Who was Nedumudi Venu, Malayalam cinema veteran who acted in over 500 films

National Award-winning actor Kesavan Venugopal, popularly by his stage name Nedumudi Venu, passed away on Monday at a private hospital in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram. The Malyalam cinema veteran had acted in more than 500 films, winning three National Film awards and six state film awards. He has also won several Asianet Film Awards and FilmFare Awads. He also wrote screenplays and directed one film.

Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu dies at 73

Born on May 22, 1948, Venugopal is survived by wife T R Susheel and sons, Unni and Kannan. The youngest among five brothers, Venugopal worked as a journalist in Kalakaumudi and as a teacher in a tutorial institute after graduating from S D College, Alappuzha. His friendship with the likes of Aravindan, Padmarajan and Bharath Gopi in Thiruvananthapuram paved the way for his film career. 

Venu started his career in theater and went on to act in films. He was a member of Kavalam Narayana Panicker’s dramas. He debuted in the film Thambu (1978), by director G Aravindan, and went on to star in prominent roles in films like Aaravam, Oridathoru Phayalwan and Kallan Pavithran. His last Malyali cinema appearance for the 2021 film Aanum Pennum. 

Venu also wrote scripts for the films Kattathe Kilikkoodu, Theertham, Sruthi, Ambada Njaane!, Oru Katha Oru Nunnakkatha, Savidham and Angane Oru Avadhikkalathu. He directed Pooram and also acted in a few Tamil films including Kamal Hasan‘s Indian and Vikram’s Anniyan.

Venu acted in the NFDC film Parinamam (The Change) that won the best screenplay award at the Ashdod International Film Festival held in Israel. He won the Best Actor award at the Zimbabwe International Film Festival in 2007 for his portrayal of a man caught between secularism and fundamentalism in Saira, the only film from India to be included in the festival.