The Kayamkulam police on Monday have registered a case of unnatural death on the death of renowned poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran. Panachooran had passed away Sunday night at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The case is registered based on the statement by his wife, Maya.
According to one of Panachooran’s relatives, the lyricist was healthy and was visiting a temple on Sunday morning when he collapsed. He was then rushed to hospitals in Mavelikkara and Karunagappali before being shifted to Thiruvananthapuram. Although he was confirmed as being Covid positive, he is said to have not displayed any symptoms. Hospital authorities suggested a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.
The autopsy and other procedures will begin as soon as the Kayamkulam police reach Thiruvananthapuram today. The last rites will be held by 6 pm after completing the autopsy.
A lawyer, Panachooran shot to fame through poems such as Anadhan, Kaneerkanalugal, Pranayakalam, Oru Mazha Peythengil and Valayil veena kilikal. Anadhan was used by filmmaker Jayaraj in his Makalkku (To My Daughter). The film is about a mentally deranged woman, played by Shobhana, who wanders the street and her child taken care of by a doctor, played by Suresh Gopi.
A native of Kayamkulam, Panachooran was born to Panachoor Veetil Udayabhanu and Draupadi on November 20, 1965. He studied at the Kerala Law Academy, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kakatiya University, Warangal. Panachooran worked as a lawyer and later dabbled in songwriting for films.
Panachooran shot to fame in the film industry through Lal Jose’s Arabikkatha for which he had penned a few songs. While Chora Veena Mannil... sung with revolutionary fervour by the poet himself is played regularly in Left cultural events, Thirike Njan, which had lines bringing out the pain of expatriates living away from their family members was extremely popular amongst the non-resident Keralites. He went on to pen several songs in the Malayalam industry that touched on a variety of subjects.
Panachooran had the ability of infusing in the essence of the storyline and delivering what the subject of the movie demanded in his lyrics. Vyathyasthanam oru barber... from Kadha Parayumbol, a humour-laced song topped the hit charts for a long time.
Jimikki Kammal... from Velipadinte Pusthakam, with its catchy, yet simple lyrics, inspired from folk songs, went viral when American television presenter and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, whose name resembles the title of the song, tweeted about it, leading to millions of views on YouTube. It spawned several dance video covers from across the globe. In a lyrical career mainly between 2007 and 2020 in the Malayalam film industry, he had written over 220 songs. He also dabbled in acting and acted in Arabikkatha (2007), Manikyakkallu (2011), Chila Neram Chila Manushyar (2011) and Yathra Chodikkathe (2015).
Panachooran, who penned his last lyrics for the movie Within Seconds was reportedly working on his directorial debut film Kaadu.
He is survived by wife, Maya, and their children Maitreyi and Arun.
