Janardhanan Pillai (born 5 May 1946), simply known as Janardhanan, also known as Janardhanan Nair, is an Indian actor, producer and a former Indian Air Force employee who predominantly acts in Malayalam films. He acted in his first feature film Adyathe Kadha, directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan in 1971, he acted in more than 700 films. He started his career when Malayalam films were made in black and white. He is known for his style of handling humour and his iconic voice. He started his career playing brusque villains and sub hero roles in the 1970s and early 1980s, acting along with Prem Nazir and Jayan, but later established himself as a highly sought-after comedian.
The turning point of his career was his role in the 1988 film Oru CBI Diary Kurippu, which brought out his comic skills. However, he was typecast as a comedian only after the 1993 film Meleparambil Aanveedu. Mimicry artists often imitate his iconic role as Garvasis Aashan from Mannar Mathai Speaking (1995). Along with comic roles, he has done serious roles like D.I.G Marar in Dhruvam and Jayashankar in Mafia. Apart from stereotyped Hindu/Muslim/Christian characters, he has the distinction of portraying a Sikh and a Jewish character.
Personal life Janardhanan Pillai was born in the village of Ullala near Vaikom on May 5, 1946, to Kollarakkattu Veettil Paravoor K. Gopala Pillai and Gouri Amma, as their youngest son. He has four brothers and three sisters. He had his primary education from NSS High School, Vechoor and pre-university from NSS Hindu College, Changanassery. Later, he joined the Indian Air force for a short period. After two years in 1967, he joined Velu Thampi Memorial N.S.S. College, Dhanuvachapuram for B.Com.
He debuted in a Family Planning documentary Prathisanthi, directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, recommended by lecturer Sreevaraham Balakrishnan. He turned down the offer of bank employment and became Production Manager for Chemparathi, produced by S. K. Nair and directed by P. N. Menon. After that, he worked with Kakkanadan and V. B. C. Nair for Malayalanadu weekly. Then S. K. Nair sent him to Madras (now called Chennai) to take charge in his Madras office. While working there, he got an opportunity to act in Aadhyathe Katha in 1972.
He is married to Vijayalaksmi and they have two daughters: Rema Ranjini and Laxmi.
He also had an affair with another woman. In his own words "Around 18 years ago, I had an affair with another woman. I did my best for her. My wife was aware of the affair,".
Filmography
As actor 1970s Year Title Role Notes 1972 Aadhyathe Katha Mohan Chemparathy Vinayan 1973 Gayathri Mazhakaaru Soman Chukku 1974 Udayam Kizhakku Thanne Bhoogolam Thiriyunnu Gopi Moham 1975 Swami Ayyappan Utsavam Ouseppu Pennpada Panicker Chalanum Priyamulla Sophia Njan Ninne Premikkunnu Sathyathinte Nizhalil Omanakkunju Odakkuzhal Love Letter Cheenavala Rowdy Pachan 1976 Abhinandanam Police Inspector Mallanum Mathevanum Ponni Sub-collector Prasaadam Sukumaran Ozhikkinethire Chennai Valarthiya Kutty Anaavaranam Missi Ayalkkaari Mathew 1977 Anjali Kannappanunni Pachan Muttathe Mulla Ramesh Agninakshathram Harshabashpam Makam Piranna Manka Saritha Ivanente Priyaputhran Veedu Oru Swargam Innale Innu Chadran Aanandham Paramaanandham Inspector Raghavan Acharam Ammini Osaram Omana Ravikumar 1978 Snehikkan Samayamilla Aarum Anyaralla Baby Avalku Maranamilla Velluvili Sreedharan Yagaswam Vijayan Vadakakku Oru Hridayam Snehathinte