Cochin Haneefa turned real-life gangster and stopped Lissy from being kidnapped: Alleppey Ashraf

The marriage of Malayalam actress Lissy and veteran director Priyadarshan was a widely discussed topic in the film industry. Lissy married Priyadarshan after overcoming strong opposition from her family. The two fell in love while working together on films.

The couple tied the knot in 1990 and have two children, Kalyani and Siddharth. However, years later, they decided to part ways. Their separation in 2016 marked the end of 26 years of marriage, a decision that deeply affected Priyadarshan. The filmmaker has openly spoken about the pain of their split.

Now, Alappey Ashraf has shared insights into Lissy and Priyadarshan’s love story and marriage. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Alleppey Ashraf Kandathum Kettathum, the director recalls an intriguing incident involving Haneefa and actress Lissy during the peak of her relationship with Priyadarshan. At the time, their romance faced opposition, particularly from Priyadarshan’s friends in Thiruvananthapuram. However, Ashraf and late actor Cochin Haneefa supported Lissy in the relationship.

“Haneefa was then shooting for a Tamil film in Ernakulam, featuring actors like Lissy, Rahman, Sivakumar, and Radhika. During the shoot, Lissy’s mother, Eliyamma, arrived on the set with a group of thugs, intending to convince, threaten, and even forcibly take Lissy away from the relationship. The atmosphere turned tense, and Lissy was terrified.

At that moment, Haneefa took on the persona of a real-life gangster, much like his iconic character Haidrose in 'Kireedam'. He angrily confronted the intruders, ‘If any of you dare to touch her, I will destroy you!’, warning them that he would not spare anyone who touched Lissy. The gang, intimidated by his aggression, retreated. Eventually, Haneefa played a crucial role in bringing Lissy and Priyadarshan together in marriage.

Ashraf also spoke about Haneefa’s battle with liver disease. He was diagnosed at an early stage, but he dismissed it, believing it was not serious and could be treated. However, he chose to keep the illness a secret, even from his wife. Since he was an actor, many assumed he was an alcoholic, but in reality, Cochin Haneefa never drank alcohol and was a devout Muslim who prayed five times a day. Despite his illness, he continued acting without revealing his condition, Ashraf said.