Kochi, May 2, 2025 — Vishnu Prasad, a familiar face in Malayalam film and television, died yesterday in a Kochi hospital, succumbing to a brutal liver disease that ravaged him for months. He was 43. His family’s frantic efforts to scrape together ₹30 lakh for a liver transplant fell short, leaving them shattered and the industry mourning a talent gone too soon.
Prasad, known for roles in films like Kerala Café and serials that glued families to their screens, had been battling liver failure since late last year. Doctors at a private hospital in Kochi pinned his survival on a transplant, but the cost was a mountain too steep for his family to climb. Crowdfunding pleas and appeals from colleagues rippled across Kerala, but the funds trickled in too slowly. By April 16, when his condition took a nosedive, hope was fading fast.
Born in a small village in Thrissur, Prasad clawed his way into the industry with grit and a knack for roles that felt lived-in—cabbies, shopkeepers, the guy next door. He wasn’t a superstar, but his face was one you knew, his voice a comfort in countless living rooms. Friends in the industry described him as a workhorse, always on set, always ready with a joke to lighten the mood. His illness, though, was merciless, and the system didn’t bend to save him.
The hospital, in a statement issued today, confirmed Prasad’s death came after weeks in intensive care. No transplant was performed; the money never came. Kerala’s health department, which sometimes steps in for critical cases, has no record of aid extended to Prasad’s family, though it’s unclear if they applied. The actor’s wife, Lakshmi, and their two children were at his bedside when he passed.
Prasad’s death has sparked murmurs about the precarious lives of character actors, who often lack the safety nets of their A-list peers. His final days were spent in a sterile ward, not on a set, his family counting rupees instead of script pages. He leaves behind a legacy of small but unforgettable roles and a stark reminder of how illness can outrun even the most desperate fight.
Vishnu Prasad was born on March 12, 1982, in Thrissur, Kerala. He is survived by his wife, Lakshmi, and their children, Arya, 14, and Aditya, 9. His body was cremated in Kochi today after a private ceremony.