Kochi: Veteran Malayalam filmmaker K. G. George passed away at an old age home in Kakkanad on the outskirts of Kochi today. He was 77 and was undergoing treatment for a stroke.
George was born on May 24, 1945, Thiruvalla as the eldest son of Samuel and Annamma. Completing his primary education at the Tiruvalla SD School, he graduated in Political Science from NSS College, Changanassery and went on to complete a diploma at the Film Institute of India in Pune.
He entered the film industry as an assistant to famous director Ramu Karyat and then went on to be part of the breakaway trio with Bharathan and P. Padmarajan.
During his nearly three-decades-long career, George made a series of critically acclaimed films, winning several Kerala State film awards and the JC Daniel Prize instituted by the Kerala State Government.
His debut as a director ‘Swapnadanam’ was a commercial success and a critical achievement.
He broke away constantly from the tried and tested song-and-dance sequences to discuss problems confronted in daily life.
The bunch of films he created are counted among the classics of Malayalam cinema, right from the investigative thriller ‘Yavanika’ (1982) to the political satire ‘Panchavadi Palam’ (1984) and the psychological thriller ‘Irakal’ (1985), all of which still continue to inspire new age filmmakers.
The last film he directed was 1998’s Ilavankot Desam.
His film ‘Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback’ was based loosely on the circumstances that led to the death of actress Shoba.
George is survived by his wife, playback singer Salma and two children.