Gangadhar

PV Gangadharan, a film producer, AICC member, and Mathrubhumi media house whole-time director, passed away at 6.30 am on Friday at a private hospital in Kerala's Kozhikode district. He was 80 years old. Gangadharan was hospitalized for more than a week due to age-related ailments. The funeral will be held on Saturday evening. He is survived by his wife PV Sherien and children Shenuga Jaythilak, Shegna Vigil, and Sherga Sandeep. PV Gangadharan, fondly known as PVG, was a luminary in the realms of cinema, politics, and business. He contested the Kerala Legislative Assembly poll in 2011 from Kozhikode North and was an active member of KPCC. Born in 1943 to Madhavi Sami and PV Sami, a prominent businessman and founder of the KTC Group of Companies, Gangadharan was the younger brother of PV Chandran, managing editor of Mathrubhumi. Under the banner of Grihalakshmi Films, PVG produced iconic movies that catapulted today's veteran actors and directors to fame. His foray into the film industry began in 1977 with the production of the film 'Sujatha'.Subsequently, Grihalakshmi Productions crafted several memorable movies, including 'Manasa Vacha Karmana,' 'Angadi,' 'Ahimsa,' 'Chiriyo Chiri,' 'Kattathe Kilikkoodu,' 'Vartha,' 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha,' 'Adhwaytham,' and 'Ekalavyan.' The Jayan-starrer film Angadi, directed by IV Sasi, remains a quintessential action film in Malayalam cinema. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha is among the classics. His last film was 'Janaki Jaane' in collaboration with S Cube in 2023. Kanakkinaav, a production of Grihalakshmi Films, received the prestigious Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in 1997. In 2000, the film 'Santham' won the National Award for Best Film. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Kanakkinavu, Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal, Achuvinte Amma, and Notebook were also recipients of state film awards.