Director Ambili shares his memories of late actor Innocent. Ambili said that the relationship between the two started with the film Maunaragam. Ambili has played the role of Innocent in four films.
At the end of 1982, when the final stage of Maunaragam was being shot, producer Krishna Kumar made a request. He wants to give his friend Innocent a role in the film. I informed that this is a college campus film and I don’t have any suitable role to play in it. Innocent, who was there that day, told me in his spontaneous style that he had failed in 8th grade and was therefore late for college, and everyone there, including me, laughed. The character of Freddie, the student leader in Maunaraga, was the role that was written and added. It was the beginning of a relationship.
Along with Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s ‘Elipatthayam’, Bharatha’s ‘Ormakai’, Aravindan’s ‘Oridath’ and Mohan’s ‘Ilakamanal’, my ‘Veenapoo’ was selected for the Indian panorama. Innocent was also with him on the journey to Delhi that day. He was the producer of films like ‘Orma Kayali’ and ‘Ilakamanal’.
Innocent has acted in four of my films. Mounaragam, Gana Mela, Scene No. 7, Eagle. It was Innachan that gave me the inspiration to create the song. He was the one who told me that Jagadish had a story in hand and that it was a subject that Ambili might do. He played a full-length role in the film. All production related matters were looked following by Avala Babu.
Innachan’s role in ‘Samudaya’ was later played by another actor due to his busy schedule. Actor Kalabhavan Mani made his debut for another vacancy.
When I had my first baby, Innocent and Awala Babu were among those who came to see the baby at the hospital before me. They informed me that I was at the shooting location.
I was also active with Innocent during his election campaign. He took special care to introduce me to each venue. Salutations to my dear friend’, said Ambili.