A pall of gloom has descended on Malayalam cinema with the sudden and tragic demise of noted actor Santhosh K Nair. Renowned for his performances in supporting roles, Santhosh was killed in an accident on the MC Road in Adoor, Pathanamthitta district, early on Tuesday (May 5) morning.
Soon after learning about the incident, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal took to social media to share an emotional note, remembering Santhosh, whom he had known since their college days. For the unversed, both the actors studied at Mahatma Gandhi College in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, where Santhosh was Mohanlal’s junior.
“I woke up to a very distressing piece of news this morning. My dear friend Santhosh, with whom I shared a close personal bond, has passed away in a vehicle accident. Santhosh was my junior in college. Since those days, he had been like a brother and a great friend to me. We worked together on numerous films. He was a man of great stature and a kind soul who won the love of everyone around him. My painful condolences on Santhosh’s untimely demise,” Mohanlal wrote on social media.
Santhosh K Nair’s iconic characters alongside Mohanlal
Mohanlal and Santhosh K Nair’s bond was evident on screen as well, as some of the latter’s most notable and widely acclaimed roles were secondary to the superstar’s. While he was slowly making a footing in the industry, Santhosh played the character of Lawrence in director K Madhu’s action thriller Irupatham Noottandu (1987), penned by SN Swamy.
Santhosh with Mohanlal in director Ranjith’s Chandrolsavam. (Screenshot: YouTube/MovieReelsHD)
Lawrence was the right-hand man of underworld don Sagar Alias Jacky, one of the most iconic characters in Mohanlal’s repertoire. Among the many factors that contributed to Irupatham Noottandu’s blockbuster success and enduring appeal was the chemistry between Jacky and Lawrence, and by extension, between Mohanlal and Santhosh.
In Ranjith’s Chandrolsavam (2005), the two shared the screen once again, portraying characters who were similarly close, if not closer. In the film, Santhosh played Sahadevan, one of Chirakkal Sreehari’s (Mohanlal) closest friends. In fact, the opening act in Chandrolsavam features a scene where Sahadevan stands up for Sreehari in front of their common friend, who betrayed Sreehari and married his girlfriend, Indulekha (Meena). Throughout the movie, Sreehari and Sahadevan were shown as inseparable friends who stood by each other through thick and thin.
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‘Mohanlal was SFI and I was DSU’
Reflecting on their college days, Santhosh K Nair once told Can Channel Media that Mohanlal was part of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) back then. Mentioning that he was part of a student organisation named DSU at that time, Santhosh stated that he was also an active worker of the RSS then. “Mohanlal was one year senior to me in college, although we are actually the same age, with only a four or five-month difference between us. I was the magazine editor there. Mohanlal was part of the SFI. Speaking of the SFI, they were known for being aggressive and causing commotion back then, just as they are today. However, they didn’t really have any issues with our party,” he said.
Santhosh added, “I was in the DSU at the time. Back then, the Nair Service Society (NSS) had a political party called the National Democratic Party (NDP), and the DSU was its student wing. Everyone claims that I was in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). But back then, the ABVP did not contest elections. I joined the DSU specifically so that I could stand for the elections.”
About Santhosh K Nair
In a career spanning four decades, which commenced with his debut in legendary director PG Viswambharan’s Ithu Njangalude Katha (1982), Santhosh K Nair acted in over 100 films, portraying a wide range of roles.
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His notable movies included Ivide Thudangunnu (1984), April 18 (1984), Kothi Theerumvare (1985), Ithu Nalla Thamasha (1985), Yuvajanotsavam (1986), Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam (1989), Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal (1989), Kadathanadan Ambadi (1990), Vishnulokam (1991), Oru Abhibhashakante Case Diary (1995), Crime File (1999), Runway (2004), Vettam (2004), Kochi Rajavu (2005), The Tiger (2005), Lion (2006), Kaaryasthan (2010), and Proprietors: Kammath & Kammath (2013), among others. He was most recently seen in Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam (2026).
What happened to Santhosh K Nair?
According to news agency PTI, the accident that led to Santhosh K Nair’s death happened at around 6.30 am when the car in which the actor and his wife were travelling collided with a lorry, leaving them injured. He sustained critical injuries after his chest hit the steering wheel during the accident, and succumbed to them later. His wife is currently undergoing treatment after suffering rib fractures.
