THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Every year, for delegates who walked into the film festival, Louis Peter was a familiar face. A poet who befriended many with his innocnt smile and recitation at IFFK venues, he passed away last year, leaving a void that cannot be replaced. Louis had been attending the event for years and was mostly seen in Tagore and Kairali theatres. “People like Louis Pappan have been crucial in making IFFK popular. Many attended the event just to meet him. The organisers may not be aware of this. However, Pappan’s absence is a loss for IFFK,” said Visal V S, who met him four years back.
“I was surprised when Pappan came and introduced himself during the 2016 IFFK. Later, I used to meet him regularly in theatres, outside the venues, and tea shops. We used to talk over the phone at times. Though the pandemic holds a threat, I would have registered for the event if he was there,” he added.
Jayan Keezhperoor, a film editor, still cherishes his meeting with Louis in 2012. “I love to call Pappan as a ‘Djinn’ as he can befriend people in no time,” said Jayan. One quality in Louis that Jayan admired is that he always remembered every person he talked to, even though he never asked their names.
“He used to strike a warm conversation and used to leave in between when he saw another person. The same happened with poems, which he never used to recite completely. He never created a nuisance or trouble for delegates or the organisers which is why people love him,” he quipped.
Since IFFK is being conducted in four districts this year, many of the delegates who know him opined that he might have attended the fests in all these districts. “He led a very carefree life. Some have acted rudely to him, but he used to talk to them with a smile the next day. IFFK venues won’t be the same without Louis Pappan,” said Anargha V, a delegate.