'Manu' film actor John Kottoly dies of cardiac arrest

Hyderabad: Actor John Kottoly, who was part of nearly 10 Tollywood films and multiple short films, passed away on Tuesday after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. Many might not know his name but he is a known face in Tollywood. Many will know him for his role in ‘Manu’, which released in 2018, and his latest Tollywood film, Falaknuma Das.

His death has sent shock waves across the industry. Director Sai Rajesh took to Twitter to express his heartfelt condolences at the actor’s death. One of his colleagues, Suhas, who had worked with the actor in a short film ‘Kalakarudu’, also expressed his grief over the news.

John had a penchant for acting since childhood. He was known for his screen presence. He had made a foray into digital space with web series and short films that had won him accolades. He was also a diction coach and had worked as an assistant director for a few films. He had even worked on a Bollywood project, Nag Ashwin’s ‘Gangs of Dharmapuri’ on Zee 5 about the mining mafia.

John had also acted in movies like ‘Yuddham Sharaman’, ‘Raktam’ and the popular short film ‘Sainma’. He was known for being picky about his roles. He didn’t choose any role that didn’t challenge him. John had once said that he found himself on the stage. His exposure to theatre had taught him the nuances of acting, directing, and other elements of the craft.