Daijiworld Media Network - Kollam

Kollam, Mar 26: Veteran Malayalam actor and director E A Rajendran passed away at Pattathanam in Kollam on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 67. His funeral will be held on Friday at his native place in Thrithallur, Thrissur.

Rajendran, who had a strong foundation in theatre along with his wife Sandhya, later made a mark in Malayalam cinema with his versatile performances. He was related to actor and MLA Mukesh and was the son-in-law of noted theatre personality O Madhavan.

He began his film career in 1981 with Greeshmam, directed by V R Gopinath, but gained prominence after his return with Kaliyattam, directed by Jayaraj. Over the years, he acted in around 60 films, including Pranayavarnangal, Daya, and Pattabhishekam, earning recognition for his impactful villain and character roles. His final appearance was in Oru Perumgaliyattam, also directed by Jayaraj.

Born in Engoor in Thrithallur to Ayyappan and Sumathi, Rajendran developed an early interest in theatre during his school days. He later graduated with first rank from the National School of Drama in Delhi and pursued a television course at the Film and Television Institute of India.

Following his marriage, he became actively involved in professional theatre through Kalidasa Kalakendram, a troupe founded by O Madhavan in Kollam. His adaptation of a Russian novel into a stage play won the Kerala state government award for best play in 1987. Along with his wife, he remained a leading figure in the troupe for several years.

Apart from his contributions to arts, Rajendran also served as chairman of the State Horticulture Corporation. He received the Best Director award at the Venjaramoodu Ramachandran Memorial State Professional Drama Festival in 2010 for the play Ramanan.

He is survived by his wife Sandhya and son Divyadarshan.