I V Sasi was proud of his Kozhikode roots

KOZHIKODE: Iruppam Veedu Sasidharan (I.V. Sasi) loved Kozhikode, his native place, which provided him the right ambience for his initial days in filmdom. Hotel Maharani, a hatchery of many films, was his favourite haunt. It was an era when many from the region ruled the roost in film industry, including MT, Hariharan, T. Damodaran, actors Kunhandi, Kuthiravattam Pappu, Balan K. Nair, Nellikkode Bhasakaran and K.P. Ummer. Kozhikode was the nucleus of Malayalam films. Sasi shot his hit movie 'Angadi' at Valiyangadi (Big Bazar) of Kozhikode. His favourite roaming spots in the region also found a place in the film 'Avalude Ravukal.'  Two script writers MT and T. Damodaran inspired the director in him. He took special care while dealing with MT's script, as he said in an interview. A master craftsman, Sasi could dominate the film field with the MT effect. His was close to T. Damodaran and took liberties with his script. 

Sasi and Seema on their wedding day.

Sasi was proud of his deep roots in the region. Whenever he came to his paternal home at West Hill, he made it a point to meet school friends, some of them primary school dropouts.  Two months ago, Sasi had his 'second marriage' at his home town here. In a private event held at the residence of film producer P.V. Gangadharan on the occasion of Sasi's 37th wedding anniversary, he exchanged garlands with Seema at a joyous occasion. Seema said after the function: "Let the rumours about our split be laid to rest." "Sasi's demise is a great loss to Malayalam film industry," said P.V. Gandadharan. "I am yet to come to terms with the reality that he is no more. He had film in his life till his last breath," he said.

Another director from Kozhikode, Ranjith, said he was mesmerised by the craftsmanship of Sasi which took spectacular form on screen. "There are only a few directors who dealt with such diverse scripts. Whatever the script writer conveyed, it appeared on screen," he reminisced. 'Devasuram' was the blockbuster from the Sasi-Ranjith team.  Actor Joy Mathew remembered Sasi as the star director who carried the entire film on his shoulders. "Sasi's films carried his identity rather than that of the hero or the heroine," he said.