Kozhikode: Noted film producer and leading Malayalam daily “Mathrubhumi” whole-time director P V Gangadharan died of a cardiac arrest here on Friday.
He was 80 and is survived by his wife and three children.
Gangadharan died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital here for age-related ailments.
He was born to PV Swami and Madhavi in 1943 at Kozhikode.The film producer was also an active member of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and he had contested the Assembly election from the Kozhiode North Constituency in 2011 on UDF ticket and lost to CPI(M) candidate A Pradeep Kumar.
Popularly known as PVG, he was a prominent businessman and one of the founders of KTC group of companies based in Kozhikode.
He was also the younger brother of PV Chandran, Mathrubhumi Managing Editor .Gangadharan began his career in the film industry as a producer of film Sujatha” in 1977 and later produced around 23 Malayalam films under the banner of “Grihalakshmi Productions’.
His films won various National awards, including “Kanakinavu ‘ (1996) won the Nargis Dutt award for the best feature film on National integration in 1997, “Santham ‘ for the best film in 2000.
His films also won the Kerala State awards including Vartha (1986), Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Ekalyavan ,Veendum Chila Vettu Karynaghal, Achuvinte Amma and Note Book.
He produced the last film ‘Janaki Jhane ” in 2023.
He also served as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), President of Kerala Film Chamber (KFC), President of Film Federation of India, President of District Football Association, Chairman of Airport Development Action Committee, Three term president of Malabar Chamber of Commerce (MCC).
The body will be kept at KP Kesava Menon Hall in the evening, to enable people from all walks of life pay their last respects to Gangadharan.
The funeral will take place in Azchavattam near Kozhikode on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of the noted film producer and said the contribution of P V Gangadharan in films, Media business, industries and in the cultural field will be remembered forever. He added that it was a great loss to Kerala.
