Kalpana: The unmatched Malayalam actor who gave even legends a run for their money, but was eclipsed by sister Urvashi’s fame

Among such talents, Kalpana was one of the brightest stars. With a spectacular ability to handle any type of character with any life journey, while always meeting the makers’ expectations, Kalpana left a lasting impact on the industry and her absence is keenly felt today; or especially today as her peers like Jagadish, Indrans and Bindu Panicker are finally receiving remarkable roles, thus breaking free from the stereotypes they were stuck in. Had she been with us today…

Kalpana, born Kalpana Priyadarsini, hailed from a family of artistes. While her parents, Chavara VP Nair and Vijayalakshmi, were theatre artistes, her sisters, Kala Ranjini and Kavitha Manoranjini, also displayed similar talents. Kalpana entered the film industry as a child artiste in Vidarunna Mottukal (1977) and appeared in a few more movies in small roles before landing her first significant opportunity. In 1982, Kalpana played a key role in ace filmmaker G Aravindan’s Pokkuveyil. Unlike the roles she later became known for, her character here, Nisha, was more serious. Kalpana continued tackling such roles for some more time, aiming to slowly establish herself and eventually become a leading lady.

Kalpana in Sikharangal and Pokkuveyil. (Images: Lallu Movie World, Potato Eaters Collective/YT)

Meanwhile, her sisters had also ventured into show business. While Kala Ranjini received only side roles, as Kalpana did, Kavitha (who adopted the stage name Urvashi) shot to fame quickly. Even before gaining a foothold in Malayalam cinema, Urvashi landed two Tamil projects —Mundhanai Mudichu and Apoorva Sahodarigal — which propelled her to stardom instantaneously, helping her bag meatier roles in Malayalam. In one sense, though through no fault of her own, Urvashi’s rise impacted Kalpana’s prospects of becoming a heroine, as filmmakers began queueing up behind Urvashi since she fit the conventional beauty standards. However, the characters Kalpana received in Panchavadi Palam and Ithu Nalla Thamasha demonstrated one thing: she was a natural pro at comedy. Even without exerting much effort, she was able to make people chuckle with her gestures and dialogue delivery. At the same time, Kalpana also proved that she could easily handle heavy, unhumorous characters too through Malayalam movies like Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam and Tamil movies like Chinna Veedu and Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi. She also reprised her role from Chinna Veedu in the Kannada movie Chapala Chennigaraya, making her debut there too.

Sisters Kala Ranjini, Kalpana and Urvashi. (Image: Urvashi via RK Film Views/Facebook)

While Kala Ranjini received only side roles, as Kalpana did, Kavitha, who adopted the stage name Urvashi, shot to fame quickly. (Image: Urvashi via RK Film Views/Facebook)

UDC Kumari

Kamal’s Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal (1989) was the first film to truly showcase her comedic talent. Despite the movie featuring many actors known for their handling of comedic roles, Kalpana’s performance as the innocent and warm-hearted Mohini, who was desperately seeking love, stood out. Her portrayal established that she didn’t need to go to great lengths to tickle people’s funny bones. Director Shaji Kailas’ Dr Pasupathy (1990) further solidified Kalpana’s status as a gem of an actor with unparalleled talents, particularly as a comedienne. Her performance as UDC Kumari was outstanding, especially given that Dr Pasupathy too included a stellar cast of comedic actors like Innocent, Jagathy, Kuthiravattam Pappu, Philomina, KPAC Lalitha, Nedumudi Venu, Paravoor Bharathan and Jagadish; and needless to say, she gave all of them a run for their money. With her impeccable comedic timing and spectacular dialogue delivery, amplified by her vivacious facial expressions, Kalpana aced the role of Kumari, a stunning government employee giving the men in her village sleepless nights with her beauty, fashion sense and the way she owns herself. Kalpana not only immortalised UDC Kumari as one of the finest comedic characters in Malayalam but also set a benchmark on how to handle comedy subtly without overtly relying on exaggerated actions when not necessary.

Thus, Kalpana became an almost quintessential figure in Malayalam cinema and evolved as the go-to person for filmmakers whenever they required a female comedic talent with an ability to deliver nuanced performances in supporting roles, as finely as legends like KPAC Lalitha, Sukumari and Philomina. Her roles in Kouthuka Varthakal, Pookkalam Varavayi and Souhrudam further revealed her versatility, and her on-screen chemistry with Jagathy Sreekumar won hearts, gradually becoming a staple in Malayalam films.

Even when sharing the screen with legends, Kalpana left a mark in every scene with her immaculate talent, and director Sangeeth Sivan’s Gandharvam stands as a testament to this. In his prime, there weren’t many actors in Malayalam who could outshine Mohanlal, especially in comedy. However, the hilariously epic drama rehearsal scene in Gandharvam, featuring Mohanlal and Kalpana enacting a sequence from the play “Abhijnana Sakuntalam” as Dusyanta and Sakuntala, respectively, proved otherwise. Even though Mohanlal was in top form and no-holds-barred in this scene, Kalpana outperformed him by miles, thus turning it into one of the most memorable comedic moments in Malayalam cinema.

