Mollywood celebs who started careers on small screen

A lot of actors from the small screen dream of becoming successful stars, but acting on the big screen is not easy. Still many actors from the television world have made a successful Mollywood career with their hard work and determination. Here is a list of actors from the television who have made it big in Malayalam cinema.

Dileep

The versatile actor was the first anchor of the program ‘Comicola,’ a popular comedy series which was aired on Asianet. The show had a very successful run for more than 12 years. Later, he became an associate director in Malayalam films which paved the way for his acting career. Dileep established himself as one of the leading stars after the blockbuster success of ‘Messa Madhavan.’ He won his first Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury) for his performance as Kunjan in ‘Kunjikoonan.’

Salim Kumar

Just like Dileep, Salim started his career in television with the comedy show 'Comicola' which was aired on Asianet. The versatile actor made it big on the silver screen due to the popularity of his show which capitulated him into the limelight. Likewise, in a relatively short span of time, he has turned out to be a popular comedian. He has also diversified his acting abilities into character roles as well with movies like ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ and ‘Achanurangatha Veedu.’

Anoop Menon

Anoop Menon began his acting career in Malayalam television serials before finding success as an actor in films. He became popular for his roles in two popular series on Asianet called ‘Swapnam’ and ‘Megham,’ the former one directed by K. K. Rajeev. Anoop began his film career with the movie 'Kattuchembakum.’ He shot to fame with a strong character in the Mammootty starrer ‘Kaiyoppu’ which was commercially successful. He also played the main character in ‘Thirakkatha’ by Ranjith, portraying different stages in the life of film star Ajay Chandran, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Suraj Venjaramoodu

Suraj Venjaramoodu started his career as a standup comedian. His mimicry shows were a huge success with the audience. The versatile actor shot to fame with the comedy show 'Jagapoka,' on Kairali television and from there he slowly climbed the steps to the big screen. The versatile actor has starred in over 100 films. Suraj received the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the Malayalam film ‘Perariyathavar.’

Tini Tom

The actor has anchored a number of television shows and has done a TV program called 'Tom and Jerry' which became a success and marked his entry into films. Tini Tom made his big screen debut with ‘Panchapandavar’ in 1998. However, it was the Mammootty starrer ‘Pattalam’ that made him a popular actor. The actor then took a big leap by playing a lead role in ‘Housefull.’ His roles as the expensive land dealer in ‘Indian Rupee’, the noticeable character in ‘Beautiful’ and the bartender in ‘Spirit’ gave him a place in the forefront of Malayalam cinema.

Asha Sarath

She worked in television before finding success as an actor in films. Asha Sarath is best remembered for her television serial ‘Kumkumapoovu’ which was aired on Asianet. In 2013, she played a police officer in the film ‘Drishyam’ which was well received and became her first commercial hit. She is one of those rare female actresses who has carved a niche in acting, both in television and in films.

Remya Nambeesan

Remya Nambeesan is a familiar face within the television circuit wherein, she hosted a phone-in music show 'Hello, Good Evening.' She has proved her talents in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu, apart from singing for a few movies. Remya has starred in some of the biggest critically acclaimed films like ‘Traffic’ and ‘Chaappa Kurish.’