Sreedharan Nair (11 September 1922 – 19 October 1986), popularly known as Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair or just Kottarakkara, was an Indian film actor in Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala.
Sreedharan Nair won two Kerala state film awards. In 1970, he won the best actor award and in 1969 the second best actor award.
He is best remembered for his role as Chempankunju in the national award winning film Chemmeen directed by Ramu Kariat. Other impressive performances were in the films Veluthampi Dalava (as Veluthampi Dalava), Thommante Makkal (1965) as Thomman, and Pazhassi Raja (1964) as Pazhassi Raja, Viruthan Shanku (1968) by P. Venu.
Personal life
Sreedharan Nair was born in 1922 to Padinjattinkara Korattiyode Narayana Pillai and Ummini Amma in 1922. He had his primary education from Eswara vilasam higher secondary school. He started acting in dramas at the age of 10. He owned drama troupes Jayasree and Kalamandiram.
He was a very outspoken and stubborn, angry man. Once, he walked out of the set of Ara Nazhika Neram due to some disputes. He never allowed anyone seeking compromise to open the gate and enter into his house compound. When everyone was afraid to talk to him, someone suggested that actor Sathyan should approach Sreedharan Nair to resolve the issue. After talking with Sathyan, Sreedharan Nair agreed to act in the movie.[citation needed]
Sreedharan Nair married Vijaya Lekshmi Amma. They had eight children, Jaysree, Geetha, Laila, Shobha Mohan, Kala, Saikumar, Beena, and Shaila. His son Saikumar, daughter Shobha Mohan, his son-in-law Mohan Kumar, his grand children Anil Pappan, Vinu Mohan, Anu Mohan, his great-grandson Kailasveswar S Nair are all film/TV actors.
Awards
- 1970 Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor -Ara Nazhika Neram
- 1969 Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor –
