Malayalam actor Mohanraj dies at 70: How an enforcement officer turned into a supervillain, all you need to know

Malayalam actor Mohanraj, famously known as Keerikkadan Jose from the movie Kireedam, passed away on Thursday due to a prolonged illness. 

The seventy-two-year-old actor had been ailing for some time and took his last breath at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, reported The Hindu. Several film industry actors paid tribute to the actor, known for his negative roles.

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal paid his heartfelt tribute to his co-star. In the 1989 movie Kireedam, Mohanlal played Sethumadhavan, aka Sethu.

Mohanraj is survived by his wife Usha, who lives in Chennai, and two daughters Jaishma and Kavya. One of his daughters lives in Canada. According to The New Indian Express, Mohanraj was on the ventilator for four days and was later shifted to his home at Kanjiramkulam where he breathed his last.

Who was Mohanraj, one of the most sought-after antagonists in the Malayalam industry?

Actor Mohanraj is still known as one of the most sought-after villains in the Malayalam industry; all credit goes to his performance as 'Keerikadan Jose' in Mohanlal's movie ‘Kireedam’.

The news of Mohanraj's demise was confirmed first by actor and producer Dinesh Paniker. Mohanraj took his last breath at around 3 pm on Thursday at his residence in Kanjiramkulam (Thiruvananthapuram). The cremation will be held on Friday, according to Dinesh Paniker's social media post. 

Mohanraj's journey in the Malayalam film industry started decades ago when director Sibi Malayil sensed his ability to excel in acting. Mohanraj used to work as an enforcement officer, that is when he was introduced to director Sibi Malayilm who found him to be a perfect fit for a villain, reported Manorama Online. 

Impressed by Mohanraj's strong and muscular physique, Malayil found the 6 feet 2 inches tall government officer perfect for the villain role. Mohanraj had also impressed the director and writer Lohithadas. Later, his movie Keerikadan and his character Jose became a massive hit. He has acted in over 300 movies and has also worked in the Telugu, Tamil and even Japenese films.