Kottayam: Renowned Malayalam scriptwriter and director Dennis Joseph passed away at a private hospital in Kottayam after suffering cardiac arrest on Monday.

He was 64.

He was admitted to the hospital on Monday morning after complaining of uneasiness.

The funeral was held with state honours at St Sebastian's Church in Ettumanoor, Joseph's home town. Only close relatives and friends could attend the funeral due to the Covid restrictions.

Dennis Joseph made his debut as a scriptwriter with Eeran Sandhya, directed by Jeassy.

Later, he wrote scripts for many hit movies, including Shyama, Nirakkoottu, Nyayavidhi, Rajavinte Makan, Bhoomiyile Rajakkanmar, Aayiram Kannukal, New Delhi, Vazhiyorakazchakal, Sangham, Manu Uncle, Nair Saab, No.20 Madras Mail, and Kottayam Kunjachan.

He directed five Malayalam movies - Agrajan, Thudar Katha, Appu, Adharvam and Manu Uncle.

Dennis Joseph last penned the film Geethanjali. The movie, directed by Priyadarshan, had Mohanlal in the lead. In 2020, Omar Lulu announced that he will be associating with Dennis Joseph for his next.

Dennis was born in Ettumanoor in 1954. He lived in Delhi and Gujarat till the age of five with his father, who worked with the Indian Air Force. He began his studies at a school in Ettumanoor where his mother worked as a teacher. He had graduated in Chemistry from Devamatha College, Kuravilangadu.

He is survived by wife Leena, son Jose and daughters Elizabeth and Rosy.

Dennis hailed from a family that had good connections with the Malayalam film industry.

Renowned actor late Jose Prakash and film producer Francis were his uncles. Francis had produced Jayan’s debut movie Shapamoksham, directed by Jeassy.

“I was born in a family with a strong film background. I saw Jayan when I was a kid,” he had said in an interview with Safari TV in 2018.

His tryst with films began as a sub-editor with Kochi-based Malayalam film magazine, Cut Cut, edited by famous cartoonist B M Gafoor. It gave him an opportunity to interview film stars and visit film sets. He had also associated with the political magazine and children's magazine, published from the same publishing house.