KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 2026 — Tan Sri Lakshmanan Krishnan, one of the pioneers of Malay cinema and a mentor to the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee, has died in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the age of 104.
FINAS chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib confirmed the death, saying Yayasan Artis Veteran Malaysia informed him that Krishnan passed away at 2.15pm local time on Thursday due to old age. He had lived in Thailand for many years after marrying a Thai national. Funeral arrangements were still underway.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil offered condolences to the family and the country’s arts and film community. In a statement, he called Krishnan a key figure of Malay cinema’s golden era who directed more than 30 films, helped develop many artists including P. Ramlee, and helped lay the foundations of modern Malaysian filmmaking.
“More than the awards, the works and the generation of artists who emerged from the era he helped build have become part of the nation’s cultural heritage,” Fahmi said. “His service and legacy will continue to be remembered.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also described the death as a great loss to Malaysian arts and culture. Anwar said Krishnan, a former student of Bukit Mertajam High School, shaped early Malay cinema through work at Shaw Brothers, Malay Film Productions, Cathay-Keris and Merdeka Studios, and guided talents including P. Ramlee, Maria Menado, Mustapha Maarof, M. Amin and Rosnani Jamil.
Born in Madras, India, in 1922 and raised in Penang, Krishnan entered the film industry after the Second World War and moved to Singapore in 1949 as a director at Shaw Studio. His films included early P. Ramlee titles such as Bakti and Takdir Ilahi (1950), Penghidupan (1951) and Antara Senyum dan Tangis (1952). He later worked at Merdeka Studio in Kuala Lumpur, founded Gaya Filem Berhad in 1970, and in 1982 set up Malaysia’s first film colour laboratory.
Krishnan received the 2016 Merdeka Award for outstanding contribution to education and community, along with the Malaysian Film Figure Award and other honours. FINAS said his work at Merdeka Studio also helped pave the way for the national film agency.
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