The Hindu : Kerala News : Malayalam film actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan dead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 28, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Malayalam film actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan dead

Staff Reporter

Noted for his serious as well as comic roles, he was a natural actor

KOZHIKODE: Malayalam filmdom has lost one of its prominent character actors with the passing away of Oduvil Unnikrishnan (62) at a private hospital here on Saturday. The actor died at 6 a.m.

Oduvil Unnikrishnan was admitted to the hospital a few days ago following renal failure. He had been undergoing treatment for quite some time. He had undergone dialysis at hospitals in Malappuram and Thrissur districts earlier. His wife, Padmajam, was at his bedside during the time of his death. He is survived by two daughters, Shalini and Soumini.

The body was taken to his birthplace, Wadakancherry in Thrissur district, at 9.30 a.m. It will be kept at Keralancheri to enable the public to pay homage. The body will be cremated at Ivarmadam at Pampady on Sunday.

Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan, chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation P.V. Gangadharan, actor Mamu Koya, director V.M. Vinu and lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran paid homage to the veteran actor at the hospital.

Oduvil Unnikrishnan, who began his acting career in theatre, switched over to tinseldom in the Seventies. His first film was Chenda. His character of a mahout in Guruvayur Kesavan, directed by Bharathan, and Subbaiyer in the Jayan-Sheela starrer Sarapanjaram, directed by Hariharan, in the late Seventies still remain fresh in the minds of film buffs.

His portrayal of an angst-ridden executioner in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Nizhalkkuthu won him the State Government best actor award in 2002. Oduvil played Kaliyappan, the official hangman of the State of Travancore, who was mentally antagonised for executing innocent men on the orders of the Maharaja.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail