Veteran Malayalam actor T P Madhavan passed away on Wednesday at the age of 88 at a private hospital in Kollam, where he was admitted in critical condition a few days prior. After his condition worsened, he was moved to a ventilator.
Madhavan, born in Thiruvananthapuram, initially pursued a degree in Sociology before exploring careers in journalism and advertising. However, his passion for acting led him to the film industry, where he debuted in 1975 with director Hariharan's Love Marriage. Over his career, he appeared in more than 600 films, earning recognition for his roles in films like Nadodikkattu (1987), Thalayanamanthram (1990), Sandesam (1991), Pappayude Swantham Appoos (1992), Vietnam Colony (1992), Aaraam Thampuran (1997), Chandralekha (1997), Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu (1998), Narasimham (2000), Yathrakarude Sradhakku (2002), Udayananu Tharam (2005) and Happy Husbands (2010). His final film appearance was in Malgudi Days (2016), starring Anoop Menon and Bhama.
Madhavan, the first General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), took on television roles later in his career. Following a brain surgery, he suffered a stroke during a pilgrimage to Haridwar in 2015 and subsequently developed memory loss. These health issues, along with personal challenges, led him to reside at Gandhi Bhavan, a charitable home in Pathanapuram, where he spent his remaining years.
Madhavan is survived by his children, Devika and Raja Krishna Menon, the latter a Bollywood director known for helming the Akshay Kumar-starrer Airlift (2016).