KOLLAM: Malayalam actor T P Madhavan passed away Wednesday morning. He was 88. He was under treatment for stomach ailments at a private hospital in the district. He was the first general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). He had acted in more than 600 films in different roles. He was staying in Gandhi Bhavan at Pathanapuram in Kollam for the past nine years. A separate room was given for him there.

Madhavan had gone to Haridwar eight years back after leaving the film industry. He collapsed in his room there. He was admitted in the hospital and when he recovered, he was sent back to Kerala. He was staying in a lodge in Thiruvananthapuram. Serial director Prasad brought him to Gandhi Bhavan while he was leading a miserable life. He later acted in some serials when his health condition improved.

He was given a room on top of the main office of Gandhi Bhavan. Mementos and statues he got was arranged in the room. Ramu Karyat and Prem Nazeer awards he got after arriving here is included in that. Actor Madhu was the first to offer him a role in films.

Madhavan was born to N P Pillai, a noted lecturer and Saraswathi in Thiruvananthapuram. He is the nephew of veteran dramatist T N Gopinathan Nair and grandson of the eminent linguist P K Narayana Pillai.

His father was the Dean at Kerala University. He pursued post-graduation in sociology from Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, formerly Agra University. He got selected into the Indian army but had to withdraw when his hands got fractured after selection. Later he worked in an English Newspaper in Bombay during 1960. Then he started an advertising agency in Bangalore. His first movie was Raagam in 1975.

He was married to Sudha but it ended in a divorce. He has a son Raja Krishna Menon and daughter Devika. His son is a noted film director in Bollywood. When his son was two and a half years old, he left his family and devoted his life to films. When he became obsessed with movies, he never got in touch with his family. The actor will be laid to rest at Shanthikavadam in Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow.