Veteran actor and former MP Innocent passes away

Innocent, who died in Kochi late on Sunday aged 75, was one of Indian cinema’s greatest comedic talents. A cancer survivor, he had been keeping unwell for a while and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

Innocent, who died in Kochi late on Sunday aged 75, was one of Indian cinema’s greatest comedic talents. A cancer survivor, he had been keeping unwell for a while and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

A medical bulletin issued by the hospital said Innocent was admitted there on March 3 due to respiratory ailments following Covid infection and that he had been shifted to the ICU after respiratory infection. He died due to these ailments, multi-organ failure and heart attack, it added. 

He is survived by his wife, son and grandchildren.

He acted in about 500 Malayalam films. He was a producer, author and former MP of Chalakudy. He also went on to become the president of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).

Not many people have made the Malayali laugh the way Innocent did. He was brilliant as an actor in his films, most of which had him do comedy, but off the screen, he was funnier. His first book, Njan Innocent, would alone prove that. It is also one of the finest books on childhood you would come across. It is, of course, as an actor that the world has known him better. He was in a class of his own.

In a career spanning over five decades, Innocent gave life to some of the most loved characters of Malayalam cinema. Life had been a struggle for him though, before he finally made it as an actor: he had tried and failed in many endeavours.

He tried to run a match factory in Davangere and also dabbled in other businesses as well. He also tried to be a career politician (he was an office-bearer of the RSP).