Siddique, a well-known Malayalam director, passed away on Tuesday. He was 63. Siddique was admitted to the hospital on August 7 after experiencing a heart arrest, and he is still there in a severe condition.
After experiencing a cardiac attack, Siddique’s health worsened, necessitating the use of ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). He was receiving treatment for pneumonia as well as issues with his liver. His ventilator support was started.
Nearly a month ago, Siddique was hospitalised with “chronic liver disease and bronchopneumonia”.
“He was put on ventilator for respiratory failure and his condition improved with medical management. He was taken off ventilator and was on supplemental oxygen therapy. While on treatment, he had a massive heart attack and underwent emergency angioplasty.
“He was placed on ECMO support due to cardiogenic shock and respiratory failure. He developed multi-organ dysfunction with clinical deterioration and was declared dead on August 8 at 9.10 pm,” a hospital source told PTI.
According to family sources, the remains of the director would be kept at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday for visitors to pay respects. Later, the body would be transported to his Kakkanad home. Later in the evening, the funeral would take place in the Ernakulam Central Juma Masjid.
Among those who expressed their condolences for the passing of the renowned director were Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Sudhakaran.
“Heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Siddique, noted Malayalam film director. His films stood apart with characters one could easily relate to and set benchmarks for comedy and entertainment. May his soul rest in peace,” Khan said in a tweet.
Vijayan said Siddique excelled in portraying serious life issues in a humorous manner.
“Siddique was an excellent screenwriter and director. The fact that various moments and dialogues in many films made by him and Lal remain in our minds even after decades is a testament to his talent,” Vijayan said in a statement.
With his friend Lal, Siddique entered the Malayalam film industry as an assistant director. In 1983, they collaborated with seasoned director Fazil.
The two produced some of the biggest blockbusters in the business, including Vietnam Colony, In Harihar Nagar, Ramji Rao Speaking, and Godfather.
In addition to Malayalam, Siddique has directed films in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. He oversaw the production of Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s Bodyguard.
Big Brother, Siddique’s most recent motion picture, was released in 2020. Along with Arbaaz Khan, Anoop Menon, Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Sarjano Khalid, Honey Rose, Mirnaa Menon, Chetan Hansraj, Gaadha, Siddique, and Tini Tom, it starred Mohanlal in the lead role.
