Malayalam actor Kundara Johny dies due to heart attack aged 71

Noted actor Kundara Johny, known for his impactful portrayal of negative characters in Malayalam films, died at a private hospital here on Tuesday, film industry sources said. He was 71.

Kollam (Kerala) : Noted Malayalam actor Kundara Johny, who acted in over 500 films, died due to cardiac arrest at the age of 71. Johny garnered wide attention for his effective depiction of villainous roles and negative characters in Malayalam films breathed his last at a private hospital in Kollam on Tuesday, according to sources.

During his long career in films, Johny hogged limelight by playing main villain roles. After he complained of chest pain, he was immediately taken to the hospital. He suffered a heart attack on Tuesday evening and eventually succumbed at the hospital. Roles in 'Kiryatam', 'Godfather' and other films brought recognition to Johny.

The actor worked for over 30 films made by Ivy Sasi alone. He last acted in Unni Mukundan starrer Meppadiyan. Johny began his film career in 1979 and went on to get huge acclaim with his notable performances in hit movies like "Kireedam" and "Chenkol". "Meppadiyan", which was his last movie, was released in 2022.

Johny has also acted in several films of Telugu, Kannada and Tamil, where also he got attention. He acted in more than 500 films during his over four-decade-long career. Kundara Johny was a keen sports enthusiast since his early days and retained that sportsman spirit throughout his film career and personal life.