Malayalam filmmaker Belraj Kalarickal passed away on Saturday. The 27-year-old was found dead in a hotel room in Kochi. Preliminary reports suggest that he suffered a heart attack.

After assisting on films such as Nizhal, Madhuram and Dakini, Belraj made his directorial debut with the web series Kappi Squad. The series began streaming on JioHotstar just a couple of days ago. Adding to the tragedy, the young filmmaker got married in September after six years of courtship.

Headlined by Rinosh George, Anagha Ajith, Diya Deepan and Joel Joseph, Kappi Squad follows four youngsters and their entrepreneurial dreams. It is created by Srikanth Mohan and produced by Rahul Riji Nair, whom Belraj assisted in Dakini, Keedam and Kho Kho.

The young filmmaker's sudden demise has sent shockwaves through his circle of friends and colleagues in the industry.