Malayalam Actor Turned Politician, Innocent Passes Away at Kochi Because of Heart Attack and Breathing Issues from COVID

The Malayalam actor and active politician, Innocent passes away at the age of 75 in Kochi after battling respiratory issues and heart failure due to COVID.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: 2023-03-27 08:10:58

Innocent, the Malayalam actor, passed away in Kochi at the age of 75. He received tributes from people like Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, and Jayaram, among others. Innocent, a legendary Malayalam actor and former member of parliament, passed away on Sunday in a private hospital in Kochi. He was 75. The actor passed away at 10:30 p.m. after receiving treatment at the hospital since March 3. The hospital stated in a release that the patient suffered breathing problems, multiple organ failure, and heart failure as a result of his Covid infection.

As word of his passing spread, social media was inundated with condolences and expressions of grief from people from all walks of life, including well-known actors and politicians. On Twitter and Instagram, many well-known actors, including Manju Warrier, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Tovino Thomas, expressed their condolences for the actor’s demise. In a Facebook post, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his condolences for the actor's passing and said that Innocent's spontaneous acting style had left an enduring impression on his audience.

He also recalled him as a community activist who made a difference in the lives of those around him. He opined that Innocent, who always had a left-wing attitude, became a Lok Sabha candidate at the request of the Left Democratic Front and, after winning, publicly raised Kerala's concerns in Parliament and that Kerala will remember this with appreciation. The Kerala Chief Minister added that Innocent's passing was a huge loss for both the broader political arena and art and culture.

For Malayalees. V D Satheesan, the leader of the opposition in the state legislature, expressed sympathy for the actor's passing and said that Innocent, who had been making people laugh for years and had become a terrible memory today by his demise. He claimed that one of the comedians who helped Malayalam cinema become known worldwide was Innocent, who has appeared in more than 600 movies. Saji Cheriyan, the state minister for cultural affairs, posted a message on Twitter expressing his sorrow at the actor's death.

Cheriyan said that they were extremely sorry to hear about the loss of iconic Malayalam actor and former MP #Innocent. His on-screen performances made innumerable admirers happy. He advocated for his constituents' well-being in parliament. In 1972, Innocent started his acting career as a producer before transitioning to comedy and character parts. His most recent film, Kaduva, starred Prithviraj, and his most recent role was in Pachuvum Atbuthavilakkum, directed by Anoop Sathyan, the talented filmmaker's son.

He was active in politics in addition to his acting profession. The actor was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 as a Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate from the Chalakudy constituency in the Thrissur district, but Benny Behanan of the United Democratic Front won the seat in the 2019 elections (UDF). In addition to composing some scripts, Innocent sang a couple of songs in the movies Mr. Butler and Sandram. He had two cancer diagnoses. The actor was placed on ECMO support and admitted to the hospital's critical care unit.

Cardiopulmonary assistance, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), involves employing a machine to pump and oxygenate the patient's blood outside their body. According to reports, the politician-turned-actor has been ill for some time. He had received a cancer diagnosis a few years prior, but in 2015 he said that the disease had finally healed.