Lohithadas’ creative journey ended abruptly on 28 June 2009. And Malayalees forgot him soon. Nobody is to blame, you matter only when you live. I always felt scripts of Lohithadas hang around the dynamics of human emotions. By and large, the audience could relate to his characters. Those were the days Mollywood would host family-centric plots with a multitude of characters on board. Lohi reigned the period.

Thaniyavarthanam- released with his debut script in 1987 shocked Malayalee viewers with its dark approach towards a family that carries genes of mental illness. It mirrored the societal attitude toward such people in rural Kerala and earned high critical acclaim. Much credited Sibi Malayil –Lohithadas combination films begin now, captivating the Malayalam film industry in the last leg of the 80s and 90s with more than 13 films. Most of them were super hits Kireedam (1989), His Highness Abdullah (1990) Bharatham(1991), Kamaladalam (1992), and so on. Lohithadas penned stories for all known directors of the times – Bharathan, Joshi, IV Sasi, Sathyan Anthikkad, Harikumar, etc, creating tailor-made characters for the different genres they represented. Lohi introduced fresh actors through his films who later made it big in the South Indian film industry. Also, some of his characters won state awards and one, a national award for Mohanlal. Lohi’s films were also gifted with the best musical compositions.

Among his directorial ventures, Bhoothakkannadi (1997) scripted and directed by Lohithadas is my favorite. It was an intriguing psychological journey of a character played by Mammootty, totally naïve to the films existed then. Chakoram (1994) is another Lohi script refuses to leave me. I cannot skip Amaram (1991) an all-time favorite of Malayalees.

Lohithadas’ filmography in Malayalam was impressive during the two decades he was active. I wouldn’t say they were all unique in creation but they are here to stay. They may not withstand changing trends. Being very emotional in nature, his characters manifested more of them on-screen. I feel Lohi represented a generation trapped in family sentiments, sacrificed love affairs, conditioned morals, and other emotional setbacks. They would still carry him and his films in their hearts, perhaps forever.