Noted Malayalam screen writer and filmmaker Dennis Joseph died of a cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Kottayam on Monday. He was 63.
Dennis who carved a niche in Malayalam film industry with a series of super hit films in late 1980s and early 1990s, started his career as sub-editor in a film magazine.
He entered into the movie industry as a screen writer of the Malayalam flick Eeran Sandhya in 1985. He wrote screenplays for a number of box office hits like Nirakkoottu , Rajavinte Makan , Shyama , New Delhi , No.20 Madras Mail , Kottayam Kunjachan , Akashadoothu , Palayam , and FIR .
Having worked with almost all super-hit filmmakers in the 1980s and 1990s such as Joshiy, Thampi Kannanthanam, and Bharathan, he also also directed five films. Of these, the Mammootty-starrer movie Manu Uncle won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film.
The deceased is survived by wife Leena and children Elizabeth, Rossy, and Jose. Funeral will be decided later.