Malayalam filmmaker Madhu Kaithapram dies

Malayalam filmmaker Madhu Kaithapram, who won the National award for his much-acclaimed debut venture 'Ekantham', died at a private hospital here due to diabetes related complication.
The 44-year-old director was undergoing treatment for diabetes at the hospital here since the past few days. He died at around 11.30 pm last night, hospital sources said.
'Ekantham', starring late thespians Thilakan and Murali, was a poignant portrayal of loneliness of the elderly. The film
released in 2006 won Madhu the National award for best debutant director and Kerala state film special jury award.
He followed it with critically acclaimed 'Madhya Venal' in 2009 starring Manok K Jayan and Swetha Menon. The film won the young director the Kerala Film Criticis Association Award for the movie with social relevance and commitment.

Madhu's two other directorial ventures are 'Orma Mathram' (2011) and 'Velli Vellichathil' (2014).
The body was taken to his native town at Kannur for the public to pay their homage. The cremation will be held at his ancestral home at Payyannur, industry sources said.