Stage artist Maradu Joseph passes away

Maradu Joseph, 93, veteran stage artist, passed away at Ernakulam General Hospital. He was born in Anchuthaikkal family and had his education at St. Mary's school. He was part of P.J. Antony's Parthibha Arts Club troupe and acted in plays such as Inquilabinte Makkal and Visakkunnakarimkali.

Veteran stage artist Maradu Joseph, 93, passed away at the Ernakulam General Hospital here on Wednesday. He took to acting in plays from his school days and the first play in which he played a role was Vazhithara. He changed his name to Maradu Joseph after he acted in the play.

He was born in the Anchuthaikkal farmily as the son of Xavier and Eleeswa and had his preliminary education at the St. Mary’s school and was a regular member of the famed playwright and artiste P.J. Antony’s Parthibha Arts Club troupe. Inquilabinte Makkal, Visakkunnakarimkali were some of his early plays. He also sang for the ‘Visakkunnakarimkali’ and recorded ONV’s poem put to music by P. Devarajan.

He passed away when his autobiogrpahy Nataka Lahari (An intoxication that is drama) was due for publication on November 17, when he would have turned 94.

The late Mr. Joseph also acted in plays along with the likes of Shankaradi, Manavalan Joseph, Klayanikkuttyamma, Kottayam Chellappan, and Eddie Master. He was part of Ponkunnam Varkey’s Kerala Theatres, Cochin Kalakendram, Kollam Jyothi Theatres, Kottayam Vishwa Kerala Kalasamithi, Kozhikode Sangamam Theatres, and Aleppey Theatres.

He later acted in plays such as N.N. Pillai’s ‘Prethalokam’, ‘Wineglass’, ‘Kapalika’, and ‘Eeswaran Arrestil’. He was also part of the team of famous playwrights such as N. Govindankutty, Seithan Joseph, Norbert Pavana as well as in M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Gopura Nadayil’. He also acted in one film ‘Manjil Virinja Pookkal’.