Innocent Vareed Thekkethala (28 February 1948 – 26 March 2023), known mononymously as Innocent, was an Indian actor, film producer, writer and politician, who in a career spanning almost five decades has appeared in over 700 films predominantly in

Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema, also referred to as Mollywood, is a segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to producing films in the Malayalam, Malayalam language, primarily spoken in Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands. It encompasses both th ...

in addition to a few Tamil,

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

and English films, mostly in comedic roles. Widely regarded as one of the greatest comedians in the history of Malayalam cinema, he is also known for his negative and highly nuanced character roles. He is also the recipient of several awards, including three Kerala State Film Awards, a Kerala Film Critics Award, a

Filmfare Awards South The Filmfare Awards South are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Telugu cinema, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and Kannada cinema. They are presented by ''Filmfare'' magazine of The Times Group. When it was intr ...

and seven Asianet Film Awards. He also won the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour in

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, for his book ''Irinjalakudakku Chuttum.'' He is noted for his wit and impressive dialogue delivery in the typical Thrissur slang. He served as a Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019) of India representing Chalakudy constituency. In 1979, he was elected as the

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough cou ...

or of

Irinjalakuda Irinjalakuda is a municipal town in Thrissur district, Kerala, India. It is the headquarters of Irinjalakuda Revenue Division, Thrissur Rural Police and Mukundapuram Taluk. After Thrissur, this town has most number of administrative, law-enfor ...

municipality. Innocent won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate supported by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Innocent served as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), a guild of Malayalam artists from 2003 to 2018. In 2012, Innocent was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After overcoming the first stage of cancer, he returned to the silver screen in 2013 with films like '' Geethanjali''. ''Cancer Wardile Chiri'' (Laughter in the Cancer Ward) is a memoir written by Innocent while he was undergoing cancer treatment. Innocent wrote seven books based on his experiences at different phases of life with a humorous undertone. He also contributed to columns in numerous magazines and newspapers. In 2020, Innocent won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour for his book ''Irinjalakudaku Chuttum''.

Early life

Innocent was born on 28 February 1948 to Margaret and Vareed of the Thekkethala house in

Kingdom of Cochin The kingdom of Cochin or the Cochin State, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It originated in the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until i ...

(present-day

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

). He was the fifth child and third son of his parents, who had eight children. He had his primary education at Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary School, Irinjalakuda, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Irinjalakuda, and Sree Sangameswara NSS School, Irinjalakuda. He studied till eighth grade and discontinued his studies as he could not cope with studying. Innocent went to Madras (then) for his acting career and worked there as a production executive. During the emergency years, Innocent made his way to Davanagere and joined his cousins George (studying medicine at JJM Medical College), Davis, and his brother Sunny who were managing the Shamannur Match factory. Later, he became the proprietor of the factory. To get detailed insight into his early struggles and making of Innocent, the actor, please refer: My contemporary Cousin in thefreshblog.com As Innocent was keen on the performance activities, he seized the opportunity to participate in Davangere, Kerala Samajam drama, and received audience approval in entertainment events. Innocent left Davangere in 1974. He tried his hand at multiple businesses and jobs to eke out a living. From being a stationary owner to a wholesale sandal distributor to setting up a leather business to a cycle renting business to a cement supplier and also that of a coach cum manager of a volleyball team, a game he knew nothing about. Growing up, he had a few conflicts with his father, Vareed, because his brothers continued to have an excellent education and became successful doctors, lawyers, and judges. After some time, he entered politics and became Municipal councilor of Irinjalakuda.

Film career

Innocent entered the film industry in 1972 with the movie '' Nritashala''. At first, he produced a few serious offbeat films, but he was not successful. In the long span of his career, Innocent has worked in more than 700 films, mostly in comedy roles, predominantly in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

. He has also acted in a few Tamil and

films. Innocent's mannerisms and diction is unique in Malayalam cinema and he wildly caught the attention of the Malayalam audience. This made him one of the best in the Malayalam comedy scene, also making him a hot favorite for mimicry artistes. His popularity can be gauged from the fact that many frontline directors in Malayalam (like

Priyadarshan Priyadarshan Soman Nair (born 30 January 1957) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He has worked primarily in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam and Hindi cinema, Hindi cinema since 1982, directing over 90 films in multiple Indian languages, ...

, Satyan Anthikkad, Fazil and Kamal) rarely made films without Innocent. He has proven his acting skills in serious and character roles in several films. He has been the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) for 12 years. He held the post for four consecutive terms. Innocent played has played many comedy roles in movies like '' Ramji Rao Speaking'', '' Mannar Mathai Speaking'', '' Kilukkam'', '' Godfather'', '' Vietnam Colony'', '' Nadodikattu'', '' Manichitrathazhu,'' '' Kalyanaraman, Chronic Bachelor'' etc. Innocent has also played several character and villain roles in movies such as '' Keli'', '' Kathodu Kathoram''. He predominantly worked in Malayalam films in addition to a few Tamil,

and English films, mostly in comedic roles. In a career spanning more than five decades, he acted in more than 700 films and is considered one of the best comedians in Malayalam cinema. He also appeared in roles with negative shades such as in '' Mazhavilkavadi'', '' Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu'' and '' Ganamela''. Innocent won several awards, including Kerala State Film Award and Kerala Film Critics Award. Other films include '' Kabooliwaala'', '' Gajakesariyogam'', '' Mithunam'', '' Mazhavilkavadi'', '' Manassinakkare'', '' Thuruppugulan'', '' Rasathanthram'','' Naran'' and '' Mahasamudram''. His pairing with

K. P. A. C. Lalitha Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K. P. A. C. Lalitha (10 March 1947 – 22 February 2022), was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in the Malayalam cinema, Malayalam film industry. Considered one of the greatest ...

was highly successful. They have acted together in many movies such as '' Ponn Muttayidunna Tharavu'', '' My Dear Muthachchan'', '' Godfather'' and '' Manichitrathazhu''. '' Philip's'' was his last film before his death in March 2023.

