Noted Malayalam filmmaker Siddique passes away

PTI, Aug 9, 2023, 8:12 AM IST

Kochi: Noted Malayalam director and screenwriter Siddique died at a private hospital here, his family said on Tuesday.

Siddique (63), who was undergoing treatment at Amrita Hospital here for nearly a month for various ailments, suffered a heart attack on Monday, hospital sources said.

He passed away at 9.10 pm, the sources said. Siddique is survived by his wife Sajitha and three daughters.

The filmmaker, who had helmed numerous superhit Malayalam movies and Salman Khan starrer Hindi film “Bodyguard”, was on ECMO support.

ECMO provides respiratory support when a person’s lungs and heart are not performing adequately.

Family sources said the filmmaker’s body will be kept at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday for the public to pay homage.

The body will be later taken to his residence at Kakkanad. The funeral will be held at Ernakulam Central Juma Masjid later in the evening.

Siddique was admitted to the hospital due to “chronic liver disease and bronchopneumonia” nearly a month ago.

“He was put on ventilator for respiratory failure and his condition improved with medical management. He was taken off ventilator and was on supplemental oxygen therapy. While on treatment, he had a massive heart attack and underwent emergency angioplasty.

“He was placed on ECMO support due to cardiogenic shock and respiratory failure. He developed multi-organ dysfunction with clinical deterioration and was declared dead on August 8 at 9.10 pm,” a hospital source told PTI.

Born in Kochi, Siddique began his film career in the late 1980s.

He delivered several hit movies in the 1990s along with his friend Lal — who is also an actor and played lead roles in various hit films such as ‘Thenkasipattanam’, ‘Thommanum Makkalum’, and ‘Salt and Pepper’.

The duo was popularly known as ‘Siddique-Lal’.

‘Siddique-Lal’ movies such as ‘Ramji Rao Speaking’, ‘In Harihar Nagar’, ‘Godfather’, ‘Vietnam Colony’ and ‘Kabooliwala’ were massive hits.

Siddique is also the director of many blockbuster movies, including ‘Hitler’, ‘Friends’, ‘Chronic Bachelor’, and ‘Bodyguard’, among others. He directed the remake of his movie ‘Bodyguard’ starring Salman Khan in Hindi, which was also a super hit.

In Tamil, it was titled ‘Kavalan’ starring Vijay and did well at the box office.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran among others condoled the demise of the noted filmmaker.

“Heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Siddique, noted Malayalam film director. His films stood apart with characters one could easily relate to and set benchmarks for comedy and entertainment. May his soul rest in peace,” Khan said in a tweet.

Vijayan said Siddique excelled in portraying serious life issues in a humorous manner.

“Siddique was an excellent screenwriter and director. The fact that various moments and dialogues in many films made by him and Lal remain in our minds even after decades is a testament to his talent,” Vijayan said in a statement.

Sudhakaran said Siddique presented the reality of life in humour.

“He left us after making the audience laugh their hearts out,” he said in a statement.