Malayalam actor Santhosh Nayar died following a road accident in Enathu in the early hours of Tuesday, police said. His wife, who was also in the car with him, sustained injuries. Nayar began his film career with the 1982 movie Ithu Njangalude Katha and went on to act in over 100 films across a range of roles, from hero and villain to supporting characters. His latest release, Mohiniyattam, is currently running in theatres.
Actor Santhosh Nayar passes away
The car crash happened around 6.30 am when the car he was travelling in collided with a lorry, leaving both him and his wife injured. Nayar suffered critical chest injuries after hitting the steering wheel, while his wife sustained a rib fracture, as per PTI.
Santhosh Nayar’s Mohiniyattam is still running in theatres
His latest film, Mohiniyattam, is currently in theatres and now remains his final screen appearance. Another project linked to the same world, Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam, starring Saiju Kurup, is gearing up for its digital release. The film, which was released in theatres on April 10 as a sequel to Bharathanatyam (2024), is set to stream on Netflix from May 8.
Directed by Krishnadas Murali, the story follows Sasidharan Nair’s family as they find themselves caught in a tense situation. The cast includes Suraj Venjaramoodu, Santhosh Nair, Vinay Forrt and Jagadish, among others.
Santhosh Nayar’s early life
Born on November 12, 1960, in Thiruvananthapuram, Santhosh Kesavan Nayar grew up in a family rooted in education. His father, CN Kesavan Nair, was a retired headmaster, and his mother, P Rajalakshmiamma, was a retired teacher. He spent much of his childhood in Pettah with his two sisters, and for a period, was raised by his maternal grandparents while his parents were in Ethiopia.
He studied at St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School and later pursued mathematics at Mahatma Gandhi College. College life also drew him into student politics. While his sisters went on to become gynaecologists, Santhosh chose a very different path, stepping into acting.
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