KOCHI: Renowned writer-director Ambazhathil Karunakaran Lohithadas (A K Lohithadas) died at a private hospital here on Sunday following a massive heart attack.
Lohithadas, 54, was rushed to Lisie Hospital from a private hospital in Edappally where he was admitted in the morning after he complained of chest pain.
He developed chest pain while he was at his residence at Thottakkattukara in Aluva.
He breathed his last around 11 a.m. at Lisie Hospital.
His wife Sindhu, 45, and two sons, Hari Krishnan, 20, and Vijay Shankar, 18, were in the hospital at the time of his death.
His colleagues in the filmdom, who were in the city to attend the annual general body meeting of AMMA, called off the meeting and rushed to the hospital on hearing the news of his demise.
The body was later shifted to Maharaja’s College ground pavilion to enable the public to pay homage to the director who had carved a niche for himself in the Malayalam filmdom after the greats like Bharathan and Padmarajan.
Thousands of people from all walks of life thronged the venue to catch a final glimpse of their favourite film- maker.
In the evening, the body was taken to Chalakkudy and later kept at the Kerala Sahithya Akademi in Thrissur for the public to pay last respects. The body will be cremated at 11 a.m. on Monday at his residence at Lakkidi in Palakad.
Before entering the Malayalam film industry, Lohithadas, hailing from Chalakuddy, scripted success in Malayalam theatre in 1986 when his debut script for the legendary theatre personality Thoppil Bhasi’s troupe won him the State award.
His entry as a scriptwriter in Malayalam cinema had been a remarkable one after his first venture ‘Thaniyavarthanam’ with director Sibi Malayil becoming a big success.
He turned director with his critically acclaimed 1997 film ‘Bhoothakannadi.’ ‘Bhoothakannadi’ won him the 45th national film award for best film in 1997.