Actor Mohan Raj, who was best known for his iconic portrayal of the character Keerikkadan Jose in the iconic Mohanlal film Kireedam (1989), passed away on October 3, Thursday, at his home in Kanjiramkulam, Thiruvananthapuram. The actor is widely recognised by the name of the antagonist from Sibi Malayil’s 1989 classic, which was headlined by Mohanlal.
Condolence Messages Pouring In
On learning of the actor's passing, Mohanlal took to his social media to post a heartfelt message to the late actor. He wrote, "To be called and known by the name of the character is a privilege only for the artist who has earned the great blessing of being a performer. Dear Mohanraj, who played the immortal character of Keerikkadan Jose in Kireedam, has left us. I clearly remember how he stood proudly in front of the camera with his head held high as an opponent to Sethu like it happened yesterday. Goodbye with tears to my dear friend who preserved goodness and gentleness in his personal life. (sic – translated from Malayalam)"
Actor-producer P Dinesh Paniker, one of the producers of Kireedam, wrote an emotional post on his official Facebook wall. He wrote, "The villain who became the hero of the movie 'Kireedam'… Keerikkadan Jose… Mohanraj has now become a memory…. After the movie Kireedam, my friend Mohanraj acted in my own films Cheppu Kilukkana Changathi, Rajaputran, Stalin Sivadas… He passed away at his home in Kanjiramkulam around three o'clock today… His funeral will be held tomorrow….. Will miss u dear Mohanraj… (sic – translated from Malayalam)"
Mohan Raj's Filmography
After his breakthrough in Kireedam, Mohan Raj went on to play a variety of roles, mostly with negative shades, over the decades. He made his debut in Malayalam with K Madhu’s Moonnam Mura (1988), also starring Mohanlal. His other notable works include Aye Auto (1989), Mimics Parade (1991), Aanaval Mothiram (1991), Nagarathil Samsara Vishayam (1991), Uppukandam Brothers (1993), Hitler (1996), Aaraam Thampuran (1997), Vazhunnor (1999), Pathram (1999), Narasimham (2000), Naran (2006), Mayavi (2007), and Hallo (2007). The actor also appeared in several Tamil and Telugu films, along with a single Hindi feature. His last on-screen appearance was in the Mammootty-starrer Rorschach (2022).
Mohan is survived by his wife, Usha, and their two daughters, Jaishma and Kaaviya.