Former Malayalam child actor Hari Murali, remembered for his lively screen presence in the 2004 film Rasikan, passed away at his residence in Payyannur, Kerala’s Kannur district, on Thursday. He was 27. Police said he was found hanging at his home in Annoor near Payyannur on Thursday morning. He was later taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Authorities have begun an investigation and have described the case as a suspected suicide.
Hari began performing at a young age, first appearing in television serials as a child. His early work on television was followed by a breakthrough role in Lal Jose and Dileep’s 2004 film Rasikan. Though his character had only a brief appearance, his playful dialogue delivery made the young actor widely recognisable among audiences. Over the following years, he appeared as a child artist in several Malayalam films, including Pattanathil Bhootham, Annan Thampi, Don, Madampi, To Harihar Nagar and Ulagam Chuttum Valiban. He also acted in numerous television serials during that period.
After stepping away from acting for a time to focus on his education, Hari later made a brief return to cinema, appearing as the younger brother of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s character in Nadirshah’s 2015 film Amar Akbar Anthony. In recent years, he had shifted towards technical work in cinema. Hari completed a BSc in Visual Effects and Animation in Bengaluru and subsequently worked as a VFX artist in the film industry.
Hari was the son of theatre actor K A Murali (popularly known as Payyannur Murali) and Prasanna. He grew up in a family closely associated with theatre and performance. Actor Sree Murali is his brother, and theatre artist Babu Annoor, who appeared in Oru Indian Pranayakadha, is his uncle.