Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai, better known by his stage name Dileep, is an Indian actor, producer, and businessman who predominantly works in the

Malayalam film industry Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, '' Elippathayam ...

. He has acted in more than 150 films and has won several awards, including four

Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Ch ...

and one

Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by the Filmfare magazine of The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Indian film industry encompassing ...

. Beginning as an

impressionist Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passag ...

in stage shows, Dileep obtained recognition after being cast in the television comedy series ''Comicola'' on Asianet and its successor '' Cinemala''. He then produced and performed in the audio cassette series ''De Maveli Kombathu'' with Nadirshah, a successful

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and ...

, which was later turned into a television series on Asianet. He began his film career as an

assistant director The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...

and worked under director Kamal in nine films, beginning with '' Vishnulokam'' in 1991, and made his acting debut with a minor role in Kamal's ''

Ennodu Ishtam Koodamo ''Ennodishtam Koodamo'' () is a 1992 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film directed by Kamal, written by Raghunath Paleri and produced by Mudra Sasi. It stars Mukesh, Madhoo, Siddique, J. D. Chakravarthy and Janardhanan. The film ma ...

'' (1992). He acted in a principal role in the 1994 film '' Manathe Kottaram'' taking the screen name Dileep. He established himself as a successful actor during the late 1990s, mostly playing comedic roles. In 2003, Dileep founded the film production company

Graand Production Graand Production is a film production company which produces Malayalam language films, founded by Indian film actor Dileep Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai, better known by his stage name Dileep, is an Indian actor, producer, and busines ...

, its debut film was '' C.I.D. Moosa''. Outside of films, Dileep also owns the multiplex theatre D Cinemaas and the

restaurant chain A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate the retail and dining markets and many service categories, in many pa ...

Dhe Puttu. Dileep was married to actress

Manju Warrier Manju Warrier (; born 10 September 1978) is an Indian actress, producer, classical dancer and playback singer who primarily appears in Malayalam language films. She is the recipient of several awards including one National Film Award, one Kera ...

from 1998 to 2015. He married actress

Kavya Madhavan Kavya Madhavan (born 19 September 1984) is a former Indian actress, who appeared predominantly in Malayalam films. She made her debut in 1991 as a child artist in '' Pookkalam Varavayi''. Her debut role as a lead actress was in Lal Jose's ''Ch ...

in 2016.

Early life

Dileep was born in Edavanakad, in

Ernakulam district Ernakulam, ; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in Malayalam: എറണാകുളം), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in Kochi. It is situated in the central part ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...

, India to Padmanabhan Pillai and Sarojam. He is the eldest among three children. He has a brother, Anoop, and a sister, Sabitha. Dileep studied at

Vidyadhiraja Vidya Bhavan Higher Secondary School Vidyadhiraja Vidya Bhavan Higher Secondary School (VVBHSS) is an educational institution in Aluva, Kerala, India. It is functioning under the Geetha Bhavan Trust formed by Swami Gopalananda Theertha. Notable alumni * Siju Wilson, Actor * Dil ...

Aluva Aluva (; also known by its former name Alwaye) is a town in the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area and is situated around from the city center on the banks of Periyar River. A major transpor ...

, where he passed the tenth standard in 1985, and joined the Union Christian College, Aluva for pre-degree (higher secondary) third group, during 1985–1987. Later, he pursued a degree in history at

Maharaja's College, Ernakulam The Maharaja's College is a government college of higher education located in Kochi, Kerala. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest colleges in India. Located in the heart of the city, the college is spread over a campus of on the ba ...

. It was during his time in Maharaja's College that he began taking

acts (mimicry) seriously. Dileep along with his friend Nadirshah produced and performed (voice) in the

Onam Onam ( ) is an annual Indian harvest festival celebrated predominantly by the Hindus of Kerala. A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events. Onam commemorates Vamana ...

-based audio cassette (album) titled ''De Maveli Kombathu'', which helped his entry into the film industry.

Career

1991–1999: Early years

Dileep started his career at

Kalabhavan Kalabhavan ( lit. "The House of Arts"), also known as Cochin Kalabhavan, is a centre for learning performing arts in Kochi, India. ''Kalabhavan'' is notable and known for being the first organized performing mimicry group in Kerala and which p ...

, working as a

mimicry In evolutionary biology, mimicry is an evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species. Mimicry may evolve between different species, or between individuals of the same species. Often, mimicry f ...

artist in the 1980s. He also performed in Asianet's comedy show ''Comicola''. Later, while working as the

to Kamal, he acted in a few small roles, starting with a small scene in Kamal's ''

'' (1992). Kamal recommended his name to many directors. He started using the name of the role Dileep in '' Manathe Kottaram'' (1994), as his screen name. Success of two 1996 films, Kamal's

Ee Puzhayum Kadannu ''Ee Puzhayum Kadannu'' () is a 1996 Malayalam-language romantic- thriller drama film directed by Kamal and starring Dileep and Manju Warrier. The film was a box office hit. The film was remade in Telugu as ''Pelli Peetalu'', in Tamil as '' K ...

and Sundar Das'

Sallapam ''Sallapam'' is a 1996 Malayalam-language film directed by Sundar Das and written by A. K. Lohithadas, starring Manoj K. Jayan, Dileep and Manju Warrier. The music was composed by Johnson. The film was remade in Telugu as ''Egire Paavurama''. ...

