindan Nair Arikil Oraal Sudhir Bose Idukki Gold Michael 2014 London Bridge C S Nambiar Bangalore Days Francis Alice: A True StoryDr. Sivapanchanathan Munnariyippu KK Vegam Benny Once Upon A Time There Was A Kallan 2015 Mariyam Mukku Father Gabriel Appavum Veenjum Fernandez Kanal Raghu 2017 Ezra Col.Nambiar 2019 UyareSenior Air Traffic Controller 2020 Pachamanga Forensic Dr. Jayakumar Menon 2022 CBI 5: The Brain Dr. George Abraham Adrishyam Purushothaman Posthumous release2024 Her Vijayakumar Posthumous release
Telugu films Year Film Role Notes 1981 Aakali Rajyam Pratap 1984 Kanchana Ganga Mohan Justice Chakravarthy Pratap 2006 Chukkallo Chandrudu Prakash 2010 Maro Charitra Balu's father 2015 Yevade Subramanyam Butterfly Park Worker 2017 Veedevadu Dr. Xavier D'Souza 2023 Grey: The Spy Who Loved Me Sudarshan Reddy Posthumous release
Other language films Year Film Role Language Notes 1987 Pushpaka Vimana Sound 2007 Guru K. R. Menon I.A.S. Hindi
As director Year Film Language Notes 1985 Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai Tamil Also actor, producer and writerIndira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director 1987 Rithubhedam Malayalam Filmfare Award for Best Director – Malayalam1988 Daisy Malayalam Also writer Jeeva Tamil Also writer 1989 Vetri Vizha Tamil Also writer 1990 My Dear Marthandan Tamil Also writer 1991 Chaitanya Telugu Also writer 1992 Magudam Tamil Also writer 1993 Athma Tamil Also writer 1994 Seevalaperi Pandi Tamil 1995 Lucky Man Tamil Also writer 1997 Oru Yathramozhi Malayalam
As writer Solla Thudikuthu Manasu (1988) (Tamil)
Television Naalaya Iyakkunar (2019) (Kalaignar TV) (Tamil)
References
External links
Prathap Pothen at MSI