KOCHI: Cultural Kerala bids adieu John Paul, the beloved screenwriter of Malayalam cinema. The funeral ceremonies were held at St Mary’s Soonoro Throne Cathedral in Kochi, with official honours.

After the official honours, the body was taken to the church for burial rituals. The funeral services were officiated by Jacobite Church Assistant Catholic Josesph Mar Gregorios.

Numerous people from the field of culture, politics and cinema came to pay their tributes at Ernakulam Town Hall. Minister P Rajeev and district collector Jafar Malik paid tributes on behalf of the state government. Opposition leader V D Satheesan paid his last respects to John Paul at Chavara Cultural Centre in Karikkamuri, Kochi. Minister Saji Cherian paid his tributes at John Paul’s residence in Maradu.

John Paul breathed his last at around 1 pm on Saturday. He died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi. He has scripted several hit films such as ‘Kathodu Kathoram’, ‘Kattathe Kilikkoodu’, ‘Ina’, ‘Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam’, ‘Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam’, ‘Athirathram’, ‘Keli’, ‘Chamayam’, ‘Oru Yathra Mozhi’, ‘Kodiyettam’ and ‘Yathra’. He had ultimately written the screenplay of the movie ‘Pranayameenukalude Kadal’ directed by Kamal and starring Vinayakan.