, anchored his place in the Malayalam film industry. He played a supporting role in

I. V. Sasi Irruppam Veedu Sasidaran (28 March 1947 – 24 October 2017), better known as I. V. Sasi, was an Indian film director who made over 110 films predominantly in Malayalam, in addition to Tamil and Hindi languages. In 2015, he was awarded the J. C ...

's ''Varnapakittu'' (1997). '' Punjabi House'' in 1998 marked the beginning of the successful Dileep-

Harishree Ashokan Harisree Ashokan is an Indian actor and director who is known for his comedy roles in Malayalam films. Ashokan has acted in more than 200 Malayalam films. He started his career as a mimicry artist in the troupe Harisree and then worked in Kalab ...

combo.

2000–2009: Stardom

'' Ee Parakkum Thalika'' (2001) and ''

Kuberan Kubera ( sa, कुबेर, translit=Kuberā) also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protect ...

'' (2002) were a major success at box office and are considered two of the best movies in his career. In 2002 he won the Kerala State Film Special Jury Award for playing the role of Kunjan in the film '' Kunjikoonan''. In Lal Jose's '' Meesa Madhavan'' (2002), Dileep played the role of the thief ''Madhavan''. This movie, which eventually developed a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...

following was a major breakthrough in his career as it increased Dileep's stardom to a new level in Malayalam cinema. The same year he also debuted in

Tamil cinema Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywo ...

with '' Raajjiyam''. '' C.I.D. Moosa'' (2003), a slapstick comedy by Johny Anthony is considered one of Dileep's career best movies by many fans. In 2004, he produced and starred in T. V. Chandran's '' Kadhavaseshan''. He won a

Special Mention Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer Literature * ''Specia ...

for his performance in '' Chanthupottu'' (2005). Dileep produced

Joshiy Joshiy (born 18 July 1952) is an Indian film director and producer from Varkala in Kerala who works predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. He made his debut with ''Tiger Salim'' (1978) and has directed over 80 films. He has also direct ...

-directed '' Twenty:20'' (2008) to raise funds for the

Association of Malayalam Movie Artists The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A) is an Indian organisation of film actors and actresses working in Malayalam cinema, formed in 1994. Governing body The governing body serves for three years. It includes a President, two Vice ...

(AMMA). The film became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ( 31.4 crore) until that time.

2010–present

He ventured into production with ''

Malarvaadi Arts Club ''Malarvadi Arts Club'' is a 2010 Indian Malayalam-language musical comedy film written and directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan in his directorial debut, produced by actor Dileep. In the film, Five friends take the responsibility of reviving their fa ...

''. ''

Kaaryasthan ''Kaaryasthan'' () is a 2010 Malayalam-language family drama film written by the duo Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas and directed by debutant Thomson K. Thomas. It stars Dileep, Akhila, Siddique, Madhu and Suraj Venjaramoodu. It was Dileep's 100 ...

'' (2010) was his 100th movie, For his role in '' Vellaripravinte Changathi'' (2011) he won a

Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor is an honour, begun in 1969, presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to an actor for best performance in a Malayalam film. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Depart ...

. "

Two Countries ''Two Countries'' is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film written by Rafi and directed by Shafi. The film stars Dileep and Mamta Mohandas in the lead roles, with Suraj Venjarammoodu, Mukesh, Aju Varghese and Jagadish appearing ...

" released on Christmas Day 2015, directed by Shafi, became the highest-grossing film in his career. His 2017 film,

Ramaleela ''Ramaleela'' is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language political thriller film written by Sachy and directed by debutant Arun Gopy. It stars Dileep, Raadhika, Prayaga Martin, Mukesh, Kalabhavan Shajon, Vijayaraghavan and Siddique. The film is pro ...

, became one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. After a break, in the movie

Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan ''Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan'' () is a 2021 Indian comedy drama film directed by Nadirshah. The film stars Dileep in the title role. It was originally scheduled for a theatrical release but was cancelled due COVID-19 pandemic. The film was relea ...

(transl. Keshu is the lord of this house) Dileep comes to the screen in the titular role along with Urvashi. The film was originally scheduled for a theatrical release but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Personal life

Dileep married actress

on 20 October 1998. They have a daughter. In July 2014, the couple filed for divorce which was granted on 31 January 2015. On 25 November 2016, Dileep married actress

.Dileep and Kavya Madhavan expecting their first child
. The Indian Express (6 September 2018). Retrieved 21 September 2018. The couple have a daughter born in 2018.

