CHENNAI: On Friday morning, actor and director Pratap Pothen, who acted in both Malayalam and Tamil, was discovered dead at his home in Kilpauk, Chennai. He was 69.
More than 100 Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi movies featured Pothen.
In his 1985 directorial debut, “Meedum Oru Kaathal Kathai,” he played Guppi, a mentally ill man who performed songs and dances with his former wife Radhika, who played Sarasu, another mentally ill character.
For the movie, he received the national honour. In 1986, the couple split apart.
In Vettri Vizhaa, he collaborated with actor Kamal Hassan, and he also directed Seevalaperi Pandi and Lucky Man. The actor, who began his career in theatre, appeared in Tamil films like Paneer Pushpangal, Moodupani, Nenjathai Killade, and Varumain Niram Sevappu.
Pothen, a Madras Christian College student, worked in advertising firms before going into the film industry.
With the Malayalam film Aaravam by the late director Bharatan, Pratap Pothen debuted as an actor in movies. His acting credits also include Thakara (1979), Lorry (1980), Chamaraam (1980), and numerous other Malayalam hits.
He was the director of Malayalam movies like Oru Yathramozhi (1988), Daisy (1988), and Rithubhedam (1987). (1997). He also directed Chaitanya, a Telugu movie.
Pothen wed Amala Sathyanath in 1990, but the union disintegrated in 2012.
