RIP Rizabawa: An integral part of the Malayalam film industry

He was best known for his work in 'In Harihar Nagar'

Malayalam actor Rizabawa passed away at a hospital in Kochi on Monday, leaving fans heartbroken. He received his early education in Toppumpady and decided to enter the film industry because of keen interest in theatre and acting. The actor began his career with Vishupakshi but the film did not see the light of the day.

He eventually made his big screen debut with Dr Pasupathi, which hit the screens in 1990. It was, however, the comedy-thriller In Harihar Nagar that proved to be a gamechanger for him. The film was directed by Siddique-Lal and featured Rizabawa in the role of the villainous John Honai, a character that attained cult status. He subsequently acted in films such as Chambakkulam Thachan, Kabuliwali and Niram, finding a foothold in the industry.

In 2005, he acted alongside Mammootty in Nerariyan CBI,the fourth instalment the iconic CBI franchise. It was directed by K Madhu and revolved around what happens when a woman is murdered in mysterious circumstances. The mystery-thriller received positive reviews with most critics praising the execution and performances.

Rizabawa played a key role in the 2015 release John Honai, directed by T A Thufeeq. Contrary to perception, it was not a part of the Harihar Nagar series. The actor appeared alongside ‘Megastar’ and Dileep in the 2013 action-comedy Proprietors: Kammath & Kammath, which did not live up to expectations. He essayed a supporting role in Kohinoor, featuring Indrajith and Shraddha Srinath. The Vinay Govind-helmed comedy received favourable reviews and emerged as a success. He was recently seen in the political drama One, which proved to be a flop.

Rizabawa was a talented voice artist and dubbed for actors, who were not comfortable in Malayalam. He won the Kerala State Award for Dubbing when he dubbed for Tamil actor Thalaivasal Vijay in the critically-acclaimed Karmayogi. He also did the voice dubbing for Anupam Kher in the well-received Paranayam. Rizabawa carved a niche for himself in the TV industry with his work in serials like Kana Kanmani and Thenum Vayambum.

His death is a big loss for the Malayalam film industr