Film Career
Dev launched his film career with Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku (1983), directed by Fazil. When his superhit play Kattukuthira was made into a film, the role went to Thilakan. Dev expressed his disappointment on this in a magazine interview, which caught the attention of director Thampy Kannanthanam. He invited Dev to play the villain role of Carlos in his film Indrajalam (1990), starring Mohanlal. Just like his character Kochuvava, Carlos also became immensely popular so much so that for some years since then Dev was often referred to as Carlos, much like Keerikkadan Jose another popular villain character of that time. The role of Carlos proved to be career defining for Dev, as he was showered with villain roles in a number of films.
Several of Dev's villain roles had a touch of comedy, but could not get out of the typical villain character mould. He got a break from this with Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava (1995) directed by Rajasenan, in which he played Aniyan Bava, the younger brother to Chettan Bava, played by Narendra Prasad. The film established his versatility. He went on to act in full fledged comedy roles after it, most notably in films Sphadikam (1995), Thommanum Makkalum (2005) and Chota Mumbai (2007). He still continued to act his signature villain roles. He expanded his career to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films starting with Gentleman (1993), directed by S. Shankar. He acted in over 50 films in those languages, most of which were villain roles. Out of about 150 films he acted in, about 35 of the roles he played were of corrupt police officers, another testimonial to the several typecasted roles he had to act in. Dev has directed three films: Achammakuttiyude Achayan (1998), Maniyarakkallan and Achante Kochumolku (2003). He was planned to direct two more films titled Kayal Rajavu and Simham, starring Mammootty and Jayasurya, respectively.
Read more about this topic: Rajan P. Dev
Famous quotes containing the words film and/or career:
“His education lay like a film of white oil on the black lake of his barbarian consciousness. For this reason, the things he said were hardly interesting at all. Only what he was.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)
“A black boxer’s career is the perfect metaphor for the career of a black male. Every day is like being in the gym, sparring with impersonal opponents as one faces the rudeness and hostility that a black male must confront in the United States, where he is the object of both fear and fascination.”
—Ishmael Reed (b. 1938)