Shankar (actor)

Shankar
Born
Shanker Panicker

(1960-06-22) 22 June 1960
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • businessman
  • social worker
Years active1979–present
WorksFull list
Spouses
Radhika
(m. 1992, divorced)
    Rooparekha
    (m. 2002; div. 2011)
      Chitra Lekshmi
      (m. 2013)
      Children1

      Shanker Panicker, better known as Shankar, is an Indian film and television actor, film director and producer, known for his work in Malayalam and Tamil films. He has acted in nearly 200 films and was a leading actor in Malayalam cinema and Tamil cinema in the 1980s and early 90s. Shankar's debut Tamil film, Oru Thalai Ragam, and Malayalam debut, Manjil Virinja Pookkal, completed theatrical runs of 365 and 250 days respectively. Later, he became a director and producer, while continuing to act, from late 90s to present.

      Shankar produced the film Ezhuthola (2024), which won four awards at London Independent Film Award, Sundarban International Film Festival, and Tagore International Film Festival. Shankar is also a businessman and social worker. He ran a dance academy with his wife in London before 2024. He is widely considered as the one of the best romantic heros in Malayalam Cinema history.