In 1995, when Tamil cinema legends Balu Mahendra, Kamal Haasan, Crazy Mohan and screenwriter Ananthu joined forces to create the comedy film Sathi Leelavathi, they did not have to search far to find the perfect person to portray the titular role. Kalpana excelled in portraying the emotionally rich character of Leelavathi, which provided her extensive opportunities to explore her acting abilities more deeply, pushing her artistic boundaries and venturing into new territories — a chance she rarely received in her home ground.

In Malayalam, although comedy was her forte, Kalpana made sure to take on a variety of roles to avoid being typecast further and to open up more opportunities. Films like Injakkadan Mathai & Sons, Kabooliwala, Kavadiyattam, Kalippattam, Uppukandam Brothers, CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed., Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu, Poochakkaru Mani Kettum, Parvathy Parinayam, Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman, Aramana Veedum Anjoorekkarum, Mannadiar Penninu Chenkotta Checkan, Arjunan Pillayum Anchu Makkalum and Five Star Hospital further showcased her ability to handle comedy effortlessly and elevate the quality of the films, even when they were sinking.

In the comedy film Aalibabayum Aarara Kallanmarum (1998), Kalpana and Jagathy’s on-screen chemistry worked wonders, with both showcasing exceptional performances and nailing every humorous instance. Though Jagathy is often regarded as one of the finest comedians Malayalam cinema has ever seen, Kalpana outmatched him at many junctures while they complemented each other well in the rest, proving she belonged to the top league. In films like Aakasha Ganga, Ishtam and Kannaki, she took on unconventional roles she had never attempted before. At the same time, movies such as Mr Brahmachari, Vismayathumbathu and Athbhutha Dweepu capitalised on her ability to ace humour with gestures and dialogue delivery.

Kalpana with actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan in the Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi. (Express archive photo)

Kalpana with actors Jagathy Sreekumar and Indrans in Aalibabayum Aarara Kallanmarum. (Express archive photo)

Director Rajeev Nath’s mystery drama Pakal Nakshatrangal (2008) was another film where she garnered attention with her outstanding performance in a serious, unconventional role. As Raji, a woman who becomes a sex worker to survive after her husband’s suicide, Kalpana proved she was underutilised and that the industry had not yet tapped into her full potential. She reinforced this with her striking portrayal of a layered, impoverished character struggling with life’s challenges in director Anwar Rasheed’s segment Bridge in the anthology film Kerala Cafe (2009).

Although she continued to get roles in the following years, none of them fully explored her talent. In 2012, Kalpana once again stunned audiences with her strong performance in director Babu Thiruvalla’s Thanichalla Njan as Razia Beevi, a self-sufficient and selfless panchayat member who becomes a guardian to an elderly Brahmin woman (KPAC Lalitha) amidst opposition from her community elders. Despite her home ground overlooking her performance, this role earned Kalpana her first National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. In the same year, she delivered another remarkable performance in director Ranjith’s Spirit, playing a domestic worker who endures significant abuse from her alcoholic husband. Kalpana’s performance in Diphan’s The Dolphins (2014) also won hearts.

Sisters Kala Ranjini, Kalpana and Urvashi. (Image: IE Malayalam)

Her role in director Anjali Menon’s Bangalore Days seemed perfectly tailored for Kalpana, allowing her to fully showcase her wide range of talents. Initially portrayed as a simple homemaker and mother of Kuttan (Nivin Pauly) living in a village, her character gradually reveals itself to be a controlling wife who blames her husband (Vijayaraghavan) for not allowing her to pursue a better life outside the village. When he leaves to seek a better life, she finally realises her dreams with Kuttan in Bangalore. There, she slowly embraces the modern lifestyle she always wanted. Despite the narrative’s looking down upon her just for being ambitious, Kalpana poured her heart into the role, capturing every nuance perfectly.

Her cameo in Ennum Eppozhum (2015) too was hilarious as she played a pompous politician who pretends to be compassionate but is actually feudal-minded and mistreats her workers. Her quick shifts between these personas in seconds highlighted her command over her performance.

Though brief, her performance as “Queen” Mary in director Martin Prakkat’s Charlie (2015) sent shockwaves across Kerala, as if the state had just discovered her immense talent. Her sharp and flawless portrayal of a woman who had been sexually exploited for years thus contracted HIV, and became terminally ill, deeply impacted viewers. Despite her limited screen time, her performance was hailed as one of the most powerful by a Malayalam actor in the last decade. Furthermore, it hit Malayalees harder as Mary marked one of her finest and final performances, as she passed away just a month after its release.

Even after eight years since Kalpana’s passing, whenever I watch a new Malayalam movie featuring a well-crafted middle-aged character, my mind immediately wanders off, thinking about how she would have portrayed it. That’s the impact she left on me and I am certain on many, many others as well.