Adoor Bhasi

K. Bhaskaran Nair, professionally known by his stage name Adoor Bhasi, was an acclaimed Indian film actor and director from Kerala, born on 1 March 1927 in Peringanadu, Adoor, Travancore.

He passed away on 29 March 1990. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the sidekick to protagonists, particularly the legendary actor Prem Nazir, and his hilarious actions and comedic roles became the centerpiece of comic scenes in Malayalam films throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

He was also famous for his eloquent speeches delivered in fluent English, a distinctive trait that set him apart in Malayalam cinema.

Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Kollam

Mahatma Gandhi College

Adoor Bhasi came from a rich literary lineage. His father, E. V. Krishna Pillai, was a renowned Malayalam humourist writer, dramatist, pioneering short story writer and essayist, lawyer, and Member of the Travancore Legislative Assembly. His mother, Maheshwari Amma, was the youngest daughter of C. V. Raman Pillai, the greatest Malayalam novelist and the first historical novelist in Malayalam, who authored classics such as Marthanda Varma, Dharmaraja, Premamritham, and Ramarajabahadur.

He was the fourth of seven children. His elder brother Chandraji also became a film actor, appearing in Bollywood films before moving to Malayalam cinema.

Adoor Bhasi spent his childhood in Trivandrum and received his primary education at Vadakkekottaaram, a missionary school. After his father's premature death at age 44, he moved with his mother and siblings to his father's native village of Adoor, where he completed his middle and high school studies at the English High School.

He later joined the Institute of Textile Technology and earned a diploma in Textile Chemistry, but due to financial difficulties, he could not pursue the required internship at a textile mill in Coimbatore. He worked as an apprentice at Lakshmi Textiles in Trivandrum but could not secure a permanent job in any textile mill.

While living Rosscote Bungalow in Trivandrum for over 12 years with his maternal aunt B. Gourikutty Amma, he began acting on the amateur stage and participated in dramas broadcast by All India Radio's Thrivananthapuram station. He worked alongside leading stage actors of his time, including Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Pattom Saraswathi Amma, and Aranmula Ponnamma.

His first small role in a Malayalam feature film was in Thiramala, directed by P. R. S. Pillai. His first notable film was Chandrathara's Mudiyanaya Puthran (1961). In 1968, he acted in Viruthan Shanku, the first full-length comedy in Malayalam cinema by P.

Adoor Bhasi received significant recognition for his acting prowess. He won his first Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in 1974 for his performance in Chattakkari. He first acted as a hero in John Abraham's Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal (1978) and received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor again in 1979.

Later, in 1984, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in 18 April (1983). He also acted as a villain in Karimbana and Itha Oru Manushyan, and performed double roles in Kottaram Vilkkanundu, Bhadradeepam, and Lankadahanam. Among his notable films as an actor include Athirathram (1984), Raagam (1975), and Kodiyettam (1978).

Beyond acting, Adoor Bhasi directed three Malayalam films during the late 1970s.