S. P. Pillai
Born	S. Pankajakshan Pillai (1913-11-28)28 November 1913 Ettumanoor, Travancore, British India
Died	12 June 1985(1985-06-12) (aged 71) Ettumanoor, Kottayam district, India
Years active	1940–1973

S. P. Pillai (28 November 1913 – 12 June 1985) was an Indian film and stage actor, best known for his comic roles in Malayalam films.

Biography

S. Pankajakshan Pillai alias S. P. Pillai was born in 1913 in the temple town of Ettumanoor in Kottayam district. His father Shankara Pillai, was a police constable. Pillai lost his parents at a young age itself. He could not get basic education but obtained training in Ottan Thullal from Kalamandalam for a few years. He started his career as a supporting actor in stage plays. His first film, Appan Thamburan's Bhootharayar, did not release. His first released film was Jnanambika (1940). He shot to fame as a comedy actor after the superhit film Nalla Thanka (1951). He did notable roles in more than 300 films, including Snehaseema, Nayaru pidichapulivalu, Chemmen, Bharya, Vidarunna Mottukal. He played the role of Paananar in almost all the Vadakkan Pattu films of Udaya. He has even sung the song Vayaranu Nammalkku Daivam for the movie Thaskaraveeran, in 1957.^[1] Sanchari (1981) was his last film. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his performance in Taxi Driver.^[2] He died on 12 June 1985. Actress Manju Pillai is his granddaughter.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

• Second Best Actor – 1977 – Taxi Driver
• He was also honoured with the Kalaratnam Award by the Travancore Devaswom Board
• Mayoora Award. Okay

Filmography

As an actor

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

As a singer

• Vayaranu Nammalkku Daivam as Thaskaraveeran 1957