Legendary Malayalam screenwriter-director Dennis Joseph passes away - condolences pour in!

Legendary Malayalam screenwriter and director Dennis Joseph breathed his last on Monday evening at a private hospital in Kottayam following a cardiac arrest. He was 63. Prior to entering the Malayalam film industry, Dennis Joseph worked as a journalist with a magazine and made his debut as a screenwriter in 1985 with Eeran Sandhya, starring Mammootty and Shobhana in the lead roles. He then went on to write screenplays for several blockbusters, including New Delhi, as it was one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of 1987 and saw Mammootty deliver a massive hit after a few of his previous films had an average performance at the box office. 

Dennis Joseph carved a niche of his own in commercial Malayalam cinema during the 1980s and 90s and penned scripts for 45 films beside directing five ventures, with his debut directorial, Manu Uncle, fetching him the National Award for Best Children's Film in 1988. The film revolved around a few school kids whose vacation in Kerala turns into an action-adventure when they carry forward a parallel investigation after a burglary is reported in a museum, with Mammootty playing the role of Manu Uncle, who was also lent support by Mohanlal in a memorable cameo appearance as himself. 

Apart from his successful partnership with Mammootty, Dennis Joseph had also written several films for Mohanlal, including Bhoomiyile Rajakkanmar, Rajavinte Makan and Gandharvam. The astounding success of Rajavinte Makan under Thampi Kannanthanam's direction made Dennis one of the busiest screenwriters in Malayalam and Indian cinema as he was committed to as many as eight scripts a year. Dennis Joseph's last major writing credit was in 2013 when he worked as a writer Mohanlal’s Geethaanjali directed by Priyadarshan.