Date:28/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/28/stories/2006052812140400.htm

Kerala

Funeral with police honours today

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government has decided to give actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan a funeral with police honours at Ivar Matom in Pampady in Thrissur on Sunday morning.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, Speaker K. Radhakrishnan, Ministers and political leaders have condoled the death of Oduvil Unnikrishnan.

In his condolence message, Mr. Achuthanandan said that in Oduvil's death, Kerala has lost an acting genius, a major presence in Malayalam cinema for the last quarter century.

Oduvil's acting had the stamp of the indigenous and he gave stellar contributions as a character actor and a comedian in equal measure, the Chief Minister recalled. In his message, Mr. Radhakrishnan pointed out that the touch of the real was the hallmark of Oduvil's acting and said that by doing so, Oduvil was virtually living on screen.

In his message, Education and Culture Minister M.A. Baby said Oduvil's acting style was original and pleasant.

CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that in Oduvil's death, Kerala has lost a committed artist who did not hide his political allegiance to the Left even when he was at the height of fame as a film actor.

CPI State secretary Veliyam Bhargavan recalled that Oduvil retained his links with KPAC, where he began as an acting professional, till the very last.