Legendary Malayalam actor KTS Padannayil, 88, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi, passed away on Thursday.  Padannayil entered the film industry through drama. His toothless smile became his trademark as he slipped with ease into several comic roles.

 Born as Kochuparambil Thai Subramaniam Padannayil in 1933, the actor is known for Vrudhanmare Sookshikkuka (1995), Independence (1999) and Vamanapuram Bus Route (2004).

He was a theatre artist before becoming a cinema artist. He performed at different drama troupes like Jayabharath Nithakalalaya,  Vaikom Malavika, Kollam Tuna and Attingal Padmasree. In a career spanning around 13 years he has acted in more than 60 films and has so far starred in more than one hundred television comedy serials. Padannayil entered Mollywood through filmmaker Rajasenan's Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava and acted in movies such as Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam, Adyathe Kanmani, Swapnalokathe Balabhaskar, Kunjiramayanam, Amar Akbar Anthony, and Rakshadhikari Baiju to name a few.

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