Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan passed away at a hospital here early Monday. He was 74.

The actor, who died at 3 a.m., was in a critical condition after suffering two heart attacks. He was part of nearly 300 films, most of them in Malayalam.

Beginning his career in the 1950s, he became famous with his 1979 film "Ulkadal". His latest film was "Ustad Hotel".