Producer Vindhyan passes away

Noted film producer Vindhyan, 61, died at a private hospital in Kochi on Saturday. He was under treatment for abdominal ailment. He is survived by wife Soya, daughter Puthuma and son Novel. In his career spanning over thirty years, Vindhyan coproduced and produced nearly 20 films. He entered Malayalam film world as a co producer through Salini Ente Koottukari. Vindhyan joined hands with Latheef to produce movies like Vadakkunokkiyanthram directed by Sreenivasan and Kamal-Mohanlal team’s Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu. His other productions included V K Prakash’s Mullavalliyum Thenmavum, Vinayan’s Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne

Njanum and Mammoottystarrer Thaskaraveeran. Three of his movies were directed by Syamaprasad — Ore Kadal with Mammoot ty and Meera Jasmine in lead roles and Electra with Manisha Koirala, Nayanthara and Prakash Raj playing the protagonists and Dileep-starrer Arike. The cremation will be held on Sunday at his ancestral home in Peringottukara, Thrissur.

‘Vindhyan a Man of Artistic Vision’

KOCHI: Kochi: Vindhyan was an artist among the producers, remembers director Syamaprasad, who was associated with the former for three movies as a producer. Vindhyan, who passed away on Saturday, has also played a cameo role in Syamaprasad’s film ‘Off-Season’, one of the 10 short films in the movie ‘Kerala Cafe’.

“Vindhyan possessed the instinct of an artist and had an interest in literature and theatre. He had an in depth knowledge on the art of movies and it reflected in his productions,” Syamaprasad  said.

He said that the Malayalm film industry would certainly miss Vindhyan. “Mollywood will surely miss such a producer, especially at a time when there are only a few producers in the industry who have an artistic vision,”

he said. Syamaprasad remembered that Vindhyan was one producer who could easily conceive the whole concept of the movie from a bare outline. “Though my movies ‘Ore Kadal’, ‘Electra’ and ‘Arike’ were not commercial potboilers, Vindhyan came forward to produce them. “Though we faced several hurdles during the shooting of the movies, the producer stood strongly by me and helped me overcome the problems,” the filmmaker said.

The reason for the success and critical acclaim received for the three films is the creative conviction that Vindhyan had on me, Syamaprasad added.