Malayalam Director Siddique, Known For Bodyguard, Dies at 63 –

Malayalam Director Siddique, Known For Bodyguard, Dies at 69Malayalam director and screenplay writer Siddique died on Tuesday, August 8. He was 63 years old. Siddique had suffered a heart attack on Monday, August 7. The filmmaker was reportedly already being treated for a liver ailment. He was hospitalised at the Amrita Hospital in Kochi last month. It was also reported that he was being treated for pneumonia.

According to Indian Express, Siddique suffered a heart attack on Monday afternoon. Following which, he was put on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support. Despite the efforts, Siddique passed away on Tuesday night. It is reported that his mortal remains will be placed at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Kadavanthra between from 9 am to 11:30 am for people to visit and pay their last respects. The funeral is scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening.

Siddique’s illustrious career in filmmaking began alongside his collaborator Lal, under the guidance of acclaimed filmmaker Fazil. The duo caught Fazil’s attention during their performances with the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. Together, they formed the iconic Siddique-Lal duo, responsible for numerous cinematic gems. Their first joint venture, Ramji Rao Speaking, released in 1989, later served as the inspiration for the blockbuster Bollywood film Hera Pheri and its Tamil version Arangetra Velai.

Throughout their partnership, Siddique and Lal crafted a series of successful films, including In Harihar Nagar, Godfather, Vietnam Colony, and Kabooliwala. The duo eventually separated in the 1990s, with Siddique continuing his journey as a director, while Lal chose to focus on acting and production endeavors.

Siddique’s directorial prowess reached international audiences when he helmed the 2011 Bollywood film Bodyguard, starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor. The film was a Hindi remake of his own Malayalam work of the same title. His contributions also extended to the Tamil film industry, as he directed the Tamil version of Bodyguard, titled Kaavalan, featuring Vijay and Asin. Siddique successfully recreated his Malayalam hit Friends for the Tamil audience, retaining the same title and starring Vijay, Suriya, and Vadivelu. His last film released in 2020. The film was titled Big Brother and it starred Mohanlal.