Off-screen work

Besides acting and film production, Dileep is also involved in film distribution (through

) and

exhibition An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibitio ...

. He owns the multiplex theater complex D Cinemaas situated in

Chalakudy Chalakudy is a municipal town situated on the banks of Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of the Kerala state in India. It is the headquarters of Chalakudy taluk. It is the base camp for travellers to Athirappilly Falls and Vazhachal Fall ...

. He along with his friend Nadirshah founded the

Dhe Puttu, they have restaurants in

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of ...

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

and

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...

, as of 2019.

Abduction and assault case

On 28 June 2017, Dileep was interrogated by the

Kerala Police The Kerala Police is the law enforcement agency for the Indian state of Kerala. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The motto of the force is "Mridhu Bhave Dhrida Kruthye" which means "Soft in Temperament ...

in connection with the abduction and

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...

of actress Bhavana on 17 February 2017. On 10 July 2017, Dileep was arrested by the Kerala Police for alleged conspiracy, and was remanded by the court. Following his arrest, Dileep's membership was revoked by various film organisations. Several political parties protested against Dileep and his business firms were vandalized, including Dhe Puttu restaurant and the multiplex theatre D Cinemas. On 3 October 2017, he was released on conditional bail by the

Kerala High Court The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...

. In June 2018, he filed a petition in the Kerala High Court charging the Kerala Police of deliberately framing him. He requested the case be handed over to the

Central Bureau of Investigation The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Originally set up to investigate bribery and government ...

. Dileep filed an additional plea for accessing video footage of the incident. The plea was denied by both the Angamaly Magistrate Court and the

. Mukul Rohatgi represented him in the case. In October 2018, Dileep was granted bail by the Kerala High Court. In April 2019, the

Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decisio ...

froze charges against him until the court has given an independent verdict on the case. In May 2019, the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

stayed his trial until his plea for footage is considered. On 30 November, the court turned down his plea, rather allowed to inspect its content, or have a second opinion as to whether the video is genuine. In December 2021, film director Balachandra Kumar gave an interview to a news channel where he alleged that he was witness to discussions among people including Dileep, regarding turning witnesses hostile, attacking police officers leading the investigation and being in illegal possession of the assault video. He also claimed he had audio recordings of these conversations. Based on these claims, Kerala police registered a new case against Dileep for conspiracy to assault investigating officers.

Filmography

Playback singing

Awards

;

* 2011:

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...

– '' Vellaripravinte Changathi'' * 2005:

– '' Chanthupottu'' * 2004: Second Best Film – '' Kathavasheshan'' (producer) * 2002: Special Jury Award – '' Kunjikoonan'' ;

* 2002: Best Actor in Malayalam – '' Meesha Madhavan'' ;

Asianet Film Awards The Asianet Film Awards is an award ceremony for films presented annually by Asianet, a Malayalam-language television network from the south-Indian state of Kerala. Asianet says that awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both artis ...

* 2002: Best Actor – '' Kunjikoonan'' * 2004: Special Jury Award – '' Kathavasheshan'' * 2008: Best Film – '' Twenty:20'' * 2010: Most Popular Actor – ''Body Guard'' * 2013: Award of Excellence for completing 20 years in Malayalam film industry ;

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards The Kerala Film Critics Association Awards are presented annually by the Kerala Film Critics Association to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Malayalam language film industry of India. The awards were instit ...

* 2001: Best Supporting Actor-Joker * 2004: Best Actor – Kadhavaseshan * 2005: Best Actor – ''Chanthupottu'' ;

South Indian International Movie Awards South Indian International Movie Awards, also known as the SIIMA Awards, rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to apprec ...

* 2014: Best Actor – ''

Sound Thoma ''Sound Thoma'' is a 2013 Malayalam comedy film directed by Vysakh. It features Dileep playing a character with a cleft lip and defective voice while Namitha Pramod, Sai Kumar, Mukesh, and Subbaraju portray supporting roles. The film, produced ...

'' ;

Vanitha Film Awards The Vanitha Film Awards are presented annually by ''Vanitha'', an Indian magazine from the ''Malayala Manorama'' group in the south Indian state of Kerala. The awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both artistic and technical excellence i ...

* 2013: Best Popular Actor ;Jaihind Film Awards * 2010: Most Popular Actor Award * 2011: Chalachitra Pratibha Award * 2012: Best Actor – '' Mayamohini'', ''Arike'' * 2013: Most Popular Actor Award * 2014: Most Popular Actor Award ;Amrita Film Awards * 2010: Most Popular Actor Award

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dileep Living people 20th-century Indian film directors 20th-century Indian male actors 21st-century Indian male actors Film directors from Kochi Film producers from Kochi Filmfare Awards South winners Indian male film actors Kerala State Film Award winners Maharaja's College, Ernakulam alumni Malayalam film producers Malayalam comedians Male actors from Kochi Male actors in Malayalam cinema People from Aluva South Indian International Movie Awards winners Year of birth missing (living people)