Baby Joseph of Nirmala fame passes away

Baby Joseph, who played the title role in the 1948 film Nirmala opposite her husband, Joseph Cherian died at a private hospital in Kochi on Tuesday evening, following a heart attack. Baby Joseph, who was 88, was admitted to a private hospital in the city and was put on ventilator support after complaining of some discomfort.

Baby Joseph, who died around 4.30 pm on Tuesday was one of the early heroines in the Malayalam film industry. Nirmala, produced by her father-in-law PJ Cherian was her first and last movie. The story narrated the tale of a poor fisher woman who falls in love with a police officer and ends up marrying him. Nirmala was the first film produced in Malayalam by a Malayali.

Speaking to TOI, TJ Varghese, who is their family friend and president of All Kerala Photographers Association said, “PJ Cherian's decision to cast his son and daughter-in-law in movie, which was released with the tag 'a film for families', revived Malayalam film industry that was on the verge of oblivion.” He further added that the success of Nirmala encouraged many people to take up filmmaking as a career in Kerala.

Baby Joseph, who is survived by her six children lost her husband, Joseph Cherian 12 years ago.