The veteran had been ailing for quite a while now
Surendranatha Thilakan, popularly known as just Thilakan, passed away in the wee hours today, September 24, in Thiruvananthapuram. He had been battling with health problems for a long time now. The actor suffered a cardiac arrest at a private hospital. His body has been kept at the Victoria Jubilee Memorial Town Hall for public to pay their respects, followed by a cremation in the evening around 4pm.
Thilakan’s death has come as a shock to the Tollywood industry. The actor began acting when he was in school and earned quite a name for himself in the film world. Although his debut film Periyar didn’t exactly strike a chord with the audience, he later managed to create quite an impact with KG George’s Kolangal. One of his last releases was Ustad Hotel.
Industry insiders say that Thilakan was born to be an actor. His thespian skills have earned him accolades and a plethora of loyal fans. He also won a National Award for best supporting actor for Rithubhedam in 1988. The Malayalam film industry is still trying to come to terms with this huge loss. May the actor’s soul rest in peace!