'My mind still tells me to believe that you're not gone,' Mohanlal's heartfelt note on Innocent's demise

Veteran actor Innocent breathed his last in the late hours of Sunday. Actor Mohanlal penned a heartfelt note condoling the veteran's demise.

Taking to his Facebook handle, Mohanlal wrote in Malayalam that he could not describe the grief. He says, " My mind still tells me to believe that you're not gone." Mohanlal concluded the note by saying, "My Innocent will always be with me every moment with that innocent smile, love and admonition. You will still be here to run for anything wherever you are."

Innocent was 75. The actor, a cancer survivor after he was detected with the deadly disease as far back as 2012, had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi for the last two-and-half weeks for breathing issues. He is survived by his wife, Alice and two children.

The actor was known for his comedy roles, unique style and dialogue delivery in a career spanning over four decades and 500 films. Innocent was also a former member of Lok Sabha from 2014-19, winning the seat from Kerala's Chalakkudy constituency as an independent candidate backed by the Left. He also served as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for several years.

He is also the author of five books, including Njan Innocent and Cancer Wardile Chiri (Laughter in the Cancer Ward), where he narrates his experiences while undergoing treatment for throat cancer. Irinjalakudakku Chuttum won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour in 2020.