Mukhangal Iniyum Puzhayozhukum Sukumaran Randu Penkuttikal Avalude Ravukal Kadathanaattu Maakkam Kunjikannan Mukkuvane Snehicha Bhootham Lopez Bandham Kanyaka Raghavan Vyaamoham Aaravam Anthony Vayanadan Thamban Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil Venugopal Eeta Kurup 1979 Vijayam Nammude Senani Ezhu Nirangal Radhakrishnan Hridayathil Nee Matram Iniyathra Indradhanussu Sub Inspector Babu Prabhaathasandhya Kutty Sankaran Vijayanum Veeranum Prakash Lillypookkal Jimmy Babu Paul Simhasanam Itha Oru Theeram Chandran Vaaleduthaven Vaalaal Vellayani Paramu Kottaram Sarvadhikari Swami Yakshi Paaru Shekharan Sandhyaragam Jeevitham Oru Gaanam Varghese Ore Vaanam Ore Bhoomi Raghu Tamil film Ezhamkadalinakkare Raghu
1980s Year Title Role Notes 1980 Ashwaradham Rajagopal Sathyam Balraj Theenalangal Madhavan/Rajasekharan Aagamanam Murali Saraswathi Yaamam Madhu Dwik Vijayam Pankajakshan Idi Muzhakkam Paalattu Kunjikannan Thampikutti Chandrahasam Balan Raagam Thaanam Pallavi Avan Oru Ahankaari Kadalkkaattu Gopalan Manushya Mrugam Chandran 1981 Ellaam Ninakku Vendi Somarajan Aambal Poovu Tharattu Ithihasam Itha Oru Dhikkari Koyikkal Kuruppu Nizhal Yudham Ariyappedatha Rahasyam Pappan 1982 Snehapoorvam Meera Baby Marupacha Janardhanan Njan Ekananu Raghu Keni Madhusoodanan Post Mortem Unni Ethiraalikal Hamsa Sharam Aayudham Mylanji Moideen Aarambham Lazar Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam Shekharan 1983 Samrambham Pourasham Lawrence Angam Nanayam Vasu Ee Yugam Bandham Arabikkadal Iniyengilum Kariyachan 1984 Unaroo Oru Kochu Swapnam Co-operative bank manager Uyarangalil A. K. Menon Lakshmana Rekha Balachandra Menon Kudumbam Oru Swargam Bharya Oru Devatha Paul Kadamattathachan Aliyar Aksharangal Theatre Artist Babujose Ivide Thudangunnu S. P. Adiyozhukkukal Hamsa Aalkkoottathil Thaniye Balachandran 1985 Uyirthezhunnelppu Anand Pournami Raavil 3D Idanilangal Mukhyamanthri Pappachan Mulamoottil Adima Ibrahim Janakeeya Kodathi Janardanan Anubandham Police Officer Kathodu Kathoram Lazar Kattukulle Thiruvizha Tamil film 1986 Sukhamo Devi Ouseppachan Koodanayum Kattu Abhayam Thedi C. S. Nair Gandhinagar 2nd Street Professor Niramulla Ravulkal Kumaran Yuvajanotsavam Unnithan Cabaret Dancer Pournami Rathriyil Nimishangal S.P. Damodharan Pillai Aavanazhi Vincent Ee Kaikalil Madhava Menon 1987 Amme Bhagavathi Swami Siddhan Vrutham Avarachan Nadodikkattu Kovai Venkatesan Irupatham Noottandu IG Thomas IPS Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam Police Inspector Kaala Rathri Mangalya Charthu Kuruppu Thoranam Itha Samayamayi MLA Vattappara Sreedharante Onnam Thirumurivu Ramachandran Adimakal Udamakal Ramachandran Aankiliyude Tharattu Stanley 1988 Moonnam Mura IG Mathews Oru CBI Diary Kurippu K. A. Ouseppachan Abkari Karthikeyan August 1 K. Divakara Kaimal Karate Girls Evidence D I G 1921 Appunni Nair Thanthram Adv. Rajasekharan Mukthi Shekharan Nair 1989 Aksharathettu Regional Manager Varavelpu Kumaran Vandanam MP Ramachandran Pradeshika Varthakal The News Radhakrishnan Naduvazhikal Aasan Prabhatham Chuvanna Theruvil Adhipan Kaimal Charithram Cherian Adikkurippu William Jagratha Ouseppachan
