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The unpredictability of the film industry is unfathomable. It’s impossible to predict the success of a person or a project. One can aspire and even make moves in that regard. But, at the end of the day, the audience decides to whom they should give the sceptre and who should be shown the door. Just consider this: would anyone have, even in their wildest dreams, imagined that the person named Mohanlal, who debuted as a villain in first-time director Fazil’s Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980), would still be ruling the industry 45 years later? And that too, after receiving only 5 and 7 out of 100 marks from two of the four members on the panel that auditioned him for the movie? Who would have thought that Manjil Virinja Pookkal’s hero, Shankar — who quickly became the heartthrob of the era and reigned over Malayalam cinema as a prince during the early ’80s while both Mohanlal and Mammootty were struggling — would one day fade from the spotlight?
An alumnus of the South Indian Film Chamber School of Acting, Shankar entered the world of cinema by playing a small role in the then-superstar Jayan’s iconic Sarapancharam (1979). However, he did not have to wait long to get a career breakthrough, and it came from the Tamil industry. His debut film, Oru Thalai Ragam (1980), became such a huge hit that it ran in cinemas for more than a year. The same year, he also made his debut in a lead role in Malayalam in Fazil’s Manjil Virinja Pookkal. This romantic drama not only became a blockbuster success but also established him as a star overnight. His lovable persona and enticing on-screen chemistry with female lead Poornima Bhagyaraj (née Jayaram) became a sensation, just like the movie’s soundtrack. Its antagonist, newcomer Mohanlal, also grabbed the attention of the masses, and Manjil Virinja Pookkal thus became a landmark film that marked the first for many icons.
The next few years could indeed be dubbed the “Shankar era,” as most directors were making a beeline for him, and everything he touched turned into gold. As Ratheesh was busy filling the void caused by the sudden and tragic death of Jayan in 1980, and superstars Sukumaran and Soman focused on “angry young men” characters and intense dramas, Shankar stepped in as the chocolate hero that Malayalam cinema desperately needed. In movies like Oothikachiya Ponnu, despite the presence of both Mohanlal and Mammootty, the spotlight went to him, as he had become a star by then. The other two were yet to establish themselves in the industry.
Although the Shankar-Poornima duo was a hit, with movies such as Velicham Vitharunna Penkutty leveraging it, this era also saw the birth of another on-screen couple, Shankar-Menaka, which attracted even more attention through films such as Ente Mohangal Poovaninju, Engane Nee Marakkum, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, Piriyilla Naam and Ambada Njaane. The Shankar-Ambika duo, known for movies like Anuraagakkodathi, Eettappuli and Marakkillorikkalum, also gained popularity during this time. Even the Shankar-Mohanlal combo was a massive hit, wherein the former mostly played the hero.
From Padayottam, Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu, Hello Madras Girl, Ente Kalithozhan and Itha Innu Muthal, to Odaruthammava Aalariyam, Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla, Veendum Chalikkunna Chakram, Punnaram Cholli Cholli, Archana Aradhana, Nerariyum Nerathu, Oru Kudakeezhil and Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki, Shankar kept making strides. He also acted in a handful of Tamil movies during this period, though not many.
However, his inability or lack of interest in experimenting and taking on varied roles began to affect his career slowly. Meanwhile, both Mohanlal and Mammootty smartly stayed away from being typecast and tried their hands at literally every kind of role. As the two slowly grew as the Big Ms, Shankar started receiving fewer offers, which was compounded by the decreasing number of out-and-out romance movies and the arrival of fresher faces like Rahman, who were younger and could pull off romantic roles easily.
By 1986, the tables had turned, and he was mostly playing second fiddle to the Big Ms. Even in movies like Sughamo Devi, where he played the hero and Mohanlal was a strong supporting character, the latter took home all the applause thanks to his immense potential. While 1987 saw Shankar appearing in only a handful of movies, he was featured in just one film each in the next three years. Although 1991 saw him attempting to reinvent himself and take on more diverse roles, it was too late, and his attempts in that regard in films like Abhimanyu and Kizhakkunarum Pakshi failed to capture much attention.
However, Shankar did not bid farewell to cinema. He continued to accept whatever roles came his way, though the offers were few and far between. “My biggest mistake was doing every role that came my way. There was a time when I did as many as 30 films a year! I was typecast as a romantic hero with a goody-goody image and I didn’t feel the need to experiment with my roles,” he once said in an interview with an English media outlet. Although Shankar tried his hand at direction and made movies such as Keralotsavam 2009 and Manal Naharam/Sand City, they were heavily panned. He has also appeared in a few television serials over the years.
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