Kozhikode: Malayalam film actor Augustine, 56, who essayed a number of memorable character roles in a career spanning over 35 years, died at a private hospital here due to liver ailment on Thursday morning.
Augustine, who had been keeping away from cinema after he suffered a paralytic stroke, had acted in over 100 films, including major hits like Gandhinagar Second Street, Devasuram, Aaraam Thampuran, Ravanaprabhu and Nandanam.
He is survived by wife Aansamma and daughters Jeethu Augustine and Ann Augustine, who is an upcoming actor. Prominent directors such as Renjith, Joy Mathew and V.M. Vinu were present in the hospital when his end came.
Several film and theatre personalities in Kozhikode paid homage to the actor. His body was later taken to the town hall to enable the public to pay their last respects before it was shifted to his home.
The funeral will be held at Paroppady St. Antony’s Church at 3 p.m. on Friday. Son of Kunnumbarath Mathew and Rosy of Kodenchery, Augustine was associated with several theatre groups in Kozhikode. His initial attempts to get a foothold in films, then based at Kodambakkam in Chennai, had failed.
A breakthrough came in 1980s with the film Gandhinagar Second Street’ scripted by Sreenivasan. Thereafter, he made his presence felt in films scripted or directed by hit-makers like Renjith. Augustine’s other prominent films included Chandralekha, Commissioner, Indian Rupee, Arabikatha, Sadayam and Nilagiri.
Shutter directed by Joy Mathew was his last important film. Paying tributes to Augustine, Joy Mathew said: “Many people like me have grown up watching the performance of Augustine in dramas and I have won prizes in my school days by portraying the characters enacted by Augustine.”
