Malayalam director-screenwriter Naranipuzha Shanavas has died, actress Aditi Rao Hydari announced in an Instagram post on Thursday. The exact cause and date of his death have not been revealed yet. Naranipuzha Shanavas directed Aditi Rao Hydari in Sufiyum Sujathayum, which released earlier this year on Prime Video. Sharing a set of photos of herself and Naranipuzha Shanavas from the sets of their film, Aditi Rao Hydari described him as a "kind and sensitive" man. She wrote: "As kind and sensitive as his stories...Rest in peace, Shanavas sir. I hope your Sufi soul finds a place as beautiful as the one you created for us in Sufiyum Sujathayum. Gone too soon. My prayers and condolences to the family. #RIPShanawazNaranipuzha."
See Aditi Rao Hydari's post here:
Sufiyum Sujathayum was one of the first seven films to have digital release amid the coronavirus lockdown. The film was written and directed by Naranipuzha Shanavas and produced by Vijay Babu, who also mourned Naranipuzha Shanavas in an Instagram post on Wednesday. He shared a picture of the director and a poster of their film. An excerpt from his post read: "We tried our best for you, Shaanu...love you lots."
Sufiyum Sujathayum also starred Jayasurya, Dev Mohan, and Siddique. The film premiered on Prime Video on July 3. The film showcased society's hypocrisy about interfaith marriages.
Naranipuzha Shanavas' films revolve around the religious and cultural divide. He made his directorial debut with the 2015 film Karie, which starred Gopu Keshav, Rammohan Ravindran and K T Satheesan.
