Noted Malayalam film director and scriptwriter KR Sachidanandan, whose last film Ayyappanum Koshiyum released ahead of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country was a smash hit, died at a private hospital in Thrissur, film industry sources said. He was 48.
The director, popularly known as Sachy, was admitted to the Jubilee Mission hospital on Tuesday after he suffered a heart attack and was on ventilator support. He died on Thursday night, they said.
Ayyappanum Koshiyum, starred Prithviraj and Biju Menon.
Sachidanandan's directorial debut Anarkali, a Malayalam romantic thriller, was released in 2015. A criminal lawyer by profession, Sachidanandan entered the film world as a script writer with Sethunath for the film Chocolate in 2007.
In a condolence message, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said his death was a loss for the Malayalam movie industry. "Sachy was a noted Malayalam movie director and screenplay writer. He was behind many hit movies in Malayalam. With the untimely death of Sachy, Malayalam movie industry lost a talented artist," the chief minister said.
Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Sachy. In his passing, the Malayalam film fraternity has lost a master talent. Many of you will know him as the director of the recent film "ayyappanum koshiyum".
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) June 19, 2020
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Actor Nivin Pauly tweeted that Sachy's demise was a loss to Malayalam cinema. "Shocked to hear the sudden demise of Sachy ettan. Indeed a big loss to Malayalam cinema. May his soul rest in peace," Pauly tweeted.
Shocked to hear the sudden demise of Sachy ettan. Indeed a big loss to Malayalam cinema. May his soul rest in peace! pic.twitter.com/sWy7Au3O6V
— Nivin Pauly (@NivinOfficial) June 18, 2020
Biju Menon, in his Facebook post, said: "In life we loved you dearly, in death we love you still. You left without warning,gone so fast. My deepest sympathies. God bless his family and friends."
KR Sachidanandan's cremation will be held at Ravipuram in Kochi on Friday afternoon, the sources said.
