By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram


Thilakan’s sons Shammy and Shobby stand near the body of their father kept at the VJT Hall in Thiruvananthapuram
Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan, considered a rebel in Kerala’s mainstream film industry for challenging the reigning superstars, died here early yesterday aged 77.
The popular actor who had over 200 films to his credit, was put on a ventilator in a city hospital where he was admitted after a heart attack on August 23. He suffered another heart attack and died at 3.35am.
His sons Shammy and Shobby were with him at the time of his death. His fans started thronging the hospital since the morning and later at VJT Hall where the body was kept for the public to pay their last respects.
His body was first taken to Shobby’s residence in the city and then to his house where he lived for 20 years with his family. His wife Saroja, daughters Sofia and Sonia and close relatives and neighbors bid him an emotional farewell there.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, senior ministers and top cultural and political leaders paid homage to the inimitable actor. Sports and Cinema Minister K B Ganesh Kumar laid the wreath on behalf of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who is unwell.
The state government has borne the hospital expenses of the actor.
He was cremated with full state honurs at 4pm.
The chief minister said Thilakan’s death was a “big loss to the world of art” and the void will remain unfilled forever. “He had straddled both the stage and the screen world, and actors like him are rare,” he said.
Surendranath Thilakan began his career in the theatre before playing his first role on screen in 1979. The actor was part of various drama troupes, including the Kerala Peoples’ Arts Centre that took communism to the masses.
He received the Padma Shri, one of the top civilian honours from the federal government, in 2009, besides more than a dozen state and national awards.
Well known as a character actor, Thilakan’s films included Nirmalyam, Ekantham and Keeridam and he acted in several films with all stars including Mohanlal and Mammootty.
“We had a special relationship. He acted as my dad in many films and my family had a rare honour when he played the role of my son Dulkhair’s father in Ustad Hotel,” said Mammootty. “He will be in the hearts of the filmgoers as long as the art of cinema is alive.”
His last movie was Ustad Hotel, which is still running to packed houses, while two others were in the making.
Two years ago, following scathing comments he made against the superstars, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) showed him the door but he remained unrepentant and continued to bag good roles in award-winning popular movies like Ranjith’s Indian Rupee.
“I feel I have lost a member of my family,” said Mohanlal.
Although much success had come Thilakah’s way early as an actor, his personal life was fraught with pain. He was born in Ayroor in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. His father worked on an estate in Idukki.