Books

Innocent has authored seven books: ''Njan Innocent'', ''Cancer Wardile Chiri'', ''Irinjalakudakku Chuttum'' (memoirs), ''Mazha Kannadi'' (collection of short stories), ''Chirrikku Pinnil'' (autobiography) and ''Kalante Delhi Yathra Anthikkad Vazhi'' are some of them. ''Cancer Wardile Chiri'' (Laughter in the Cancer Ward) is an account of his experiences while undergoing treatment for throat cancer. ''Irinjalakudakku Chuttum'' won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour in

Politics

Innocent was the Irinjalakkuda Mandalam Secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party during the 1970s. He had contested the Irinjalakkuda municipal council elections as Revolutionary Socialist Party-backed candidate in 1979 and had won that election. He was rumoured to be a Left Democratic Front (LDF)-supported independent candidate from the Irinjalakkuda assembly constituency in the 2006 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections but this did not happen. Innocent won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency in

Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...

as an independent candidate supported by the LDF. Innocent lost in the

Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...

elections 2019 to UDF candidate Benny Behanan.

Personal life

On 26 September 1976, Innocent married Alice; they had a son named Sonnet. Innocent Jr. and Anna are Sonnet's twin children. Childhood Innocent was played by Innocent Jr. in a documentary.

Illness and death

On 3 March 2023, Innocent was suddenly hospitalised after feeling ill. He was placed under

extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of extracorporeal life support, providing prolonged cardiac and respiratory system, respiratory support to people whose human heart, heart and human lung, lungs are unable to provide an adequa ...

(ECMO) support after his condition turned for the worse. A cancer survivor, Innocent was in the hospital for nearly three weeks. He died at VPS Lakeshore Hospital in

Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...

, Kerala, on 26 March 2023, at the age of 75 of complications from COVID-19 as confirmed by Dr. V. P. Gangadharan who was treating him.

Awards

; Kerala State Film Awards * 1989 – Second Best Actor – Mazhavil Kavadi, Jaathakam * 1981 – Second Best Film (Producer) – Vida Parayum Munpe * 1982 – Second Best Film (Producer) – Ormakkayi ; Kerala State Film Critics Award * 2009 – Best Actor – Patham Nilayile Theevandi ; Asianet Film Award * 2001 – Supporting Actor Award –

Ravanaprabhu ''Raavanaprabhu'' () is a 2001 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written and directed by Ranjith (director), Ranjith in his directorial debut. It is a sequel to the 1993 film ''Devaasuram'' written by Ranjith (director), Ranjith, d ...

* 2004 – Supporting Actor Award – Vesham * 2006 – Best Actor in a Comic Role – Rasathanthram, Yes Your Honour * 2008 – Supporting Actor Award – Innathe Chintha Vishayam * 2010 - Character Actor Award - Kadha Thudarunnu * 2011 - Character Actor Award - Snehaveedu, Swapna Sanchari * 2013 – Lifetime Achievement Award ;Other awards * 2004 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam for Manassinakkare * 2007 – Sathyan Award * 2008 – Annual Malayalam Movie Award (Dubai) for Outstanding Performance * 2013 – TTK Prestige-Vanitha Film Awards – Lifetime Achievement Award * 2019 – He is Distributing Awards Realtors Investors Summit

Filmography

As actor

Malayalam films

= 1970s

= 1980s

= 1990s

= 2000s

= 2010s

= 2020s

Other language films

Story

* ''Pavam IA Ivachan'' (1994) * ''Keerthanam'' (1995)

Producer

* '' Vida Parayum Munpe'' (1981) * '' Ilakkangal'' (1982) * '' Ormakkayi'' (1982) * '' Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback'' (1983)

Playback singing

* ''Aanachandam'' – Gajakesariyogam (1990) * ''Kandallo'' – Sandram (1990) * ''Kunukupenmaniye'' – Mr Butler (2000) * ''Onnam Malakeri'' – Kalyanaraman (2002) * ''Chendakkoru kolundeda'' – Manassinakkare (2003) * ''Sundarakeralam'' – Doctor Innocentanu (2012) * ''SaMaGaReSa'' - Tsunami (2021)

Television

References

External links

*
Movie Index

Profile of Malayalam Actor Innocent

16th LS member from Kerala
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Innocent 1948 births 2023 deaths Indian male comedians People from Irinjalakuda Actors from Thrissur district Indian male film actors Male actors from Kerala Kerala State Film Award winners People from Thrissur Filmfare Awards South winners India MPs 2014–2019 Independent politicians in India Indian actor-politicians Kerala municipal councillors Malayalam comedians 20th-century Indian male actors Kerala politicians Revolutionary Socialist Party (India) politicians People from Chalakudy Politicians from Thrissur Male actors in Kannada cinema Male actors in Hindi cinema Male actors in Tamil cinema Male actors in Malayalam cinema 21st-century Indian male actors Malayalam screenwriters Malayalam playback singers Malayalam film producers Film producers from Kerala Male actors from Thrissur Male actors in Malayalam television Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in India Kerala Film Critics Awards winners