Malayalam actor Shanavas, son of superstar Prem Nazir, passes away

Malayalam actor Shanavas, son of superstar Prem Nazir, passed away at the age of 71 in Thiruvananthapuram late Monday night. He was suffering from kidney-related ailments at a private hospital and breathed his last a few hours after being admitted. The actor was living in a flat near Akashvani, Vazhuthacaud.

Carving a path of his own

Shanavas debuted in films in 1981 with 'Premageethangal', directed by Balachandra Menon. At the time he was persuing his MA in English Literature at New College, Chennai.

Over time, Shanavas created his own identity and featured in 96 films across Malayalam and Tamil, with roles ranging from romantic leads to complex villains in a career spanning over four decades.


Some of his notable performances were in the 'Premageethangal', 'Mylanji', 'Mouna Raagam' 'Manithali', 'Gaanam', Aazhi', 'Maharajavu' 'Himam', 'Chithram', and 'Koritharicha Naal'.

He had a long hiatus from the industry before making a comeback in 2011 with 'China Town', which was a superhit.

Shanavas also shared the screen with father Prem Nazir in seven films, starting with 'Ivan Oru Simham'. He also played roles in television serials.

His final film, 'Jana Gana Mana', starring Prithviraj, showed that his screen charisma remained undiminished. The thriller drama movie was directed by Dijo Jose Antony and was released in the year 2022.

Educated in Chirayinkeezhu, Yercaud, and Chennai, Shanavas remained was dedicated to academics and arts.