Jagadish to Sudheesh: Character actors who shone in 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, Mollywood's journey is embellished by yesteryear stars transforming themselves into character actors and solidifying their positions in the industry with remarkable performances. While some kept reinventing themselves, others experimented with genres to keep the viewers engaged. 2023 has been exceptionally good for Jagadish, who also bagged several nuanced characters.

The comedian, who entertained audiences as Mr. FunnyBones during the 1980s and 1990s, no longer bears traces of the characters he played in the past, including Appukuttan in 'In Harihar Nagar,' whose 'Kakka Thurinna Thonnune' (seems like the crow pooped) sent people into fits of laughter. The loudness and goofiness associated with Jagadish have given way to subtleness and sentimentality, which is refreshing to watch.

The actor had done serious roles even in the 1990s as he was the lead actor in some good family movies. But still, it is his recent avatar that is hogging most of the limelight. He chose to end the year with 'Neru,' in which he plays the stepfather of a visually-impaired rape survivor. The helplessness of a man who has to face character assassination in the wake of a tragedy was perfectly captured in his mannerisms. In 'Falimy,' he is a broken man whose life lost color.

In 'Garudan,' he played Salam Kaperi, a drunkard who is the sole witness in a rape case. He nailed that character with the right dose of sentimentality. Of course, his filmography has witnessed a change since 2016 when he played the role of a drunkard father, Thankappan Nair, who molests his daughter under the influence of alcohol.

Actor Sudheesh, most popularly known for playing the character Chanthu in 'Manichitrathazhu' or Kunchacko's sidekick in 'Aniyathipraavu,' gave an award-worthy performance as the father of a kid with disabilities trapped in the floods in the Jude Anthany Joseph directorial ‘2018’. We gasped for breath as he fought the floodwater to save his son’s life. Sudheesh's innocent looks and expressions make him relatable. Without a doubt, the actor who received the state award for his performance in 'Ennivar' and 'Bhoomiyile Manohara Swakaryam’' in 2021, will bag bigger, meatier roles in the coming years. He also played some good characters in this year’s films 'Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna' and 'Sesham Mike-il Fathima'.

Maala Parvathi, who has often been relegated to smaller roles on the silver screen, definitely received a break with her appearance in the Disney+Hotstar special series ‘Masterpeace’. The actor appeared in several films this year, but it is her role as Aniamma that allowed her to prove her acting finesse, especially in the comedy genre.

Siddique, known best for playing diverse character roles since the beginning of his career, had a perfect finish to 2023, playing a notorious criminal lawyer in Mohanlal’s comeback movie ‘Neru’. Sudhi Kozhikode, who played one of the prominent characters in Mammootty’s hit film ‘Kaathal-The Core,’ is probably one of the most promising character artists who carved a space in Mollywood in 2023. Though the actor has been in the film industry for the past 15 years, it was his performance in ‘Kaathal The Core’ that brought him his due. His subtle, restrained performance won lots of appreciation from critics and audiences alike.

Jagadish, Sudheesh, among others, are just a few names on the list of talented actors who excelled with their performances in 2023. Here's wishing every actor a better innings in the upcoming year.