Oduvil Unnikrishnan

Oduvil Unnikrishnan, man, what a legend in Malayalam cinema. Born back in ‘44, right in Vadakkancherry, Thrissur—yeah, that’s the heart of Kerala, if you ask me. The guy had this vibe, you know? Not your typical star, but he could just melt into any role, whether he was playing that grumpy uncle who secretly cared, or the old-timer with a wicked sense of humor. Honestly, you look at his filmography and it's just this wild ride—he’s there in classics like Nizhalkkuthu, which dropped in 2002. That film, by the way, is one of those deep, artsy pieces that sticks with you. Unnikrishnan’s performance in it? Quietly devastating. He didn’t need to shout to get your attention, just a glance or a sigh and bam—you’re hooked. But rewind a bit, Sallapam in 1996—he’s mixing it up with the new gen, still holding his own. And then you’ve got Sharapanjaram from way back in ‘79, which is basically vintage gold at this point. Dude’s career stretched across decades, and yet, he never lost that raw, earthy energy. People loved him because he felt real, like someone you’d actually meet at your neighborhood tea shop. He passed away in Kozhikode, 2006, and honestly, Malayalam cinema hasn’t been quite the same since. His absence? You feel it. He wasn’t flashy, but he was unforgettable, the kind of actor who’d turn even the smallest role into something that’d make you stop and think.