Malayalam filmmaker Joseph Manu James passed away on 24 February, days before the release of his debut film, Nancy Rani. He was 31. The director was undergoing treatment for hepatitis at Aluva's Rajagiri Hospital in Ernakulam, where he breathed his last.
Joseph had also been diagnosed with pneumonia, according to the hospital staff.
Actors Ahaana Krishna and Arjun Ashokan, who play the lead roles in Joseph's directorial debut, Nancy Rani, took to social media to pay their tributes to the filmmaker.
Expressing her grievance over Joseph's untimely death, Ahaana wrote on her Instagram story, "Rest in peace Manu! This shouldn't have happened to you!"
Besides the lead actors, Nancy Rani also starred Ahana Krishnakumar, Arjun Ashokan, Aju Varghese, Sreenivasan, Indrans, Sunny Wayne, Lene, Lal, and others in pivotal roles.
Aju also paid his heartfelt condolences to the director on Instagram. Sharing a picture of Joseph, he wrote, "Gone too soon brother. Prayers."
Joseph began his career as a child actor with the 2004 Sabu James film, I Am Curious. Later, he worked as an assistant director in several Malayalam and Kannada films.
His last rites were hosted at a church in Kuravilangad, Kottayam, on 26 February. Joseph is survived by his wife, Manu Naina.