Director Siddique passes away, adieu to Malayalam's celebrated director of big laughs

KOCHI: Renowned director Siddique, who crafted a laughter festival for film enthusiasts has passed away. He was undergoing treatment for a heart ailment and breathed his last a short while ago at Amrita Hospital in Kochi. Directors B Unnikrishnan and Lal shared the news of his demise. He had experienced a heart attack the previous day while receiving treatment for a liver ailment. With his health condition deteriorating, he succumbed while being supported by the ECMO system.

Siddique was admitted to Amrita Hospital on July 10 due to pneumonia and liver issues. While undergoing treatment, he suffered a heart attack at 3 pm on Monday.

He excelled as a director, screenwriter and producer delivering successful films in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema. He was born on August 1, 1954, in Kochi as the son of Ismail Haji and Zainaba. He rose through Kochi Kalabhavan and later became an assistant director under Fazil. In 1986, he made his Malayalam cinema debut with the film ‘Pappan Priyappetta Pappan.’ The screenplay of the film was co-written by Siddique and Lal. In 1989, Siddique-Lal collaborated on ‘Ramjirao Speaking,’ marking their directorial debut. Subsequently, films released under the Siddique-Lal banner were well-received by Malayali audiences. After concluding the Siddique-Lal partnership, he also thrived as an independent director. His final film was ‘Big Brother,’ starring Mohanlal.