Swami Ayyappan (TV series)

Production

The lead role in the television series went to Kaushik Babu after producer Karthikeyan saw his picture in a magazine and called him in. Once in costume and makeup, Kaushik’s likeness to a painting of Swami Ayyappan was so strong that he was cast. Though he had worked as a child actor in Telugu films, this marked his first television role. The cast later grew to include Devan, Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran, Sukanya, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Rajan P. Dev, and Nandu, along with other well-known faces from Malayalam cinema and TV.

Seasons

In 2010, Merryland Studio launched Swami Ayyappan Saranam, a continuation series exploring more episodes from the life of Swami Ayyappan. Devan and Kaushik Babu returned to their roles, joined by Meenakumari and other Malayali performers. The third season, Sabarimala Shri Dharmashasta, began on Asianet in 2012, following the stories of Ayyappa’s devotees. This season marked Kaushik Babu’s comeback to Malayalam television, with a cast including K. R. Vijaya, T. S. Raju, Praveena, Maya Vishwanath, Harsha Nair, Indulekha, and Baby Nayana.

The fourth season, Sabarimala Swami Ayyappan, aired on Asianet in 2019 as a remake of the first season in a new format, notable for Kaushik Babu’s first adult role on Malayalam TV. The fifth season, Malikappuram: Apathbandhavan Ayyappan, ran on Asianet from 6 November 2023 to 22 February 2025, centering on Ayyappa’s devotees. It featured K. R. Vijaya and Baby Eithal in lead roles, with child actor Aarav Umesh portraying Lord Ayyappa.