1990s Year Title Role Notes 1990 Crime Branch Charukeshan Randam Varavu Police Officer Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam Rambo Chackochan Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom Beena's Uncle Kadathanadan Ambadi May Dinam Chachappan Lal Salam Kannan Muthalali Nammude Naadu CI Joseph Arhatha Krishnakumar Appu Janardhana Kaimal No.20 Madras Mail Adv. Thomas Mathew 1991 Nattuvishesham Kattumooppan Kilukkampetti Managing Director Godfather Gopi Georgekutty C/O Georgekutty Advaitham Krishnan Kutty Menon Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu Chackochan Adayalam Adv. Haridas 1992 Mayaunna Manasukal Soorya Gayathri Babu Karunakaran Poochakkaru Mani Kettum Menon Adhwaytham Krishnankutty Menon Sathyaprathinja Kizhakkan Pathrose Ponjikkara Appa Apaaratha Phalgunan Sadayam Police Officer Oottyppattanam Menon My Dear Muthachan Adv. Ananthan Ennodishtam Koodamo Arathi's Uncle Adharam Krishna Menon Thalastaanam C.M Krishnankutty 1993 Sarovaram Porutham Aacharyan Raveendranath Varam Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans CM Govinda Menon Mithunam Sivasankaran Meleparambil Anveedu Kannappan Maya Mayooram Mohan Tharakan Janam K. Divakaran Ekalavyan Krishnan Devaasuram Kunjikrishnan Nambiar Dhruvam D.I.G. Marar Vatsalyam Ramankutty Menon Mafia DYSP Jayashankar Paalayam Lawrence 1994 Kabooliwala 'Minnal' Thomachan Vardhakya Puranam Cherian Thomas Vadhu Doctoranu Sankaran Poochakkaru Mani Kettum Menon Pingami Koshy Varghese Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu Dr. Vishnu Narayanan Potty Varanamaalyam Thomas Rajadhani Kinnaripuzhayoram Sivashankaran Nair CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed. Rishikeshan Nair Bheesmacharya Madhavan Nair Vishnu Divakaran 1995 Highway DYSP George Alexander No. 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North Kunjukkuttychayan Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Njanum Achan Rajavu Appan Jethavu Madhavan Thampi Parvathy Parinayam Narayanankutty Minnaminuginum Minnukettu Unnithan Tom & Jerry Chachan Three Men Army K. R. G. Menon Thacholi Varghese Chekavar Mathukutty Sindoora Rekha Narayanan Nair Puthukottyile Puthu Manavalan Palathara Palunni Pai Brothers Kesavan Mannar Mathai Speaking Garvasees Ashan Mangalam Veettil Manaseswari Gupta Achuthankutty Kidilol Kidilam Karunakara Kuruppu Kalamasseriyil Kalyanayogam Kalamassery Krishnan Nair Kaattile Thadi Thevarude Ana Alexander Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman Phalgunan Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava Kottaram Veedan Aadyathe Kanmani Unnithan 1996 Mimics Super 1000 Easwara Kurup Swapna Lokathe Balabhaskaran Sadashivan Parasala Pachan Payannur Paramu Mookkilla Rajyathu Murimookkan Rajavu Manthrika Kuthira Kunjukutty Devaraagam Harihara Subramanya Iyyer Kanjirapally Kariachan 1997 The Good Boys Mohanachandran Superman Nithya's Valyachan Kilikurussiyile Kudumbamela Poonilamazha Abhimana Varma Kottappurathe Koottukudumbam Bharathan Pillai Oru Mutham Manimutham Sreedharan Poomarathanalil Fernandez Vamsam Anjarakalyanam Junior Mandrake The Car Kumarettan Kilukil Pambaram Karunyam K. K. Nair Kadhanayakan Sathrughnan Pillai Hitler Brothers Thrivikraman Aniyathi Pravu Dr. Kuttappayi Varnapakittu Ramaswamy Iyer 1998 Summer in Bethlehem Colonel C.R. Menon Punjabi House Manninder Singh Meenathil Thalikettu Kunjiraman Mayilpeelikkavu Narayanan Kutty Gloria Fernandez From USA Ormacheppu 1999 Vazhunnor Thevakattu Avarachan Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum Krishnan Nair Ustaad Swamy Pathram Kuruvithadam Baby Njangal Santhushtaranu Idikkula Ittoopp Parashala Pachan Payannur Paramu American Ammayi Menon James Bond Kunnamkulam Rappai Friends Madhava Varma F.I.R Chief Minister Crime File Kaliyar Pathrose Vaidyan Chandamama Thampy
2000s