Innocent | |
---|---|
![]() Innocent in 2011 | |
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
In office 5 June 2014 – 23 May 2019 | |
Preceded by | K. P. Dhanapalan |
Succeeded by | Benny Behanan |
Constituency | Chalakudy |
Municipal councillor of Irinjalakuda | |
In office 1979 –1982 | |
Acting | |
In office 1972 –2023 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Innocent Vareed Thekkethala 28 February 1948 Irinjalakuda, Kingdom of Cochin, Dominion of India |
Died | 26 March 2023 Kochi, Kerala, India | (aged 75)
Political party | Independent |
Spouse |
Alice (m. 1976) |
Children | 1 |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 1972–2023 |
Innocent Vareed Thekkethala (28 February 1948 – 26 March 2023), known mononymously as Innocent, was an Indian actor, film producer, writer and politician.[1] He predominantly worked in Malayalam films in addition to few Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English films, mostly in comedic roles. In a career spanning more than five decades, he acted in more than 700 films and is considered one of the best comedians in Malayalam cinema.[2] He also appeared in roles with negative shades such as in Mazhavilkavadi, Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu and Ganamela.[3] Innocent had won several awards, including Kerala State Film Award and Kerala Film Critics Award. He served as the Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019) of India representing Chalakudy constituency.[4]
In 1979, he was elected as the municipal councilor of Irinjalakuda municipality.[4] Innocent won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate supported by the Left Democratic Front (LDF).[5] Innocent served as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), a guild of Malayalam artists from 2003 to 2018.[6][7]
In 2012, Innocent was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[8] After overcoming the first stage of cancer, he returned to the silver screen in 2013 with films like Geethanjali.[9] Cancer Wardile Chiri (Laughter in the Cancer Ward) is a memoir written by Innocent while he was undergoing cancer treatment.[10] Innocent wrote seven books based on his experiences at different phases of life with a humorous undertone.[11] He has also contributed to columns in numerous magazines and newspapers.[12] In 2020, Innocent won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Humour for his book Irinjalakudaku Chuttum.[13]
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