George Pius Tharayil, the quiet force behind ‘Papanasam’ and ‘Dheepan’, no more

Published: October 07, 2026 05:01 PM IST

 Some film careers are defined by the number of movies a person makes. Others are remembered for the projects they helped bring to life. Malayali George Pius Tharayil, who passed away on Tuesday, belonged to the latter category. George may have produced only a handful of films, but his contribution to some notable projects extended far beyond the producer’s credit. He spent much of his early career working as a linesman and executive producer, quietly holding productions together and earning the trust of filmmakers and colleagues along the way.
One of his most significant associations was with Jeethu Joseph’s ‘Drishyam’ in Tamil. After the Malayalam film became a major success, Jeethu wanted to take the story to Tamil cinema. That eventually led to ‘Papanasam,’ starring Kamal Haasan, with George and his partner Suresh Balaje of Wide Angle Creations playing a crucial role in making the Tamil adaptation happen.

For those who worked with him, however, George’s legacy appears to have been as much about the person he was on a set as the films he helped make. Sudha Kongara, who scripted Revathy’s ‘Mitr, My Friend,’ remembered him as someone who made the experience of working on the film particularly special. “Dearest Georgie. The gentlest and kindest soul I have ever known. Will miss you so much my friend and will always remember how you took care of me during MITR,” she wrote on Instagram, recalling a journey made more precious by his presence. Filmmaker Anjali Menon was among those who also expressed grief over his death.

Filmmaker V K Prakash, who collaborated with George, remembers him as an exceptionally organised and composed professional. “He showed a deep respect to everyone and was also very mild. With financial management, he was a gem and could organise everything so well,” Prakash told Onmanorama. He had known George’s partner Suresh Balaje for years, and the association eventually brought George and Suresh to his film ‘Careful, ‘which they produced. “I will always cherish the memories he made with us,” Prakash said.

George’s work also took him beyond Indian cinema. His association with the French film ‘Dheepan,’ directed by Jacques Audiard, is another lesser-known chapter of his career. The film, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, had Wide Angle Creations involved as the Indian line-production partner. Through that association, George became part of a film that travelled from a very specific story of displacement and survival to one of the biggest stages of world cinema. His passing leaves behind a relatively small filmography, but a much larger circle of filmmakers and colleagues who remember the gentleness, discipline and care he brought to their journeys.