Maayi-fame director Surya Prakash passes away

Director Surya Prakash, known for helming films like Manikkam, Maayi and Diwan, passed away, on Monday. The filmmaker reportedly succumbed to a heart attack, according to a social media post shared by his friend on Facebook. More details regarding the director's cause of demise are yet to be known. 

Surya Prakash made his directorial debut with Manikkam, the 1996 action drama starring Rajkiran and Vanitha Vijaykumar in lead roles. He later worked on Prabhu's Pen Ondru Kanden, which was not released. In 2000, he made Maayi, the drama film starring Sarath Kumar in the lead alongside Meena. The film was critically acclaimed for its comedy and was also a commercial success. It was remade as Simharasi in Telugu and Narasimha in Kannada, subsequently. 

Surya Prakash made his Telugu directorial debut with Bharatasimha Reddy starring Rajasekhar, which opened to negative reviews. In 2003, he collaborated with Sarath Kumar once again for Diwan, an action-drama starring the actor in dual roles. The director then made a comeback in 2015 with Adhibar featuring Jeevan and Vidya Pradeep in lead roles. However, the film did not open well at the box office. 

Actor Sarath Kumar took to his official X account to condole the demise of the filmmaker. He wrote, "The news that my dear friend Suryaprakash, who directed the hit films Maayi and Diwan in my acting, has passed away early this morning is shocking and painful. Having spoken to him even yesterday, his sudden demise has left me with a heavy heart. My deepest condolences to his family and friends who are grieving his loss. I pray to God for his soul to rest in peace."

Details regarding his final rites, and whom he is survived by, are yet to be known.