Jayan

Jayan, born Krishnan Nair on July 25, 1939, in Kollam, Travancore, British India, was a legendary Malayalam film actor who became one of the first true action superstars in South Indian cinema.

He was the first child of Thevalli Kottaram Veetil Madhavan Pillai and Bharathiyamma. From his school days, Jayan excelled in academics, arts, sports, and singing, and was recognized as the best NCC cadet in his school.

Full Name	Jayan
Other Name(s)	Krishnan Nair
Occupation	Naval Officer/Actor
Date of Birth	25-July-1939 (41 years)
Birth Location	Quilon, Kingdom of Travancore, British India
Gender	Male
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Hindu
Zodiac Sign	Leo
Death Time	16-November-1980
Death Location	Sholavaram, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Height	183 cm
Weight	83 kg
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
School	Govt. Boys High school
Qualification	10th
Hobbies	Acting, Travelling & Singing

Before entering cinema, he served in the Indian Navy for 15 years, where he rose to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer (Master CPO). He joined the Navy after completing his 10th grade and eventually gave up his naval career to pursue acting. His cousin, veteran actress Jayabharathi, helped him enter the film industry.

His acting career began in the early 1970s with cameo roles in Malayalam movies, where he was still known by his real name, Krishnan Nair. His name was changed to "Jayan" by actor Jose Prakash on the sets of the 1974 film Shapa Moksham. His development as an actor occurred in three distinct phases: starting with cameo roles, then moving to playing negative characters, and finally assuming the role of the hero.

His first real break came with the 1976 film Panchami, in which he donned the role of a villain and grabbed the attention of cinephiles. He later appeared in films like Thacholi Ambu, Kannappanunni, Lisa, and Etho Oru Swapnam. His turning point and meteoric rise to superstardom came with the iconic 1979 film Sarapancharam (also spelled Sharapancharam), where he played a memorable antihero role that undeniably attracted the masses.

In just six years, Jayan transformed Malayalam cinema with his fearless stunts, striking screen presence, and unmatched charisma. He worked in over 120 to 125 films during his career spanning less than a decade.

His box-office hits included Angadi, Etho Oru Swapnam, Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana, and Sharapancharam. Other notable films included Sarapanjaram, Puthiya Velicham, Manushya Mrugam, Chandrahasam, and V....

Jayan was known for hisOften imitated but never duplicated dialogue delivery, glaring look, daredevilry, famous bell-bottoms, and the macho image he built on screen. He refused to use stunt doubles and performed risky action sequences himself, paving the way for Malayalam cinema's first true action-hero era. He was recognized as Mollywood's first action hero.

His life ended tragically on November 16, 1980, in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India. He was filming the climax of the action film Kolilakkam in Sholavaram near Chennai when he succumbed to injuries while performing a risky helicopter stunt. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he passed away at 6:30 pm. His death at the age of 41 marked the loss of a gem to the Malayalam film industry.