Director Kamal said that his friendship with Innocent started from his college days. They started filming together in Kodambakkam. When he is called to act in a film, he comes to his location without asking for the character. Kamal says that Innocent wrote the very funny dialogue in the movie Azhakiya Ravana and it later became a hit. Kamal also says that the departure of Innocent is a big loss for Malayalam cinema and Kala Kerala.
“Innocent was my elder brother who was with me since my college days. I studied in Christ College Iringalakuda. His house is near the college. My friendship with him started then. He was not a big actor then. We started life with our each other in Kodambakkam and I worked with him in films when I was a co-director. My thirty one He has acted in films. He has played very different roles. The actor known as Innocent was part an integral part of Malayalam films of the eighties and nineties He was active in all types of films. A period of Mohanlal and Mammootty has been active through artists like Jagathy, Innocent, Shankaradi Chetan. It was a great friendship.
If we call to act in a film, it does not ask for the character. Come to the location saying Kamal’s film, Sathyan’s film and then tell him about the character and then he will improvise a lot. That is the uniqueness seen in him as an actor. His characters will have a signature to inspire us all. There are some scenes where he gives his own contribution in the dialogues and makes good fun. He wrote that dialogue in the scene where he says ‘Ariperukki’ in the movie My Azhakia Ravana. Later it became very popular.
All directors can relate to this type of experience. He had a unique style as an actor. Malayalis have never tired of it. Everyone loved him. It is a miracle that he can only say that he has continued as president of the ‘Amma’ movement for eighteen years. He was a man who could control the stars with humor. Mammootty, Mohanlal, including Madhu sir, who is taller than him, do not feel bad or embarrassed if he jokes or insults him. He had a knack for bringing everyone together.
He was recovering from cancer while working in politics. Through the book ‘Laughter in the Cancer Ward’, he also tried to convince people that he had beaten cancer. He will always remain as a green man in the minds of Malayalees by being an inspiration to sick people rather than the characters he played. I know first hand what he has done as an MP. He has done a lot for cancer patients. As a great person, public activist and actor, his death is a great loss to Malayalam cinema, Kala Kerala and Malayalees,” said Kamal.
