Actor Rajendran loved Shakespeare's plays & theatre, he gave it all for 'Kaliyattam' movie

Actor and director E A Rajendran, who passed away recently, leaves behind a body of work that reflects both the discipline of theatre and the flair of cinema. For audiences of the 1980s and 1990s, he was a familiar face often associated with intense villain roles. Performances in films such as Narasimham and Kaliyattam ensured that his screen presence remained etched in popular memory, even when his filmography was not extensive.

Rajendran began his film journey in 1981 with Greeshmam, directed by V R Gopinath. However, it was only years later, after a hiatus, that he made a notable return to cinema with Jayaraj’s Kaliyattam, a film that would become a defining point in his career. The film, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello, benefited significantly from Rajendran’s academic grounding and experience in theatre.

Director Jayaraj recalls the actor as one of the key figures who helped the project take shape. “In 1996, Rajendran was the one who supported me the most in making Kaliyattam. Since the film was based on Othello, his background at the National School of Drama was invaluable. He was deeply familiar with Shakespearean plays and that helped us immensely during the making of the film,” Jayaraj told Onmanorama.

The director described Rajendran as a versatile performer who moved effortlessly between stage and screen. “His core strength was theatre. He directed several plays and was actively associated with Kalidasa Kalakendram. Cinema was always his dream, but even as a drama director and performer, he was a formidable talent,” he said.

In Kaliyattam, Rajendran played a negative character laced with moments of dark humour, a performance that Jayaraj believes would have been difficult for another actor to replicate. “He was like a reference book for me. I would constantly consult him during the process. Looking back, I don’t think anyone else could have played that role the way he did. He had many talents, and I am not sure the industry fully realised his potential,” the director added. Their last professional association was in Oru Perumgaliyattam, in which Rajendran acted and also lent his voice for dubbing, despite being in fragile health at the time.

Filmmaker Shaji Kailas, who worked with Rajendran in Narasimham, echoed similar sentiments about the actor’s craft and personality. “He had a very unique style of acting. He was a natural performer who had a clear understanding of character space and timing. That made him very easy to work with,” Shaji Kailas said. He also noted the contrast between Rajendran’s screen image and his real-life persona. “He was nothing like the villains he portrayed. Off-screen, he was a gentle and innocent person who was cordial with everyone on set. Because of his theatre background, he brought a lot of experience with him when he entered films. Playing convincing villains is not easy, but he managed it effortlessly,” he added.

Born in Engoor in Thrithallur in Thrissur district to Ayyappan and Sumathi, Rajendran showed an early inclination towards the performing arts. He was actively involved in school theatre during his years at Thrithallur UP School, a passion that continued through college and eventually shaped his professional life. He later joined the National School of Drama in Delhi, where he graduated with first rank, before pursuing a television course at the Film and Television Institute in Pune. This formal training gave him a strong foundation that would later reflect in both his stage and screen performances.

Beyond cinema and theatre, Rajendran also held public responsibilities. He served as chairman of the State Horticulture Corporation, balancing administrative duties alongside his artistic pursuits. In 2010, his work in theatre earned him the Best Director award at the Venjaramoodu Ramachandran Memorial State Professional Drama Festival for the play Ramanan, further cementing his reputation as a multifaceted theatre practitioner.