KOCHI: Actor Sathar passed away on Tuesday. It was on the same date last year that Captain Raju also breathed his last. Sathar was a remarkably talented actor who, in spite of beginning his career way before Raju--or even Mohanlal and Mammootty for that matter--never got to explore the full extent of his versatility as either of the aforementioned actors. Like Raju, Sathar was an actor who possessed the extraordinary ability to convey a lot through his body language alone. One could even say that it was in the space left by Sathar that Raju managed to shine.
What could’ve been the factors that prevented Sathar from getting ahead? Perhaps it was his sober and unassuming nature. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was content in his own space. Writer-director Renji Panicker, who had gifted him a strong role in Lelam and also worked with him in Commissioner, says, “He was not the sort of guy who knew how to make the best use of his friend circle.
He was a sweet man, completely the opposite of his onscreen image. He was brilliant as Kunnel Outhakutty (in Lelam).” According to director Unnikrishnan B, Sathar was a “very cool, amiable man who lived with no regrets.”
The director had worked with him in the 2014 film Mr. Fraud, starring Mohanlal. He recalls that he and director Shaji Kailas had considered him for a role in the Suresh Gopi-starrer The Tiger but he was unable to commit due to some unavoidable circumstances.
“What marked him out from the rest was the fact that he was quite a content man. Usually, people in this field have regrets about lost opportunities. He didn’t impose himself upon others when it came to seeking roles,” says Unnikrishnan. “He just took on the roles that he felt was suitable for him and he was happy where he was.”