Malayalam filmmaker Raman Ashok Kumar, who was known as Ashokan, died on Sunday at a Kochi hospital. He was 60. 

As per reports, the late filmmaker was undergoing treatment for almost a month and had mulitple issues. 

A native of Varkala and former associate of director J Sasikumar, Ashokan made his directorial debut with the 1989 film Varnam. The psychological drama features Jayaram, Suresh Gopi, Ranjini, Meena, Thilakan, among others. He subsequently went on to direct Suresh Gopi and Thilakan again in 1993. In between, he made two films, Saandhram (1990) and Mookilla Rajyathu (1991). While Suresh Gopi starred in Saandhram, Thilakan appeared in the latter. 

However, Ashokan did not direct films after this and made a comeback in 2003 with telefilm Kanappuramun, for Kairali TV. The film won the State Government Award for Best Telefilm in 2003.

Ashokan had shifted his base to Singapore where he pursued business.