The name "Jayan" (English: "The Victor") was given to him by veteran Malayalam actor Jose Prakash on the sets of Shapa Moksham. Jayan started his career by acting in minor roles and his first appearance in front of the camera was Postmane kananilla (1972) then starting with the name as Jayan in "Shapa Moksham" (1974). Jayan got his first major break appearing as a villain in "Panchami" (1976), playing a forest ranger. Jayan's performance in this film was appreciated in the industry and his physical appearance was also noticed for the first time. His next notable role was in "Thacholi Ambu" (1978), in which he appeared in a supporting role. In the same year, he acted as a sage in the Sreekumaran Thampi film "Etho Oru Swapnam", which was well received by critics. But what made Jayan a superstar was his antihero role in "Sharapancharam" (1979, "Bed of Arrows"). He catapulted to fame riding on machismo roles that endeared him to the masses, and he established himself as one of the most popular Malayalam film actors of his time. He is generally regarded as the first action hero in Malayalam cinema.