Seema remembers veteran actor Ravikumar. 'I can never forget him'

Actor Seema has expressed her deep sorrow over the passing of yesteryear actor Ravikumar. She recalled their warm bond, which began with their first film together, Avalude Ravukal, and continued over the years through frequent phone conversations.

Lately, however, she had grown concerned when his regular calls stopped without explanation. Then when his number flashed on her phone on Friday, she was relieved and ready to chide him for the silence --only to be met with heartbreaking news. Seema revealed that it was Ravikumar’s son on the other end of the phone. Overcome with grief, he broke the news of his father’s passing to her in tears.

The shock of Ravikumar’s passing has hit Seema hard. "I can never forget Ravi Annan," she said. "He was there with me in cinema from the very beginning. When Avalude Ravukal was being made, I asked him, 'Anna, will you act in my film?' He then asked, ‘Why are you calling me Anna?’ I replied, ‘Can I not call you Annan?’ To that question, he insisted that I should always call him so from that day on. Even today, when I picked up the call, I called out, "Anna." But it wasn’t him but his son on the other end. And he said, "Aunty, father has left us."

Seema also recalled how close Ravikumar had been to her husband, film maker I V Sasi, as well as with others including Kamal Haasan and M G Soman.

Even in his final months, Ravikumar remained in touch with Seema. "He called me in September last year to say his daughter-in-law was expecting. In November, he asked me to pray for his son to have a good baby. Then, on December 24, when I was in Australia, he called again to say his grandchild had been born. I messaged him, ‘Super Thatha!."

Then came a long silence, and I found myself wondering why Annan hadn’t called me for a month. When his number finally appeared on my phone today, I picked up, ready to scold him. I began, "What, Annan? You remembered me only now?" But before I could say more, I heard his son sobbing on the other end.

"We acted together in so many films, I lost count. It was always me and Ravi Annan or me and Jayan Chettan, film after film. His body is at the hospital today, and it will be taken home tomorrow," she said, adding that his son has asked to inform her of the details.