Sai Kumar, also credited as Saikumar, is an Indian actor who appears in Malayalam films. He is the son of Malayalam actor late Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. He appears in both positive and negative roles. He notably plays the hero role in Ramji Rao Speaking, and the villain in Makkal Mahatmyam.

Personal life

Sai Kumar is the son of actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair and Vijayalakshmi Amma. He has seven sisters, five elder and two younger. Actress Shobha Mohan is his elder sister and actors Vinu Mohan and Anu Mohan are his nephews. He was first married to Prasanna Kumari, but divorced in 2007. They have a daughter named Vaishnavi, who is also an actress in TV serials, from his first marriage. He later married actress Bindu Panicker.^[1]

Career

Sai Kumar started his career in theatre. He was offered the lead role in the film Swathi Thirunal (film), but it was later done by Anant Nag. He made his debut in the blockbuster Ramji Rao Speaking (1989). It was directed by two debutantes, Siddique and Lal (Siddique-Lal), and had debutant actors Sai Kumar and Rekha in the lead. Sai Kumar debuted in cinema in the 1977 film Vidarunna Mottukal as a child artist. He started his career with comedy roles, and gradually moved to character roles. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his performance in the 2007 film Anandabhairavi.

The success of the film helped him to earn a lot of opportunities in the next few years. He has done leading roles in a few films such as Sauhradam, Thudarkkatha, Khoshayathra, Anantha Vrithantham, and Thooval Sparsam. But in that age of comedy, he could not make an impact as a hero, while Mukesh, Jagadeesh and Siddique were cast in low-budget movies. Sai Kumar remained active in the industry with supporting, character and negative roles in films including In Harihar Nagar, Saandram, Makkal Mahalmyam, Griha Pravesam and Ayushkalam. The sequel to Ramji Rao Speaking; Mannar Mathai Speaking was a blockbuster of 1995. This time Mukesh played the lead role. His villain role in Mammootty's 1996 blockbuster Hitler was noted. This earned him the reputation of acting the intelligent villain. Sai Kumar's real talent was shown once again in the year 2004 in the film Sethuramayyar CBI. He wisely recreated the sound modulation and mannerisms of actor Sukumaran, because the character which Sai Kumar had done was the son of "Inspector Devadas" in the film Oru CBI Diary Kurippu.

Sai Kumar's golden period started in the late 1990s. He was cast in the super hit Aaraam Thampuran by Shaji Kailas where he played the close friend of hero acted by the Malayalam film star Mohanlal. Then he became the inevitable ingredient of all the superstar movies. He played villain to Mohanlal in Narasimham (2000), Thandavam (2001) and Chathurangam (2001). His prominence was evident from the posters of Thandavam, where his pictures were printed the same size as Mohanlal's. In movies such as Valliettan and Vesham he played villain to Mammootty. In the Dileep movie Kunjikkoonan (2002), he appeared in a completely different get-up of a cruel Goonda called Keeri Vasu, which was much acclaimed.

2005 was a very good year for Sai Kumar in which he acted in Rajamanikyam, Mammootty's mega-hit where he played an older man. This made the directors rethink his range of characters. In Suresh Gopi's comeback film Bharathchandran I.P.S., he played the villain. He described the role as an anti-hero, not a villain, since he leads the story in the first 45 minutes until Suresh Gopi appears. He also played the supporting role as DYSP Pothen in the Suresh Gopi hit The Tiger.

He lent his voice for Sathyaraj in Aagathan and also dubbed for Thiagarajan in Thilakkam.

In 2007, he won accolades for his performance as a Kathakali artist and the father of a highly talented but ailing son in Anandabhairavi. Director Vinayan described him as talented as Mohanlal, which is the best compliment for his acting abilities.

Awards

• 2006 — Asianet Film Awards for Best Character Actor Award for Chakkara Muthu
• 2007 — Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for Anandabhairavi
• 2015 — Asianet Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Ennu Ninte Moideen
• 2008 — Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam for Anandabhairavi

Partial filmography

As an actor

As dubbing artist

• Aagathan – voice for Sathyaraj
• Thilakkam – voice for Thiagarajan
• Kanal Kireedam – voice for Napolean
• Ee Pattanathil Bhootham - voice for Mahadevan
• Karumadikkuttan – voice for Suresh Krishna
• Rakshasa Rajavu – voice for Suresh Krishna
• Farzi – voice for Amol Palekar
• Voice of Sathyanathan – voice for Anupam Kher

Television serials

• Neelaviriyitta Jalakam (Doordarshan)
• Sathi (Dooradarshan)
• Amma (Dooradarshan)
• Vajram (Asianet)
• Crime and Punishment (Asianet)
• Silence (Asianet)
• Snehadooram (Asianet)
• Manthram (Surya TV)
• Swantham (Asianet)
• Kayamkulam Kochunni (surya TV)
• Omanathinkal Pakshi (Asianet)
• Sahadharmini (Asianet)
• Srimahabhagavatham (Asianet)
• Vishudha Thomasleeha (Asianet)
• Pazhassiraaja (Asianet)
• Jagratha (Amritha TV)
• Vedanayude Viralppaadukal (Kairali TV)
• Pournami Thinkal (Asianet)