Kochi (PTI): Veteran Malayalam filmmaker and national award winner K G George died on Sunday at an old age home near Kakkanad here. He was 78, according to a source at the old age home.

The veteran director suffered a stroke five years ago and the last couple of months had become very difficult for him, the source said. Condolences poured in from people, including politicians, actors and directors, from all walks of life on social media.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his condolence message said the filmmaker's death was an irreparable loss to the Malayalam film industry. George handled issues affecting society by analysing the societal structure and the mindset of individuals, the chief minister said in his Facebook post paying tribute to the veteran director.

He worked to reduce the difference between artistic and commercial cinema, Vijayan said."There are not many directors who have handled different themes (in their films)," the chief minister said in his post.

George's funeral is likely to be held on Tuesday, the old age home said. He received the national award for best feature film Swapnaadanam (1976) and has also bagged nine state film awards since he started his film career in 1970.

Ulkaddal (1979), Onappudava (1978), Yavanika (1982) and Adaminte Variyellu (1984) are some of the best directorial works of the award winning director who was in 2015 selected for the J C Daniel Award -- the Kerala government's highest honour for outstanding contribution to Malayalam cinema.

Panchavadi Palam directed by George in 1984 is considered one of the best political satire films in Malayalam cinema.

His wife Selma George and son Arun are in Goa and daughter Thara is in abroad, the old age home said.

 

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Perth: Team India batter KL Rahul's dismissal during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth on Friday has ignited a wave of frustration and debate among fans and pundits alike.

The controversy unfolded when Rahul, who was looking in decent touch, was dismissed for 26 following a review by the third umpire. Facing Mitchell Starc, Rahul moved forward to defend a delivery that angled across him. The ball passed closely to the bat and was caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Initially, the on-field umpire ruled it not out, but Australia opted for a review, claiming a faint edge.

The review showed a spike on the Snicko, suggesting contact with the bat as the ball passed. However, the crucial front-on replay, which could have confirmed whether the sound came from the bat or the bat-pad contact, was inconclusive. Despite the ambiguity, the third umpire overturned the on-field not-out decision, citing the Snicko spike as sufficient evidence of an edge.

The Karnataka batter, visibly upset, flashed a wry smile before delivering a mouthful.

The dismissal sparked widespread outrage on social media, with fans calling the decision a "joke" and criticising the reliance on incomplete evidence. Many argued that the absence of a clear front-on angle should have led to the benefit of the doubt being given to the batter.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer took to social media, questioning the use of technology and the third umpire’s decision. "Third umpire asked for another angle which wasn't provided. I'd assume he'd only ask for another angle if he wasn't sure. Then if he wasn't sure, why did he overturn the on field not out call? Poor use of technology and proper protocol not followed. KL hard done by," Jaffer wrote on X.

Former Australian batter Matthew Hayden also weighed in, expressing doubts over the Snicko reading. “His pad and bat are not together at that point in time as the ball passes. It's (bat hitting pad) after, in fact, the ball passes the edge. Does Snicko pick up the sound of the bat hitting the pad? We're assuming (Snicko) may be the outside edge of the bat but that may not be the case," Hayden said on 7Cricket.

Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle also criticised the decision, urging a more careful review process, especially when overturning the on-field umpire's call. He noted that there is no need to rush a decision when there are so many angles to review.

Meanwhile, Australian pacers dominated the Indian batting lineup as India were bowled out for 150 on Day 1 of the first Test.