His 19th death anniversary today. Sankaradi has always been a minefield of talent -- who could flex acting muscles with literally anyone on screen and win. Here are three things you may didn't know about him.
(From an earlier talk by John Paul. Safari TV). 1+

1. He was an engineering college drop-out. He had to flee from Baroda where he was studying when he somehow got listed as a suspect in a bomb blast case. He landed up in Bombay and started as a small time journalist. 2+

2. He was a bachelor for most part of life. Upon insistence by family, he had a formal 'pennukaanal' in Cochin (near Vyttila) once. He was 50 then and the bride to be, 40. Somehow it didn't work out and life went on. Later, after 10 more years, when he wished to get married.. 3+

... he had another pennukanal. It so happened that the girl (and family) was the same one whom he met earlier. They got married. He was 60 by that time, and she, 50. (She also passed away soon after his death in 2001. They had no children). 4+

3. MT once said his initial choice to portray Velichappadu [when he was planning to film Pallivaalum Kaalchilambum] was Sankaradi. But he refused it, citing that P J Antony would do more justice to that demanding role. MT later met Antony, Nirmalyam happened, and ...5+

...he became the first Malayalee to bring home the National Award For Best actor in 1974.

Sankaradi did a small role in Nirmalyam. But fact remains that he also could have carried that Velichappad with equal (or more) aplomb, compared to Antony. 6+

*Ends. A line about that pic also where he's seen with Soman And Jayan. If I remember right, it was taken by Chithra Krishnankutty (Chithra Studio -- which is quite famous in #Kottayam and for long).

Chandrasekhara Menon lives on....

#Sankaradi