Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan Tuesday condoled the demise of veteran director I.V. Sasi and said he was a filmmaker who rewrote the conventional formula in the Malayalam film industry.
"He took Malayalam cinema to greater heights. I offer my condolences to the family members in this hour of grief," Pinarayi said in a statement.
The acclaimed director, who was instrumental in the success stories of superstars Mammootty, Mohanlal and Jayan, died in Chennai on Tuesday. The 69-year-old was suffering from cancer.
Leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala too offered condolences over Sasi's death.
"He was able to make movies that were technically sound and showcased brilliant acting. It is indeed a great loss for Malayalam cinema," Chennithala said.
Kerala Assembly speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan said that the director was able to give a realistic treatment to people's problems through his movies.
Kerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan too paid tribute to the filmmaker.
“I.V. Sasi was able to identity and nurture great actors in Malayalam cinema. He was a pioneering figure in the commercial sphere,” Kummanam said.
I.V. Sasi was honored during the recent Kerala State Film Awards. He was a recipient of the J. C. Daniel Award in 2015.
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