New Delhi: Joseph Manu James, a young filmmaker who had just made his debut, died on February 23 in a private hospital in Aluva, Ernakulam, Kerala. He was 31. James is survived by his wife Naina. The doctors said he was hospitalised with a diagnosis of pneumonia but ultimately died from hepatitis.
The whole Malayalam cinema industry was shaken up by the news of his unexpected death. Manu's debut film, ‘Nancy Rani’, starring Ahaana Krishna and Arjun Ashokan, will soon be released in theatres. The director passed away before his film could be released.
Ahaana plays the role of a Mammootty fan in the film ‘Nancy Rani’. She has aspirations of becoming an actress, but a terrible event prevents her from achieving her goal.
The film, which is now in post-production, also stars seasoned performers such as Ahana Krishnakumar, Arjun Ashokan, Aju Varghese, Sreenivasan, Indrans, Sunny Wayne, Lene, Lal, and others.
Aju posted a picture of Joseph with the caption "Gone too soon brother" on Instagram to express his sorrow.
Manu's first film role was in ‘I am Curious’, directed by Sabu James, in which he worked as a child actor. In 2004, the picture made its debut in theatres. Years later, he became involved in the film industry, working as an assistant and co-director on a wide variety of Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi features.