Actor Unnikrishnan Namboodiri (97) passed away on Wednesday. He died at a hospital in Payyanur days after recovering from COVID-19.
Keralites’ beloved ‘film star grandfather’ had been undergoing treatment for COVID in a private hospital in Kannur for over a week. As he tested negative on Sunday, he was discharged and was back home.
Unnikrishnan Namboothiri was diagnosed with pneumonia a few weeks ago. Following this, he was admitted to a private hospital in Payyanur and then at a hospital in Kannur. He was Covid negative at that time. Later, he recovered from pneumonia but suffered fever and then admitted again to hospital. When COVID test was performed, he turned positive. Though he spent two days in ICU, he recovered gradually.
His family members said that the chief minister, health minister and others had called him over phone and inquired about his health when he was in hospital. Unnikrishnan Namboothiri was staying in his ancestral house ever since the pandemic outbreak occurred.
Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, who hails from Korom Pullery Vadyarillam in Payyanur, made his film debut with ‘Desadanam’ in 1996 when he was a septuagenarian. Unnikrishnan Namboodiri played an important role in the film which won the National award for best Regional film the following year.
During the preparations for ‘Desadanam’, director Jayaraaj visited lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri at the latter’s house. There Jayaraj saw Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, who is Kaithapram’s father-in-law, and decided to cast him in the role of the grandfather in the movie. The rest as they say is history.
Unnikrishnan Namboodiri’s role as Dileep’s grandfather in the Malayalam movie Kalyanaraman was well noted. ‘Mazhavillinattam Vare’, directed by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri was his last movie.
His wife Leela Antharjanam from Thekkumpurathu Mana in Cherpulassery in Palakkad district had died in 2009. The couple has 2 sons, Bhavadasan and Kunjikrishnan, and 2 daughters, Devi and Yamuna.
His elder daughter, Devi, is married to Malayalam music director Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri. His son is P. V. Kunhikrishnan is a Judge of the Kerala High Court. His grandson Deepankuran is also a music director.
Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, who hails from Korom Pullery Vadyarillam in Payyanur, made his film debut with ‘Desadanam’ in 1996 when he was a septuagenarian. Unnikrishnan Namboodiri played an important role in the film which won the National award for best Regional film the following year.
During the preparations for ‘Desadanam’, director Jayaraaj visited lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri at the latter’s house. There Jayaraj saw Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, who is Kaithapram’s father-in-law, and decided to cast him in the role of the grandfather in the movie. The rest as they say is history.
Unnikrishnan Namboodiri’s role as Dileep’s grandfather in the Malayalam movie Kalyanaraman was well noted. ‘Mazhavillinattam Vare’, directed by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri was his last movie.
His wife Leela Antharjanam from Thekkumpurathu Mana in Cherpulassery in Palakkad district had died in 2009. The couple has 2 sons, Bhavadasan and Kunjikrishnan, and 2 daughters, Devi and Yamuna.
His elder daughter, Devi, is married to Malayalam music director Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri. His son is P. V. Kunhikrishnan is a Judge of the Kerala High Court. His grandson Deepankuran is also a music director.
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