Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Malayalam actor G Kesava Pillai, popularly known as GK Pillai died at 97. He is well known for his profound voice, sturdy physique, and unique articulation style, Pillai acted in around 320 movies and a handful of soap operas in his career.
After completing his 12-years-long military service, he returned to his home state and brushed his longing for acting. His acquaintance with evergreen actor Prem Nazir paved him way for entering the tinsel town and Snehaseema, a 1954 film, was his first movie outing.
He was especially known for his roles in ‘vadakkanpaattu’ films, a genre of movies based on old ballads from the medieval period. He also gained fame as one of the few actors to perform their own stunts.
After being a busy actor till the 1980s, he suddenly took a break from his acting career and later returned to the industry in 2005 through TV serials. Kunkumapoovu and Kadamattathu Kathanar were some of his popular serials. He is survived by six children and his wife died years ago.