Thulasidas has 25 films already to his credit, all made in a period of just 13 to 14 years. This popular director of Malayalam films is now all ready to release his 26th film Dost. Thulasidas, belonging to Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram district, was born in a family that had nothing to do with films or for that matter with any art.

As a student, Thulasidas somehow developed a taste for writing and also for acting in plays. While in middle school, he used to write stories for school magazine, club magazines etc. and took part in elocution, song competitions etc. when he was in 8th standard, he even won the prize for the best actor.

Later he got the chance to act in a play in the state level and won a prize too. In the meantime this youngster developed in himself an ambition to become a film actor. He happened to see, for the first time, the shooting of a film - Kaayalum Kayarum at Chirayinkeezhu and thus started admiring Prem Nazeer - the evergreen hero of Malayalam films. Different photographs of Prem Nazeer could be seen between the pages of his notebook and many a time he was even punished by the teachers for this.

His desire to become an actor led him to the sets of G.S. Panicker's Prakrithi Manohari, in which some youngsters were needed. He appeared for the interview and declared that he could act like Prem Nazeer. He was ridiculed by everyone there and even by his friends later. But Thulasidas didn't give up. When a friend got for him a job at a factory in Kancheepuram, he happily accepted it, since he believed that it could take him to Chennai, the centre of film related activities in South India.

While in Kancheepuram, Thulasidas visited Chennai twice and once he even went to Kodambakkam and up to the gates of the famous AVM Studios. Meanwhile a friend introduced him to C.Radhakrishnan, noted writer and filmmaker, who had just then completed the first schedule of his film Kanalaattam. C.Radhakrishnan advised him that it was better to try learning some technical aspects of filmmaking rather than try to become an actor, since a large number of youngsters were wandering on the streets of Chennai dreaming to become actors themselves.

He quit his job and reached Chennai. One of his ambitions of course was to see his favorite star Prem Nazeer. For three months he tried, going to various studios in the city. Finally one day he could catch a glimpse of the star and his happiness was beyond all expressions. C. Radhakrishnan had promised to let him work in his next film.

Thulasidas also got a chance to get intimate with the Late P. J. Antony, renowned actor and national award winner. He advised him against trying to become an actor. Thulasidas had made up his mind to get himself into filmdom and hence he decided to learn film-direction. And it was thus that he worked with C. Radhakrishnan in the second schedule of Kanalaattam and then in his next film Pushyaraagam.

After that Thulasidas worked with T. K. Vasudevan in Kayar, Oothikachiya Ponnu etc. It was while working with T. K. Vasudevan that Thulasidas saw Rajasenan, who belonged to his own place in Kerala and was even a distant relative. He felt happy at the thought that he was not alone in the great city and that he had with him somebody from his own place. Anyhow Thulasidas worked with many directors in as much as 24 films.

In 1983, when Rajasenan decided to turn director with Aagraham, it was Thulasidas's story, which he accepted. Thulasidas did three films with Rajasenan and then turned into an independent director in 1987 with Onninu Pirake Mattonnu, an action-cum-suspense thriller that was released in 1988.

Though the film didn't do well at the box office, many who saw the film appreciated Thulasidas. Then for one whole year he had no film and then came Layanam, the film that gave him a break. Since Layanam had Silk Smitha in the lead, it was seen mainly as a soft-porn movie and hence was not much seen by family audience. But still it was a hit and then Thulasidas made Kouthuka Vaarthakal, a comedy with Mukesh and Suresh Gopi in the lead. The film was a tremendous success and then on there was no looking back. Then came films after films-Mimics Parade, Congratulations Miss Anitha Menon, Ezhara Ponnaana, Kunkumacheppu, Aayiram Naavulla Ananthan, Minaaminunginum Minnukettu, Parallel College, Ithu Manjukaalam, and Shudhdhamaddalam etc. And finally last year he released his 25th film Melevaaryaththe Maalaakhakuttikal. Thulasidas is all set to release his 26th film Dost, with Dileep, Kunchacko Boban and Kavya Madhavan doing the lead roles.