Malayalam filmmaker Shafi passes away at 56
Kochi (PTI): Filmmaker Shafi, known for bringing laughter to Malayali audiences through his popular films, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi past midnight on Saturday.
He was 56.
Rasheed M H, fondly known as Shafi, was undergoing treatment after suffering a stroke on January 16 and remained in critical condition for several days before his demise, according to the hospital sources.
He breathed his last at 12.25 am, sources added.
Actor Vishnu Unnikrishnan confirmed the news, sharing a post on his Facebook page.
"Shafi sir has departed, leaving behind laughter and unforgettable stories that will be cherished forever. Tributes!!," he posted.
Shafi, who started his career as assistant director under noted filmmaker Rajasenan made his mark in the Malayalam film industry with his debut film, 'One Man Show', in 2001.
Over a career spanning two decades, Shafi directed over ten films, earning acclaim for his expertise in comedy.
His collaborations with actor Dileep led to several blockbusters, including 'Kalyanaraman', 'Marykkundoru Kunjaadu', and 'Two Countries'.
Among his other celebrated works are 'Pulival Kalyanam', 'Thommanum Makkalum', 'Mayavi', and 'Chattambinadu', solidifying his reputation as a prominent director in Malayalam cinema.
His last directorial venture was the 2022 film 'Aanandam Paramanandam'.
According to family sources, his body was shifted to his residence on BTS Road in Edappally, here. It will be kept at the Cochin Service Co-operative Bank Hall, Kaloor, from 9 am to 12 pm on Sunday for the public to pay their last respects.
The cremation is scheduled for 4 pm on Sunday at the Kaloor Muslim Juma Masjid, the family added.
Shafi's elder brother, Rafi, is part of the noted writer-director duo Rafi-Mecartin, while his uncle was the late renowned filmmaker Siddique.
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Rupee hits all-time low for second time in a week
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 31 paise to settle at 91.99 against the US dollar on Wednesday, touching the lowest closing level for the second time in less than a week, amid increased month-end demand for the greenback.
Forex traders said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe offered quiet reassurance. However, increased month-end demand for the American currency as well as the ongoing geopolitical tensions dented investors' sentiments.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 91.60 and touched an early high of 91.50, but pared all the gains to touch an intra-day low of 91.99 against the greenback.
The domestic unit settled 31 paise down, revisiting its lowest-ever closing level of 91.99 against the greenback. The Indian currency previously ended at this level on January 23 when it also hit its all-time intraday low of 92 against the US dollar.
On Tuesday, the rupee rebounded from its all-time low levels and gained 22 paise to close at 91.68 against the US dollar.
Analysts said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe bolstered investor sentiment.
India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA), under which a number of domestic sectors such as apparel, chemicals and footwear will get duty-free entry into the 27-nation bloc, while the EU will get access to the Indian market at concessional duty for cars and wines, an official said.
The deal has been dubbed the "mother of all deals" as it will create a market of about 2 billion people.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.07 per cent lower at 96.14.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 0.43 per cent lower at USD 67.28 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex jumped 487.20 points to settle at 82,344.68, while Nifty surged 167.35 points to 25,342.75.
Foreign Institutional Investors turned net buyers and purchased equities worth Rs 480.26 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
