Shine Tom Chacko Recalls Mammootty's Support After Dad's Death: ‘Told Me To Stay Grounded'

News18

01-07-2025

Last Updated:
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko was in a tragic road accident in Salem on 6 June, resulting in his father CP Chacko's death.
Shine Tom Chacko recently spoke about one of the toughest times in his life — the road accident in Salem on June 6 that took his father's life. Shine was travelling with his family when the accident happened. While he suffered several injuries, the loss of his father hit him the hardest. In a recent interview, he shared how Mammootty personally reached out to him during that difficult time, offering support and kind words, even though he himself was going through something. Shine said that meant a lot to him and helped him stay strong.
Shine Tom Chacko shared a small memory from the trip with his family. He had recently quit smoking and started snacking on biscuits instead. During the journey, he even woke up in the middle of the night to ask his father for some. That sweet, ordinary moment was one of the last he shared with him. Not long after, the accident happened. Shine said the next time he saw his father was after the crash. It broke his heart as his father never got the chance to speak again.
The actor remembered how Mammootty stood by him and offered support during the difficult time after his father's passing. He told Cue Studio, 'He didn't say much, but he said exactly what I needed to hear. He told me not to let grief consume me, to stay grounded."
He added, 'Mammukka himself was going through a difficult time but still took the effort to call. He told me he never saw me as a troublesome boy. He said you just have to change certain things. Everything will be fine. We'll change and move forward, and everything else will follow."
Just before the accident, Shine was lying in the back seat of the car, eating biscuit s. 'I woke up and asked Dad for a biscuit. He gave me some, two or three times. Then, when I opened my eyes again, the car had crashed," he recounted in an interview with The Cue. 'After that, Dad never spoke to us again."
The suddenness of the impact left the family disoriented. Shine said it took them a while to even comprehend they were lying on the road. 'I broke down and cried on the road. I remember shouting, 'Someone please come and help, someone please get us to the hospital.'" His mother, too, was confused and kept asking why they were on the road. His father, tragically, had already passed.
Shine's brother, Joe John Chacko, who was sitting in the front seat, miraculously escaped without a single scratch. 'I called out to Dad, but he wasn't responding," Shine said, holding back tears.
Recalling his own injuries, Shine revealed that he had received 30 stitches and suffered a small crack in his back. His mother, who had a dislocated hip, had it relocated during treatment, but still remains bedridden. Even more painful is the emotional trauma—Shine shared that his mother has yet to accept her husband's death. 'She keeps asking about him," he said.
The accident happened near Palakottai when a lorry coming from the opposite side crashed into their car. Locals quickly stepped in and took the injured to the hospital, but sadly, Shine's father, CP Chacko, passed away on the spot.
This heartbreaking incident came just weeks after Shine was in the news for a legal issue involving a drugs case, which led to a court-ordered rehab.
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