Dr. Nelliat Curundadath Shyamalan, who was a respected cardiologist and father of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, passed away in the United States on November 4 at the age of 88. The funeral will take place on Friday, November 7, in the US.
Sharing the news on social media, M. Night Shyamalan wrote, “My dear dear father has passed. The amount of loss we are feeling is immense. But it is mixed with gratitude for having had him in our lives for these many years.”
Thanking everyone for the support he has received, he continued, “I wanted to thank you for supporting me and allowing all my dreams to come true. My father came to America and got to see all of your love and it made him so happy.”
“No words can express how much I adore him. I will try to live up to his example of kindness, optimism and joy,” he concluded his post.
Who was Dr. Nelliat C. Shyamalan?
Dr. Nelliat C. Shyamalan was a renowned heart specialist. He lived and worked in Philadelphia for most of his life. He was born in Mahe and had family roots in Kannur, Kerala.
Dr. Shyamalan was also interested in history and ancestry. He conducted research on the origins of the Thiyya community of Malabar, The Hindu reported.
Based on DNA studies, he proposed that the Thiyyas descended from Indo-Aryan groups who migrated from Central Asia, specifically from present-day Kyrgyzstan, through Pakistan and Rajasthan before settling in North Malabar, Coorg, and the Nilgiris. His research reflected his lifelong curiosity and love for learning.
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Support for his son’s filmmaking journey
Dr. Shyamalan also had a connection to the film world through his son, Manoj Night Shyamalan, who has made films like The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split.
He supported his son’s early filmmaking career and even helped produce M. Night Shyamalan’s first film, Praying with Anger (1992).
Family and legacy
Apart from his son, Dr. Dhyamalan is survived by his wife, Dr. Jaya Lakshmi, and daughter Veena Loftus, both residing in the United States. His surviving siblings are Venugopal of Chennai and Daya Jayaram of Calicut. His brothers Gangadharan, Sadhanandhan, and Raveendran had predeceased him.
FAQs
1. Who was Dr. Nelliat C. Shyamalan?
Dr. Nelliat C. Shyamalan was a respected cardiologist based in Philadelphia and the father of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan. He was known for his long medical career and his research on the origins of the Thiyya community.
2. When did M. Night Shyamalan’s father pass away?
Dr. Nelliat C. Shyamalan passed away on November 4, 2025, in the United States at the age of 88. His funeral will be held on November 7.
3. What was Dr. Shyamalan’s connection to M. Night Shyamalan’s films?
He supported his son’s early filmmaking journey and served as a cameo producer in M. Night Shyamalan’s first film, Praying with Anger (1992).
