Kerala bids adieu to popular film producer P V Gangadharan

Kozhikode (Ker), Oct 14 (PTI) Hundreds of people from various walks of life paid their last respects on Saturday to eminent film producer and whole-time director of Mathrubhumi daily P V Gangadharan who passed away on Friday.

State ministers K N Balagopal, K Radhakrishnan, J Chinchu Rani, A K Saseendran and K Krishnankutty, as well as MLAs, MPs and socio-cultural and religious leaders, besides a large number of people from the film fraternity, were among those who paid their last respects to Gangadharan when his mortal remains were kept at his home here for the public to pay homage.

Earlier, hundreds of people thronged the town hall here to catch glimpse of Gangadharan who had produced several path-breaking movies including 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' and 'Angaadi'.

His body was later cremated with full state honours on the premises of the house .

Eighty-year-old Gangadharan breathed his last on Friday morning while undergoing treatment for some ailments at a private hospital here.

Popularly known as 'PVG' in cinema circles, Parayarukandi Vettath Gangadharan was the founder of the well-known production house Grihalakshmi Productions, which brought out many notable movies, including those of superstar Mammootty and Mohanlal.

Over 20 films were produced under the banner, which won Gangadharan national and state awards multiple times.

Among Grihalakshmi Productions' hits were 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha', 'Angaadi', 'Ekalavyan', 'Achuvinte Amma', 'Kanakkinavu', 'Kattathe Kilikkooodu' and "Thooval Kottaram'.

Hailing from a prominent business family, Gangadharan had also tried his luck in politics and served as a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)