Prathap Pothen, who died in Chennai aged 69 on Friday, made his presence felt as a talented actor in several landmark films in Malayalam and Tamil in a career that spanned over four decades. He was also a fine director.
Prathap debuted as an actor with the 1978 film Aaravam, directed by Bharathan. He established himself as an actor of substance with the director’s subsequent movies Thakara and Chamaram.
He excelled as a mentally challenged young man in Thakara and as a college student in love with his teacher in Chamaram. Around this time, he made a mark in Tamil cinema too, with his fine performances in films such as Azhiyatha Kolangal, Varumayin Niram Sivappu and Nenjathai Killathe. Those films were directed by some of the finest filmmakers in Tamil – Balu Mahendra, K. Balachander and Mahendran.
