Innocent, veteran Malayalam actor and former Lok Sabha MP, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi on Sunday, 26 March. He was 75. The actor was hospitalised earlier in March.
According to the hospital, Innocent was receiving cardiopulmonary assistance on 25 March. "He was infected with COVID and had respiratory issues along with multiple organ failure resulting in heart failure," the hospital shared in a press release, as per a PTI report.
The actor-politician had been diagnosed with cancer in 2012. In his book 'Laughter in the Cancer Ward,' which was published three years after he revealed that he had defeated the illness, he wrote about his battle with cancer.
Born in Inrinjalakuda in 1948, Innocent made his acting debut with the 1972 film Nrityashala. Later, he became part of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
Innocent won the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency, with assistance from the Left Democratic Front (LFD).
Mostly known for his comedic roles, Innocent had worked in over 500 films. He was last seen in filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran's Kaduva (2022).
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)