Malayalam filmmaker Sasi Shanker (also spelled Sasi Shankar or Sasi Sankar) breathed his last on Wednesday, Aug. 10. The "Kunjikoonan" director, who was found unconscious at around 9:30 a.m. at his residence near Pancode, Kolenchery, was pronounced dead after he was taken to a nearby hospital.
The reason for his death is unknown as of now. The mortal remains are kept at the Medical College in Kolenchery. The cremation and final rites will take place after the filmmaker's son comes from Chennai. Shanker is survived by his wife Beena Shanker, son Vishnu Sasi Shanker and daughter Meenakshi Shanker.
Sasi Shanker, who directed nine movies during his film-making career, bagged the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for "Narayam" in 1993. He is known for his Dileep -starrers, "Mr. Butler" and "Manthramothiram," among others. He has also directed the Tamil movie, "Perazhagan" starring Suriya and Jyothika. It was the remake of Dileep's popular comedy entertainer "Kunjikoonan."
The other directorial ventures of Sasi include Jagathy's "Punnaram", Jagadish, Kalabhavan Mani's "Guru Sishyan," Jayaram's "Sarkar Dada" and Tamil movie "Pagadai Pagadai" among others.
