TV Madhavan Warrier, father of renowned dancer and actor Manju Warrier passed away on Sunday at 3 pm at their residence in Pullu, Thrissur. He was surrounded by his wife Girija Warrier, daughter Manju, son Madhu Warrier, daughter-in-law Anu and grandchild Avani at the time of his demise.
The 70-year-old had been batting cancer for a few years and his condition had worsened in the past few months. Manju has spoken on many occasions about being aware of the difficulties that cancer patients go through.
Manju's father used to work as an accountant in a private banking company or chit fund. Coming from a middle class family, Manju has said that her success as a dancer was only thanks to the relentless passion and sacrifices made by her father and mother.
"Whenever my father got transferred, instead of looking for good schools around they would look for good teachers to teach dance. It was when we were based in Kannur that I was the 'Kalathilakam' for two years in the state youth festival. It was my mother's passion and my father's sacrifice that made me a dancer. My father understood my mum's desire and my talent. He provided us with complete support and encouragement. He set aside his own needs and with difficulty he taught me dance. Sometimes to register me for the Youth Festival my father used to bid chit funds, sell gold ornaments and borrow money. We were from a very middle class family. So I sometimes feel my anklet is made of my father's sweat," Manju said in an interview to Mathrubhumi on World Dance Day back in 2017.
"Achan borrowed money, opened chit funds etc to raise us. He would always save the money meant for the next year. Though his company used to give his money to travel in train, he would travel by bus and save the extra money. They had even mortgaged my mother's jewelry to fund my dance classes. I realised all this only much later," she had said.
Manju's former husband Dileep and daughter Meenakshi had visited the house to pay respects. According to sources, the two were at the house for about an hour.
In this video released in 2016, Manju Warrier spoke about her father and her life as a toddler in Tamil Nadu and how her father always supported her decisions and never faulted her.
Watch her interview here: