4 min readKochiApr 14, 2026 04:44 PM IST Among the many things Malayalam cinema is known and appreciated for, its long list of extraordinary character actors ranks among the highest. Ever since the industry’s birth, one of its major strengths has been that creators could courageously write layered, impactful roles not just for the leading stars but also for the supporting ones, as they would be just as talented, if not more, than the former. Indrans is one such artiste who has often displayed his immense potential by playing a wide range of roles across starkly different genres, thus positioning himself as one of the most potent arrows in the quiver of Malayalam cinema. Indrans’ early life Born on March 16, 1956, in Thiruvananthapuram as Surendran Kochuvelu, Indrans made his foray into the film industry in 1981 as a costume designer, and then kick-started his career as an actor by taking on small roles. While he initially played predominantly comedic characters and excelled at them, he was often typecast in those roles, with few filmmakers …