Editing Jayan (section)

==Early life==
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. His birth name was Krishnan Nair. He had a younger brother named Soman Nair. Malayalam actress [[Jayabharathi]], who was his first cousin introduced him to the film industry.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=ഓര്മകള് മരിക്കുമോ?|url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/flashback/kamalhasan-remembering-jayan-malayalam-news-1.671132|publisher=mathrubhumi.com|access-date=15 November 2015|archive-date=15 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115214916/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/flashback/kamalhasan-remembering-jayan-malayalam-news-1.671132|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Jayan's formal education ended at the 10th grade at Kollam Government Boys High School when he joined the [[Indian Navy]]. He was a member of the Indian Navy team to travelled to Great Britain in 1961 for taking India's first war ship INS Vikrant. He  played for Navy football team. His first accolades for his acting skills reached him when he was a naval sailor.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Jayan served in the Indian Navy for 16 years, culminating in the rank of [[Master Chief Petty Officer|Master CPO]]. 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. During his life at Ernakulam, he would meet some of his lifelong friends. It was such a chance meeting while on leave, with Rajan Prakash who is the veteran Malayalam actor [[Jose Prakash]]'s son, who owned a dry cleaning shop in Cochin, that eventually landed him a role in the movie ''Shapa Moksham''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://actorjayan.ning.com/photo/jayan20-1?context=latest |title=Ormapperukkangalil- Jose Prakash memoirs on Jayan |publisher=chithrabhoomi |date=10 November 2009 |access-date=2011-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811032714/http://actorjayan.ning.com/photo/jayan20-1?context=latest |archive-date=11 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A year later, he left the Indian Navy and started trying his hand at various civilian jobs, working for companies in Cochin for a few years till his acting career began to succeed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://actorjayan.ning.com/photo/jayan21-1?context=latest |title=Ormapperukkangalil (2)- Jose Prakash memoirs on Jayan |publisher=chithrabhoomi |date=10 November 2009 |access-date=2011-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811032846/http://actorjayan.ning.com/photo/jayan21-1?context=latest |archive-date=11 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>