KOTTAYAM: Veteran cartoonist Chellan, best known for creating the comic character ‘Lolan’, passed away at the age of 77. The funeral will be held at Vadavathoor at 3pm on Monday.
Born in 1948 to Paulose and Martha, Chellan began his artistic career in 1970, painting signboards in Kottayam. He started drawing cartoons soon after, when he launched the column Samuhyam Pappu Aashan in Janayugam weekly. Over the years, his cartoons appeared in almost every major Malayalam publication including comic magazines. He also designed the cover art for over a hundred books.
During the 1980s, Lolan became a cultural phenomenon across Kerala’s campuses. Introduced in Mangalam weekly in 1980, the character went on to entertain Malayali readers for more than a quarter of a century. With his bell-bottom pants, unique hairstyle and expressive mannerisms, Lolan embodied the carefree charm of youth, becoming synonymous with the campus romeos of the era.
Through a cartoon syndicate, Lolan even reached audiences beyond Kerala, appearing for two years in the Sunday edition of a Hindi daily, for four years in Kannada and for two years in Tamil.
Lolan also made his way onto TV screens in a show featuring actors Indrans and Naseer Sankranti in lead roles. Chellan retired from KSRTC as a painter in 2002. He is survived by wife Maryamma Philip and son Sareesh.