Malayalam film comedian Innocent MP undergoing chemotherapy

Kochi, Aug 9
Ace Malayalam comedian and Lok Sabha MP Innocent is presently undergoing chemotherapy at the AIIMS in New Delhi, his doctor said on Sunday.

Speaking to IANS, eminent cancer specialist V.P.Gangadharan under whom Innocent began treatment in 2012 when he was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (or blood cell tumour) said that there was a disease reactivation.

"During a recent check up, it was found out that there is a disease reactivation and since Innocent is in Delhi with the Lok Sabha in session, it was advised that he start the chemotherapy there itself. It started the day before yesterday (on Friday)," he said.

"At the moment he has been advised to undergo six cycles of chemotherapy with an interval of three week. After two or three cycles, there will be a detailed review and the future course of action would be decided," Gangadharan added.

Innocent, 66, was recently re-elected unopposed as the president of Malayalam film actors body AMMA - a post that he has been holding since 2000.

Innocent himself announced on his Facebook page that he is presently undergoing treatment in Delhi.

"I apologise to my people that since I am in the hospital, I will be unable to perform my duties as a lawmaker but I assure all of you that my office in Angamaly will be functioning as always and I will resume my duties as soon as I complete my present treatment," he said.

In a surprise move, Innocent was fielded by the CPI-M led Left Democratic Front as an independent candidate from the Chalakudy Lok Sabh seat in the 2014 general elections and emerged a giant-killer, defeating Congress heavyweight P.C.Chacko.

Innocent began his film career as a producer in the early 1970s and then turned an actor but it was only starting the mid-1980s did he actually click in the latter role and since then he has not looked back and has appeared in more than 500 films.