Malayalam director Siddique passes away at 63

Malayalam filmmaker Siddique was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after suffering a heart attack on August 7, 2023, around 3 pm. He died on August 8. He was admitted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi last month following a liver ailment. On Monday afternoon, Siddique experienced a heart attack and was subsequently placed on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Despite medical efforts, Siddique passed away on Tuesday night while undergoing treatment.

The director is survived by his wife Sajitha and their three children Sumaya, Sara, and Sukoon.

Siddique’s funeral will be held at 6 pm on Wednesday in Kochi.

After his condition worsened on Monday, many celebrities from the film industry, including his long-time collaborator Lal, actors Sidhique and Rahman, singer MG Sreekumar and Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) general secretary B Unnikrishnan, visited their colleague at the hospital.

Director Major Ravi also visited the hospital and spoke to Siddique’s doctors. Following that, Major Ravi told reporters, “He is having breathing issues. Creatine has also increased. Since he is in critical ICU, I couldn’t see him. Three days ago he was transferred back to the hospital room. But then he had a heart attack that worsened his condition. There weren’t major issues. I met a very happy Siddique at a function three months ago. Doctors are talking to his family. Let’s pray,” Manorama Online reported.

One of the most celebrated Malayalam film directors of all time, Siddique gained entry into the film industry by assisting the legendary filmmaker Fazil. He and his friend Lal were spotted by Fazil during their performances with the Cochin Kalabhavan’s mimicry troupe.

Starting their directorial journey as the ‘Siddique-Lal’ duo, they marked their debut with the timeless comedy Ramji Rao Speaking (1989), which was funded by Fazil. This kickstarted a series of remarkable successes in Malayalam cinema history, including iconic films like In Harihar Nagar (1990), Godfather (1991), Vietnam Colony (1992), Kabooliwala (1993), and Hitler (1996).

Siddique and Lal’s films were known for featuring relatable characters, setting a new standard for contemporary comedy, despite their collaboration spanning only six movies.

Some of Siddique’s popular solo directorials include Hitler, Friends, Chronic Bachelor, and Bodyguard. He helmed the Hindi remake of Bodyguard, starring Salman Khan in the lead role. In Tamil, the remake, which also directed by Siddique, was titled Kavalan and it starred Vijay.

Siddique’s final directorial venture was the 2020 action thriller film Big Brother starring Mohanlal, Arbaaz Khan, Anoop Menon and Honey Rose in pivotal roles.