Director Siddique- The Master of Laughs 

Filmmaker Siddique's untimely demise has left Tamil and Malayalam cinema fans deeply saddened. The man, who was known for delivering the loudest laughs through his films, is fondly remembered as the one who incessantly spread smiles. "I had always been in awe of the person he was. He always took an effort to make sure everyone felt important on his sets," says director-actor Pandiarajan, who worked with Siddique in the 2004 film Engal Anna, a remake of his Malayalam blockbuster, Chronic Bachelor.

In a statement on social media, Suriya, who delivered one of his earliest hits with Friends under Siddique's direction, echoes Pandiarajan's views calling him an 'inherently encouraging man', "For the first time I looked forward to being on a film set (Friends), thanks to him! He taught me to enjoy the process of filmmaking, have a good laugh and not to take myself seriously." 

Actor-filmmaker Ramesh Khanna, who feels forever indebted to Friends, shares that Siddique's films were era-defining."It's been more than two decades since the release of Friends, but it is still being celebrated. Though I have written and acted in multiple films, the present generation of youngsters knows me through Friends. It is a film I consider to be in the league of classics like Ooty Varai Uravu and Kadhalika Neramillai for its effective family-friendly humour."

Though Siddique has dabbled in several forms of comedy, slapstick was considered his forte. "He knew the formula to make a slapstick sequence click with the audience. The inputs and nuances he adds to the shot resulted in riotous laughter in the theatres. He never took comedy lightly and strived hard to deliver only the best to the audience. Everyone who worked with him knew the effort and dedication needed to create good humour," states Pandiarajan.

Siddique instilled confidence in his actors with his words and always ensured that none of their efforts went unnoticed. "He gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my talent. Despite being a senior and much-applauded director while making Friends he treated all of us as equals," shares Suriya. "Even when an actor messes up during a shot, Siddique was never harsh on them. He would instead request them for a reshoot, easing off the pressure on the performer," says Pandiarajan.

It is quite rare for wholesomeness to cross paths with immense talent, but Siddique belonged to that rare kind. It is hard indeed to digest the absence of a man who spread joy both through his life and creations. Maybe borrowing a line from Pandiarajan would best summarise the person he was: Avar oru anbulla jaambavaan!