[2][3] His superstar image became a cartoon, email, and SMS phenomenon in the early 2000s, portraying him as a comic superhero with unique quotes of superhuman strength attributed to the action star becoming widespread.

[7][8] Jayan was born in Quilon, Travancore (present day Kollam, Kerala, India) as the first child of his father Thevalli Kottaram Veetil Madhavan Pillai and mother Bharathiyamma.

[3] Jayan's formal education ended at the 10th grade at Kollam Government Boys High School when he joined the Indian Navy.

By the end of his navy days, he had begun efforts to start small businesses at Ernakulam and became a regular inhabitant of the Cochin Tourist Home.

The focus was always on his unmatched drawing power as an action star and by 1980, at the peak of his career, he had attained a genuine superhero image.

His on-screen attire (most famously his Elvis bellbottoms), his masculine image and later the nature of his death transformed him into a legendary pop culture icon in Kerala.

Jayan was also known for his unique method of dialogue delivery and he has contributed many memorable lines to the Malayalam film history.

But later films in the beginning of 1980 relied heavily on Jayan's drawing power as an action hero and placed him as the central character.

Some conspiracy theories emerged regarding the circumstances of his death, primarily because the pilot and his co-star Balan K. Nair, who was in the helicopter, survived with minor or no injuries.

Attempts were made to bring in impostors who tried to imitate his style and mannerisms, enabling several artists from the field of mimicry to show up on the big screen.

[24] A film titled Avatharam presently under production, is attempting to bring back his screen persona using advanced technologies.

Jayan is perhaps the only actor thus far in the history of Malayalam film industry who remains a marketable superstar decades after his demise, to this day.

[27] Through his machismo roles and staggering stunt feats, Jayan had attained a real-life Superhero image amongst the fans, masses and colleagues alike.

[28] His colourful attire and unique bass voice also helped him capture the imagination of the average viewer as the manly action hero.

[32] The noteworthy point is that a large percentage of films released during his peak years lacked a strong plot and were mostly cheap low budget remakes of successful movies from other language sectors of Indian cinema.

[35] A few prominent examples may be Puthiya Velicham ("New Light", 1979) in which he performs train stunts jumping onto and from a fast-running goods train, Aavesham ("Inspiration", 1979) which shows the actor swimming through the dangerous waters of Hogenakkal Falls, through a major part of the climax sequence without using any kind of safety measures.

Movies like Thadavara ("Prison", 1981) and Sharapancharam (1979) demonstrate his brilliant horse riding skills performing almost effortlessly on horseback, while films like Maamaankam involved dangerous fights with wild animals.

In a film called Moorkhan ("Cobra", 1981) he broke through a brick wall riding on a motorbike (a Royal Enfield Bullet) and it also featured sequences that had the actor sliding along ropes tied at high elevations.

[citation needed] Most critics often consider Jayan's main hero role in Sharapancharam, Angadi, Venalil Oru Mazha and Puthiya Velicham to be his best.

Some other popular roles were in films like Idimuzhakkam, Venalil Oru Mazha, Ithikkara Pakki, Maamaankam, Puthiya Velicham, Karimpana, Ariyapedatha Rahasiyam, Chaakara and Kazhukan.

While acknowledging his undisputed popularity as a commercial superstar that has never faded over time, general critical opinion on his skills as an actor is divided.

Activities include organising anniversary functions and memorial programs, facilitating his coworkers, maintaining the actor's website and official profiles and charity work.