THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned film director and screenwriter Harikumar (70) passed away on Monday evening. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment for cancer at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

The body, which was brought to the home in Sree Chitra Nagar, Edappazhinji, will be kept for public viewing at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan on Tuesday at 12.30 pm. The funeral will take place at 2.30 pm at Saanthi Kavadam in Thycaud. His wife M Chandrika died three years ago. Children: Ammu (Tata Consultancy, Thiruvananthapuram), Geetanjali (Associate Director).

Harikumar was born as the son of Kallara Pangode native Kanchinada Ramakrishna Pillai and Ammukutiyamma. After completing his engineering degree, he worked as an engineer in Kollam Municipal Corporation. He had also worked as a film journalist for some time before that. He later quit his engineering profession due to his love towards cinema.

Harikumar made his directorial debut through the film ‘Aambal Poovu’ which was released in 1981. He had directed 18 films, including ‘Sukrutham’, ‘Udhyaanapalakan’, ‘Swayamvara Panthal’, ‘Ezhunnallathu’ and ‘Paranju Theeratha Visheshangal’. He received widespread acclaim for ‘Sukrutham’ which had Mammootty and Gauthami playing the main lead. The film went on to win the National Award for Best Malayalam Film in 1994. His last film was ‘Autorickshakkarante Bharya’ starring Suraj Venjaramoodu and Ann Augustine. Harikumar had served as a member of the National Film Awards Jury in 2005 and 2008.