Many celebrities and politicians from Kerala, including Radhika Thilak, G Karthikeyan, Alleppey Sheriff, Paravoor Bharathan, Sarath Kumar and Yusufali Kechery, passed away this year.
Prominent Malayalam scriptwriter Alleppey Sheriff passed away on 2 December at the age of 74. He had written the script, story and dialogues for more than 100 movies in Malayalam during the 1970s and 1980s. Sheriff is survived by his wife Naseema and three children — Sheffeez, Sharaz and Sherna.
Malayalam director Sajan Kurian, also known as Sajan Samaya, passed away due to extreme cold condition in Ladakh on 1 December. The 33-year-old filmmaker was in Ladakh for the shooting of his upcoming film "Bibleo".
Kerala environmental activist Kallen Pokkudan died at a hospital in the Kannur district on 27 September. The 86-year-old was undergoing treatment at Cherukunnu Mission Hospital in Kannur. He was known for conservation of mangrove forests in Kerala and had acted in the Malayalam film "Papilio Buddha".
South Indian actress Bhavana's father Balachandran, 59, died on 24 September following a surge in blood pressure.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan's wife Sunanda
Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan's wife Sunanda died at Tata Memorial Centre Hospital in Mumbai on 22 September. She is survived by her husband Adoor and daughter Ashwathi Dorje, who is Additional Police Commissioner in Mumbai.
Malayalam playback singer Radhika Thilak, 45, died on 20 September in Kochi after she was hospitalised with fever. She had also been diagnosed with cancer, for which had been undergoing treatment for about two years.
Malayalam actor Paravoor Bharathan, known for his comic roles in Malayalam films, passed away on 19 August. He had been undergoing treatment for a long time and was last seen on screen in "Changathikoottam" in 2009.
Popular Malayalam Mappilapattu singer Kannur Salim, 55, died on 14 June, at around 9 pm after his car met with an accident. He is survived by his wife Laila and children Saleeb, Sajila, Salil and Sajili, who have also established themselves as Mappilapattu singers.
Malayalam playback singer Ayiroor Sadasivan, who had sung in many hit films in the 1970s and 1980s, met with an accident while returning from Angamali to Adoor after a programme with his son Sreekumar. He died on 9 April at the age of 78 and is survived by his wife Radha, and sons Sreelal and Sreekumar.
Prominent Malayalam lyricist and director Yusufali Kechery, 81, passed away at 5:30 pm on 21 March due to bronchopneumonia. The winner of the Odakkuzhal Award, Kerala Sahitya Academy Award and Vallathol Award had composed more than 100 songs in Malayalam and directed the films "Maram" (1973), "Vanadevatha" (1977) and "Neelathamara" (1979).
Joseph Mathew Kuttolamadom, who was known for his role as a priest in the popular Malayalam sitcom "Akkara Kazhchakal", passed away on 18 March following a cardiac arrest during a flight journey to Charlotte from New Orleans after the shooting of Fahadh Faasil-starrer "Monsoon Mangoes". He is survived by his wife Thankamani Joseph and daughters Nisha Joseph and Nova Joseph.
Malayalam music composer Bombay S Kamal, 83, passed away on 16 March due to respiratory failure. He had composed many Malayalam songs, including "Devi Sukruthaanandamayi" and "Manjaniyum Maamalayil" among others.
On 7 March, former Kerala Speaker G Karthikeyan passed away at Health Care Global hospital in Bengaluru, where he was undergoing treatment for liver cancer. He was 66.
Malayalam TV serial actor Sarath Kumar, who made his acting debut with "Krishnakrupa Sagaram", died in a road accident after his bike collided with a tipper lorry on 26 February. He was 23. He became a familiar face in Malayalam mini screens for his role in the popular serial "Autograph" (Rahul Krishna). He had also acted in "Swami Ayyappan", "Veera Marthanda Varma" and "Indira".
