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Ajay Kumar (born 31 August 1976), better known as Guinness Pakru, is an Indian actor and television personality, who primarily works in Malayalam cinema, and some Tamil films. He has also served as a judge on several Malayalam television comedy shows. Standing at 2 ft 6 in (76 cm) tall, Pakru holds the Guinness World Records (2008) as the "shortest actor in a leading adult role" for his role in Athbhutha Dweepu (2005). In 2013, Pakru made his directorial debut with Kutteem Kolum.

Early life

He was born Ajay Kumar, as the eldest son, of Radhakrishna Pillai and Ambujakshiyamma, on 31 August 1976. His father's home is in Mulavana, Kundara and Mother's is in Kottayam. His father was an auto driver and mother was an L.I.C agent who also worked at a telephone service agency on contract. Soon after his birth his family moved to Kottayam. Since his mother was often transferred they moved from one place to other and finally settled at Pandavam, Aymanam, Kerala. He has two younger sisters, Kavitha and Sangeetha.

He studied at C.M.S L.P School, Chalukunnu until fourth grade and at C.M.S High School, Olassa until S.S.L.C. Then he joined Baselius College, Kottayam and completed his pre degree and graduation from there. He is a BA graduate in economics and has a diploma in computer science.

Career

After finishing college, he began performing kadhaprasangam professionally, touring across Kerala. One of the people who booked him during that time was Salim Kumar, who told him to try comedy. This was when mimicry was gaining popularity in Kerala. He began blending mimicry with his kadhaprasangam acts, which proved to be successful, and he gradually shifted entirely to mimicry. Later, he joined the mimicry troupe Mangalam Mimics, headlined by Kottayam Nazir. When Nazir formed his own troupe, Cochin Discovery, around 1998–1999, he joined that as well. During this period, they performed around 150 shows per season, with Jayasurya also being part of the troupe. His success on stage led to opportunities on television, where he appeared in comedy shows like Cinemala and Oru Vadakkan Hasya Gaadha.

He debuted through the children's film Ambili Ammavan in 1984. He has also acted in television serials.

He formed a successful comedy duo with the tall comedian Tini Tom, and together they appeared in several TV comedy shows, including Savari Giri Giri and Vallabhan c/o Vallabhan. Their performances caught the attention of director Vinayan, who was reminded of the story of Gulliver in Lilliput, inspiring him to create the film Athbhutha Dweepu (2005). The film follows the story of four men stranded on an island inhabited by dwarfs. His role in the film earned him the Kerala State Film Award – Special Mention. The success of Athbhutha Dweepu opened doors for him in Tamil cinema, where he made his debut in Dishyum (2006), starring Jiiva. His performance earned him a Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize. In 2008, Pakru entered the Guinness World Records as the "shortest actor in a leading adult role" for his role in Athbhutha Dweepu, standing at (2 ft 6 in (76 cm)).

Pakru became a director with the 2013 Malayalam film Kutteem Kolum, in which he also played the lead role. The film also featured Aditya, Sanusha, Laya, Munna, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Vijayaraghavan and Ponnamma Babu.

Personal life

Pakru married Gayathri Mohan 9 March 2006. They have two daughters.

Accolades

Guinness World Records

• Guinness Book of Records (2008 edition) - shortest actor in a leading adult role

Kerala State Film Awards

• Kerala State Film Award – Special Mention (2006) - Athbhutha Dweepu

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize (2006) - Dishyum

• Movie Street Film Awards (2020)-Best Actor- Special Jury (Ilayaraja)

Filmography

As actor

Malayalam

Tamil

As director

• Kuttiyum Kolum (2013)

As producer

• Fancy Dress' (2019)

Television

Serials

• Savari Girigiri (Surya TV)
• Tom and Jerry (Asianet)
• Vallabhan C/O Vallabhan
• Cinemala (Asianet)
• Five Star Thattukada (Asianet)
• Ente Maathavu (Surya TV)
• Erivum Puliyum (Zee Keralam)

Shows

• Chirikum Pattanam (Kairali TV)
• Comedy Festival (Mazhavil Manorama)
• Pokeeri Peekiri (Asianet Plus)
• Kuttykalavara (Flowers TV)
• Komedy Circus (Mazhavil Manorama)
• Comedy Utsavam (Flowers)
• Thakarppan Comedy (Mazhavil Manorama)
• Midumidukki (Flowers TV channel)
• Top Singer (Flowers TV)
• Music Ulsavam (Flowers TV)
• Comedy masters (Amrita TV)
• Comedy Utsavam 3 (Flowers TV)
• Drama juniors ( Zee Keralam)

References

1. "Mangalam-varika-18-Mar-2013". mangalamvarika.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. "Indian comedy star Ajay Kumar is world's smallest actor". The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
3. Kaumudy (9 March 2020). The reason why Kottayam is a favourite place | Guinness Pakru | Day with a star. Retrieved 11 December 2024 – via YouTube.
4. "Mangalam-varika-18-Mar-2013". mangalamvarika.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
5. V. N. Rakhi (14 August 2014). "അമൃതമായി അഭയമായി അമ്മ". manoramaonline.com. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
6. "എനിക്കൊരു പരിപാടി നടത്തണം". mangalamvarika.com. 25 March 2013. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
7. "മിഠായികള്‍ തന്ന കസേര". Mangalamvarika: 24. 1 April 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2014.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
8. "ജയസുര്യയുടെ ദുരിതകാലം". mangalamvarika. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. "ജീവിതം മാറ്റിമറിച്ച അത്ഭുതദ്വീപ്‌". mangalam varika. 10 June 2013. p. 37. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
10. "UndaPakru' enters Guinness book". keralamax.
11. "Undapakru in Guinness book". BizHat.
12. "Kerala's dwarf hero weds tall princess". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008.
13. "Short hero, Undapakru ties a tall knot". My-Kerala.com. 11 March 2006. Archived from the original on 24 December 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007. The short hero of Malayalam film industry, actor Ajayakumar, popularly known as Undapakru got married on Thursday in his native town of Kottayam.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. "Guinness Pakru, wife welcome their second daughter". Onmanorama. 22 March 2023.
15. "Dhyan Sreenivasan's comedy-drama 'Kudumbasthreeyum Kunjadum' gets a release date". The Times of India. 26 May 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 May 2024.

External links

• Ajaykumar at IMDb

• 1976 births
• 20th-century Indian male actors
• 21st-century Indian male actors
• Living people
• Male actors with dwarfism
• Male actors from Kottayam
• Male actors in Malayalam cinema
• Male actors in Malayalam television
• Male actors in Tamil cinema
• Indian male film actors
• Indian male television actors
• Kerala State Film Award winners