Malayalam actor Janardhanan reveals having extramarital affair for 18 years: ‘My wife was aware’
Published on: Nov 07, 2025 05:43 pm IST
Malayalam actor Janardhanan opened up about his extramarital affair, saying it was the woman who ended it after 18 years.
Veteran Malayalam actor Janardhanan recently revealed that he had an extramarital affair with a woman, a relationship that lasted for some 18 years. The actor, who is now 79, also said that his wife was aware of the affair.
“Around 18 years ago, I had an affair with another woman. I did my best for her. My wife was aware of the affair,” Janardhanan told Malayalam magazine Vanitha in a video interview, when asked if there were any decisions in life that he regretted.
The actor, known for comedy and villain roles in Malayalam cinema since the 1970s, is married to his relative Vijayalakshmi, whom he has known since childhood. The couple has two daughters.
‘I am only human’: Janardhanan
Speaking of his affair, Janardhanan said, “By then, she (wife) had lost interest in physical intimacy, which is why I grew close to the other party. I am only human. I was with the other woman for nearly 18 years.”
He said it was she who ended the affair, fearing social stigma.
“Other than this episode, I have no black mark in my life. No one in my family has been troubled because of this affair,” he said. He said he opened up about the affair as he has nothing to lose at this stage in life.
In the interview, Janardhanan went on to praise his wife, her personality and her cooking skills. The actor also spoke about the struggle the couple faced in order to get married, growing up in a village in Vaikkom in Kerala’s Kottayam district.
Janardhanan is best known to the Malayali viewer for his roles in films such as Oru CBI Diary Kurippu, Meleparambil Aanveedu, Mannar Mathai Speaking and Punjabi House. His latest movie is Mohanlal-starrer Hridayapoorvam which hit the theatres in August.
