Dileep
On his way to superstardom

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He began as a mimicry artist. And went on to become an assistant director in films. After that he started facing the camera, doing small-time roles. And now, he is, perhaps, the busiest star in Kerala.

In 2001, when big-budget films as well as films with superstars were struggling at the box-office and even bombing miserably, low-budget films of Dileep emerged with flying colours at the box-office and he thus became the ‘star of the year’.

It seems as Dileep is the only star in mainstream Malayalam cinema with a minimum guarantee these days. Thus the actor is nowadays basking in the glory of a hit after hit and it is even reported that he hasn’t got any dates till mid-2003.

Dileep was born in Alwaye near Ernakulam to Padmanabhan Pillai and Sarojam. His father wanted to make him an advocate. But Dileep developed a liking for cinema and mimicry in his school days. He yearned in his heart to become a filmstar.

Dileep tried his hand at mimicry on stage during his pre-degree days at U.C. College. And after graduating from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, this youngster set out to find a place for himself in the film industry. And for that, he found the best wayout. He took to mimicry and spent about five years with different mimicry troupes including Kalabhavan and Harisri. In the meantime, the youngster became quite close to actor Jayaram, who himself was a mimicry artiste. And that proved beneficial. Jayaram introduced young Dileep to noted director Kamal who agreed to take him as an assistant director. And so, Dileep’s journey in films began with the Mohanlal-starrer Vishnulokam. He was Kamal’s assistant in about nine films. Meanwhile, Dileep got the chance to face the camera for the first time in a bit role in Kamal’s Mukesh-Madhubala-starrer Ennodishtam Koodamo. He then appeared in a better role in Joshi’s Mammootty-starer Sainyam. After that came Sunil’s Maanaththe Kottaram, where Dileep was cast in a supporting role. Dileep was yet to get a firm footing in the film industry. There were many actors like Dileep who had joined the film industry from the mimicry stage at that time. And people who had seen Dileep in films like Maanaththe Kottaaram and Three Men Army were heard saying that out of the handful of the mimicry people who had a future on the silver screen, Dileep was undoubtedly one. But still, nobody perhaps thought that he would became as popular a star as he is now.

In the meantime, Sunderdas, a debutante director, came up with a film Sallaapam. Based on script by Lohitadas, Sallaapam saw Dileep being cast in the lead. Even the heroine was new. Manju Warrier, who had earlier made her debut, though not as the heroine, in Mohan’s Saakshyam, was cast opposite Dileep. And the film, with excellent performances by Dileep, Manju Warrier and Manoj K Jayan, became a big hit. Thus Sallaapam proved a big break for Dileep and thus was launched as a new hero into Malayalam films. Kamal’s Ee Puzhayum Kadannu repeated the same magic at the box-office for Dileep and Manju Warrier. The film was also a turning point in his life. On the sets of the film, Dileep and Manju Warrier got much intimate with each other and the relationship blossomed into a romance that was very much acceptable to the fans of both Dileep and Manju, both brilliant performers and very popular by then. Anyhow, with Dileep and Manju finally tying the knot later, Manju bid adieu to films.

After Sallaapam and Ee Puzhayum ..., there was no looking back for Dileep. He became a hot property as far as filmmakers with medium and low-budget were concerned. Most of Dileep’s film’s did either average or good business at the box-office. Of course, some of them did flop. But the equal ease with which Dileep did sentimental scenes as well as comedy scenes and his lively presence on the screen won him much popularity. Notable among the films that he did during this period was Sibi Malayil’s Nee Varuvolam, Rafi-Mecartin’s Punjabi House and Priyadarshan’s Megham. It was 2000, the millennium year, that proved much beneficial to Dileep’s film career.
Scenarist-turned-director Lohitadas, who had earlier cast Dileep in a supporting role in his Ormacheppu, decided to cast Dileep as the hero in his film Joker. As the name suggests, Joker portrayed life in a circus tent and Dileep portrayed brilliantly the character of Babu, the joker. The film not only became a big hit, it also catapulted Dileep into the league of the top stars of Malayalam. With Joker, Dileep became the only minimum guarantee star in Malayalam and almost all the producers began seeing him as a safe-bet actor. Lots of offer came his way, but Dileep turned selective and that proved beneficial to him. By the end of 2000 came Thenkaasipattanam, directed by Rafi and Mecartin, which had Dileep doing a supporting character alongside Suresh Gopi and Lal. The film, which created records at the box-office, reiterated Dileep’s popularity. A colourful and lively film, Thenkaasipattanam, of course, had all those ingredients that could make it a big entertainer - lively humour, fast paced songs and good performances by all the artists. But it is an undeniable fact that Dileep had his own role as far as the commercial success of the film is concerned. Of course, all the other stars in the film did their parts well, but it was Dileep who remained the main attraction of the film. Sans Dileep’s Shatru alias Shatrughnan, the film was almost unimaginable.

For Dileep, the year 2001 was, perhaps, more favourable than 2000, Thenkaasipattanam continued to be the top-grosser for the first few months of 2001. And then came a series of films, all hits - Dhosth, in which Dileep starred alongside teenage sensation Kunchacko Boban, Ee Parakkum Thalika, in which he was cast opposite debutante heroine Nitya Das, Rakshasaraajaavu alongside Mammootty, Ishtam with Nedumudi Venu and newcomer Navya Nair and finally Lohitadas’s Sutradharan. With these films becoming hits, Dileep has become so popular that when he appears on the screen in his latest release Mazhathullikilukkam, enthusiastic fans cheer him with loud applause. A really enviable thing, for even the superstars seem to have lost that magic which would send the audience into loud applause.

Now Dileep has his hand full. It is even reported that he hasn’t got any dates till mid-2003. At present he is busy shuffling between locations. This Vishu, ardent fans of Dileep would get a chance to see their star in Kuberan, directed by the very same Sunder Das who gave Dileep his first hit. And there are films by Kamal, Shashi Shanker and Lohitadas.

In the Tamil film, Raajyam, Dileep is acting as the younger brother of Vijaykant. With so many films in hand and so great an appeal at the box-office, it wouldn’t be wrong to doubt if this young star of Malayalam movies is on the road to superstardom!