Renowned costume designer from the Malayalam film industry, Velayudhan Keezhillam, passed away in Chalakkudy, Kerala, following a cardiac arrest. He was 66.
He died in a hospital in Chalakkudy, reports Asianet News.
Velayudhan won the state award for best costume design in 1994 for his work in the film Manathe Vellitheru, which starred Shobana and Vineeth in the lead. As an independent musician performing on stage, Shobana appeared in all sorts of fashionable clothes, then unseen in Malayalam cinema. Vineeth too was seen as a suit-wearing, fashionable hero-villain in the film.
Velayudhan was also behind the costume design of the iconic film Manichithrathazhu, in which Shobana plays a woman with multiple personality disorder and one of these characters is a Tamil dancer from another era. The role in the 1993 film won Shobana the national award for best female actor that year.
Velayudhan began his career in Malayalam cinema as an assistant costume designer for KG George’s Ulkaladal in 1979. He was only 25 then. After becoming independent, he worked with directors such as Kamal, Sathyan Anthikad, Sibi Malayil, Priyadarshan, Fasil, Lohithadas and others. He did the costume design for all Siddique-Lal movies starting from Ramji Rao Speaking. The last film he worked on is also the Siddique movie Big Brother, which had Mohanlal in the lead.
Velayudhan has also worked in movies like Aaram Thamburan, The Tiger, Manivathoorile Ayiram Shivarathrikal, Kattu Kuthira, Veruthe Oru Bharya and Chanakyan. In Manivathooril, Suhasini wore skirts and shirts while Mammootty sported a muffler or shawl. In Chanakyan, the anklets worn by a young Urmila Matondkar play an important part in the movie, the last Malayalam one that Kamal Haasan played a lead in.
Born in Keezhillam in Perumbavoor, the costume designer also appeared in a small role in Balachandra Menon’s film Kalika.
Velayudhan’s body will be cremated at his home compound in Chalakkudy.