Veteran Malayalam movie actor Thilakan has passed away early this morning at the age of 74. Surendranatha Thilakan, known mostly as just Thilakan, was an Indian film and stage actor who has starred in over 200 Malayalam films. Thilakan is regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema known for excelling in character roles.

Thilakan was admitted to a hospital at Thrissur on August 21st 2012 after he collapsed during the shooting of a new film. He was then shifted to KIMS hospital, Trivandrum and was in a critical condition after suffering two heart attacks. Besides having cardiac problems, Thilakan was suffering from pneumonia. The actor had been put on ventilator since then. Thilakan passed away on September 24,2012 at 3:30 IST from complications resulting from his health problems.

RIP Thilakan (15 July 1938- 24 September 2012)