Tragic News from Film Industry: Veteran Actor Passes Away at 71
Chennai (The Uttam Hindu): A wave of grief has swept across the South Indian film industry as veteran Malayalam actor and son of legendary superstar Prem Nazir, Shanawas, passed away at the age of 71. The actor had been battling kidney-related ailments for a long time. On Monday late night, his health deteriorated suddenly, and he was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him dead. His demise has left the Malayalam film industry in mourning, with fans and film fraternity members expressing heartfelt condolences.
Born into a cinematic legacy, Shanawas was the son of one of Malayalam cinema’s greatest actors, Prem Nazir. Following in his father’s footsteps, he entered the film industry in 1981 with the movie Premageethangal, where he played the role of ‘Ajith’. Over the years, he appeared in nearly 96 films and made a lasting impression with his humble acting style.
Throughout the early 80s, Shanawas featured in several hit films including Aasha, Ivan Oru Simham, Mylanchi, and Ganam. He had an extremely active phase between 1982 and 1987, with appearances in acclaimed films like Rathilayam, Mounaragam, Uyarathezhunallappu, Mukhyamanthri, and the Tamil film Jathi Pookkal.
His performance in the 1988 cult film Chithram, where he played the role of ‘Ravi’, remains one of his most celebrated works. Even in the 90s, he continued to appear in movies like Neelagiri, Inspector Balram, and Arhatha. After a brief hiatus from the industry, he made a comeback in 2003 with Kaliyodam, and later starred in China Town, Veeraputhran, Rebecca Uthup Kizhakkemala, Kumbasaram, and more.
With a career spanning over four decades and nearly 100 films, Shanawas carved his own niche in Malayalam cinema. His passing is being deeply mourned as the loss of a versatile, soft-spoken, and beloved actor who left an indelible mark on the silver screen.
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