Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai was a Malayalam author and actor. He was the brother of K. Kumara Pillai. Born in 1898 he was well known in public life as an orator, administrator, educationist, editor, and political thinker. The plays by Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai mark the highest degree of profundity and seriousness that Malayalam theatre ever witnessed. In them excellence may often be sustained by melodrama, but this does not come down to the level of letting emotions loose. In fact, emotional control and communicability of this control form the essential element.

The plays by Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai deal with ideals like patriotism and sacrifice, and present noble characters. The significant historical dramas include Velutampi Dalava in 1932 on the foremost local patriot who fought British imperialism in the nineteenth century, Swati Tirunal Maharaja in 1966 on the celebrated Kerala king, and Calvaryile kalpa-padapam or `Calvary`s Wish-fulfilling Tree` in 1935 on Christ`s last days, acclaimed as Pillai`s masterpiece. In this Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai also enacted Christ. He elevated social themes to similar artistic height in Vidhimandapam i.e. `Court of Judgment` in 1955 and Agnipanjaram or `Skeleton of Fire` in 1962. Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai undertook a study of theatre in the book Nataka-purnima or `Theatre Complete`` in 1960, and also wrote novels. Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai died in 1976.