Shankar (actor)

Shankar was born to Thekkeveettil N. K. Panicker and Sulochana in Kechery, Thrissur, Kerala in 1960. His family later moved to Chennai when he was four years old. His father was a senior manager at Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited. He has two siblings, Krishnakumar and Indra. He completed the schooling from St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Chennai. He pursued a Bachelors in History from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Rishikesh. Later, he completed 2 years of acting course at South Indian Film Chamber School of Acting, Chennai. ==Career==

As an actor Shankar's first film was with superstar Jayan starred Sharapanjaram in 1979. Shankar auditioned for and was the lead actor of Oru Thalai Ragam. Oru Thalai Ragam not only completed 365 days run in theatres but also became a cult romantic film of Tamil film history. Then Navodaya Studio signed Shankar for their romantic film Manjil Virinja Pookkal along with newcomers Mohanlal and Poornima Jayaram, directed by Fazil. The success of Manjil Virinja Pookal and films like Kadathu opposite Roja Ramani, Oothikachiya Ponnu with Poornima Jayaram and Ente Mohangal Poovaninju cemented Shankar as the romantic hero of Malayalam films. Simultaneously his Tamil films Sujatha, Koyil Puraa, Mouna Yuddham and Raagam Thedum Pallavi also done okay business. Success continued in Malayalam with Shanker getting a chance in movies of hit directors like P.G. Viswambharan, Joshiy and I.V. Sasi with movies like Padayottam, Anuragakodathy, Veendum Chalikkunna Chakram, Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu and Engane Nee Marakkum. Following this success, he decided to concentrate on Malayalam films. His other successful films of 1983 are Mortuary, Hello Madras Girl and Himam. So he moved to television with a successful serial Ithu Manju Pole and continued to perform in serials Swara Raagam and Parasparam. He also won the 2006 Film Critics Television Best Actor Award for his performance in TV serial Chithrashalabham. His last serial Ammakkayi (aired on Surya TV) was a success. As he wanted to concentrate on films, he stopped doing serials and made his debut as a director with Virus, ==Personal life==

Shankar's first marriage was with Radhika in December 1992, which ended in a divorce. After the failure of his first marriage, he married Rooparekha, but this marriage also ended in divorce. The couple has a son named Gokul. In 2013, he married Chitra Lekshmi, a dance teacher, and settled in the U.K. ==Filmography==

As an actor Malayalam films Tamil films As director ==Television Serials==

• Ithu Manju Pole • Swara Raagam (Asianet) • Parasparam (Surya TV) • Chithrashalabham (Amrita TV) • Ammakkayi (Surya TV) • Thulabharam (Surya TV) • Ammathottil (Asianet) • Monuttante Onam - telefilm == References ==