Malayalam actor Jagannatha Varma passes away after prolonged ailments

Jagannatha Varma breathed his last at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was reported to have been undergoing treatment for old age ailments

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 20: Famous Malayalam actor and Kathakali artist, Jagannatha Varma on Tuesday passed away at the age of 77. Varma breathed his last at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was reported to have been undergoing treatment for old age ailments.

Varma was born to Thekkedathu Kovilakam Kerala Varma Thampuran and Kattunkal Kovilakam Ambalika at Varanad, Cherthala, Kerala and had been very active in the Malayalam film industry for almost three and a half decades. He started his film career through A Beem Singh’s Mattoli and has acted in more than hundred films. His son Manu Varma too is an actor, while director Viji Thampi is his son-in-law. Varma has acted in almost 190 films.

Before getting active in movies, the noted actor joined the Kerala Police Force in 1963. He retired from Kerala Police as Superintendent of police. He was also an accomplished Kathakali artist and has shared stages with noted actors. He mastered the art from Pallippuram Gopalan Nair Asan and was also a percussionist, learned the art from Kalamandalam Raman Namboothiri. Varma is survived by his wife Santha Varma,  a son Manu Varma, an accomplished television actor, and a daughter Priya.

(Image Credit: kerala9.com)