The body of prolific Malayalam director and screenwriter Lohithadas, who died in Kochi on Sunday morning at 10:50 a.m. in Lisy Hospital Eranakulam following a cardiac arrest, was cremated on Monday morning at 11 a.m. at his house at Amaravathy, Palakkad.

Born at Palluruthy in Kochi, Lohithadas (popularly known as Lohi) grew up in Chalakudy and started his career writing short stories and later dramas. He won the Kerala State award for the best playwright in 1985 for his drama ‘Sindhu Shanthamayozhukunnu’. It was director Sibi Malayil who brought him into films, at the recommendation of actor Thilakan.

Lohithadas created quite a storm with his maiden script Thaniyavarthanam (1987), one of the finest films in Malayalam cinema. The remarkable journey began for Lohithadas then, and he wrote scripts that unleashed some characters and instances never told before! Lohithadas turned director with Bhoothakkannadi (1997).

Some of his popular films include Ezhuthappurangal, Kudumbapuranam, Mukthi, Kireedom, Jathakam, Mudra, Mahayanam, Dasaradham, Sasneham, His Highness Abdullah, Kuttettan, Bharatham, Amaram, Dhanam, Kamaladalam, Aadharam, Kauravar, Valayam, Padheyam, Venkalam, Valsalyam, Chenkol, Thoovalkkottaram, Sallapam, Bhoothakkannadi, Karunyam, Ormacheppu, Kanmadam, Joker, Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal, Arayannangalude Veedu, Soothradharan, Kasthuriman, Chakram, Chakkaramuthu and Nivedyam. He debuted in Tamil with Kasthuriman in 2005.

He won quite a number of awards for his writings and also for direction. His cameos in Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal, Udayananu Tharam and Shakespeare MA Malayalam were also noteworthy. Lohithadas was also known for introducing a few talents to movies like Manju Warrier, Meera Jasmine, Bhama among others. Lohithadas recently planned a film titled Bheeshmar with Mohanlal as the hero and Sibi Malayil as the director. With his death, however, the film remains an unfinished dream.