‘Cried like a child’: Cochin Haneefa kept his fatal illness a secret from friend Mammootty

Mammootty shared a close friendship with actor-filmmaker Cochin Haneefa. (Credit: Facebook/@Mammootty)Cochin Haneefa was renowned not just as a phenomenal actor but also as an exceptional writer-director. In a career spanning close to 40 years, he appeared in over 300 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu languages, winning the hearts of audiences wherever he set foot. Haneefa was also a beloved figure among industry insiders, and almost everyone still has only the nicest things to say about him. The unbreakable bond between Mammootty, Cochin Haneefa While he shared a warm bond with almost everyone around him, Malayalam megastar Mammootty held a special place in Cochin Haneefa’s heart. In fact, the only time Malayalees saw Mammootty, widely considered as the regional film indust