After the recent losses of director Harikumar and actress Kanakalatha, Malayalam Cinema mourns yet another tragedy with the passing of director-cinematographer Sangeeth Sivan. His demise is felt not only in Malayalam but also in the Hindi industry. Sangeeth, elder brother to cinematographer-filmmaker Santosh Sivan and Sanjeev Sivan, passed away while under treatment at a private hospital in Mumbai. He was in the midst of production for his Bollywood comeback, Kapkapii, a remake of Malayalam's 2023 hit Romancham, set to star Shreyas Talpade and Tusshar Kapoor. Sangeeth Sivan Passes Away; Director Was Known For Films Like Yodha, Kyaa Kool Hai Hum and Apna Sapna Money Money.

Born to noted photographer and filmmaker Sivan, Sangeeth Sivan followed his younger brother Santosh Sivan into cinema. He began as an executive producer for the 1989 film Raakh, featuring Aamir Khan. His directorial debut in Malayalam came the next year with Vyooham, loosely inspired by Mel Gibson's Lethal Weapon series, starring the late Raghuvaran alongside Urvashi, Captain Raju, Sukumaran, Babu Antony, Parvathy Jayaram, among others.

Sangeeth Sivan's most notable work in Malayalam cinema remains Yodha (1992), starring Mohanlal. His other films with Mohanlal - Gandharvam and Nirnayam - also found popularity among Malayalam audiences. He clinched the Kerala State Film Award for Best Children's Film for Johny in 1993.

In Bollywood, Sangeeth Sivan debuted as a director in 1998 with Zor, starring Sunny Deol and Sushmita Sen. Despite not performing well at the box office, he gained attention for launching Zayed Khan with the 2003 thriller Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, featuring Esha Deol. His breakthrough in Bollywood came with the 2005 adult comedy Kyaa Kool Hai Hum, followed by Apna Sapna Money Money in 2006, which marked his last box-office success as a director.

Despite subsequent efforts in Bollywood with films like Ek – The Power of One, Click, and Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, all failed to make an impact. Kapkapii was poised to mark his triumphant return to Bollywood, but fate had other plans. Sangeeth Sivan Passes Away: 'Post in Progress', Director's Last Insta Upload Was a Pic With His Kapkapiii Lead Tusshar Kapoor.

As we reflect on the career of this prolific filmmaker, let's revisit five of his notable movies and where to watch them online:

Yodha

A Still From Yodha

This 1992 film was the first of Sangeeth Sivan's three films starring Mohanlal in the lead, and also remains their best collaboration to date. A loose remake of Eddie Murphy's The Golden Child, Yodha marks the debut of music composer AR Rahman in Malayalam Cinema. The film is still loved by all Malayali movie lovers for its folklore-inspired plot, the performances of Mohanlal, Jagathy Sreekumar, Siddharth Lama (who played Rimpoche) and Puneet Issar, and the comedy. And of course, Rahman's soundtrack, especially the "Padakaali" track. Yodha is streaming on Zee5, JioCinema and MX Player.

Gandharvam

A Still From Gandharvam

Co-starring Kanchan, this 1993 romantic drama is still popular among the Malayalam audience for its comedy scenes and the songs, composed by SP Venkatesh, like "Nenjil Kanjabaanam" and "Maliniyude Theerangal". Gandharvam, a major hit at the box office, was also Mohanlal's 200th film as an actor. The film is streaming on Prime Video.

Nirnayam

A Still From Nirnayam

An unofficial remake of Harrison Ford's The Fugitive, this thriller had Mohanlal in the lead, playing a doctor wanted in the crime of killing his wife, though he is innocent of it. The movie also stars Heera Rajagopal, Jagadish, and Shara Saxena. While not a major hit at the box office, Nirnayam holds a cult following in Malayalam cinema. Also, popular for its sensuous love track, "Malar Masam", composed by R Anandh. Nirnayam is streaming on JioCinema, SunNXT and Prime Video.

Kyaa Kool Hai Hum

A Still From Kyaa Kool Hai Hum

Sangeeth Sivan first tasted success in Bollywood with this 2003 adult comedy, starring Tusshar Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh, Isha Kopikkar and Neha Dhupia in the lead. It was a loose remake of Roberto Benigni's The Monster. Despite its A-rating, the film was a big hit, mostly boosted by its soundtrack composed by Anu Malik and some naughty humour. Sangeeth, however, didn't return to direct its sequels Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3. Kyaa Kool Hai Hum is streaming on Prime Video. Sangeeth Sivan Dies: 'Heartbroken' Riteish Deshmukh Mourns Loss of His Kyaa Kool Hain Hum Director.

Apna Sapna Money Money

A Still From Apna Sapna Money Money

Buoyed by the success of KKHH, Sangeeth Sivan came up with another comedy, albeit with less risque humour, in this 2006 film. Featuring an ensemble cast in Suniel Shetty, Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Celina Jaitley, Koena Mitra, Anupam Kher, Riya Sen, Jackie Shroff and Chunky Pandey, Apna Sapna Money Money was also a box office success. Pritam's song, "Dil Mein Baji Guitar", is quite popular even today. Apna Sapna Money Money is streaming on Prime Video and Zee5.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2024 07:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).