Pathanamthitta: Ayyappan Unnithan, brother of renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, has passed away. He was 79.

Ayyappan's funeral will be held at their home at Manakala, near Adoor, in Pathanamthitta district at 2 pm today.

As reported earlier the almost century-old ancestral house of the brothers at Manakala is set to be taken over by the Kerala Government as it would be preserved as a historical monument.

The Adoor Gopalakrishnan Cultural Study Centre gave a request to the state government to protect and preserve the house as a historical monument considering the filmmaker's contribution to world cinema.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan is also known by the mononym Adoor. He has directed, scripted and produced several classic films over a career spanning nearly half a century.