Prem Nazir's elder daughter Laila Beegum passes away, memorial wish remains unfulfilled

Who was Laila Beegum and why പ്രേംനസീര് is trending

Search interest for പ്രേംനസീര് rose in India around 8 October 2026, following reports that the legendary Malayalam actor's eldest daughter Laila Beegum died at age 76. Google Trends data observed on 8 October 2026 shows the term in the trending list with approximately 2,000 approximate searches in the past 24 hours. The signal confirms search interest, not the truth of news claims.

Asianet News Malayalam reported on 7 October 2026 that Laila Beegum passed away at her residence in Payyancheri, Kozhikode. The report identifies her as the eldest daughter of actor Prem Nazir and notes family details including her late husband retired supervising engineer P.A. Rashid and children Sajith and Soj. Asianet News Malayalam

Family background and connection to Prem Nazir

Laila Beegum was born in Chirainkeezhu and was educated at Chirainkeezhu Kodikkakam Government LP School, Madras Presidency School, St. Rocks Convent Thiruvananthapuram and Kunthallur Government High School. She had authored a book on her father titled 'Ithile Poyathu Vasantham'.

The family home in Chirainkeezhu associated with Prem Nazir is known as Laila Cottage, named after his elder daughter. The house is described as about sixty years old. After marriage about 50 years ago to P.A. Rashid, she settled in Kozhikode, where Prem Nazir stayed at the Payyancheri residence whenever he visited the city.

Following her death on the night of 7 October 2026, the body was taken to her birthplace Thiruvananthapuram for burial on 8 October 2026, as reported by Asianet News Malayalam.

Unfulfilled wish for a memorial

Mathrubhumi's 8 October 2026 coverage recalls Laila Beegum's repeated concern that no formal memorial for Prem Nazir had materialised. The article notes that Prem Nazir died in 1979, 37 years before her passing, and that the dream of a memorial for her father remained unfulfilled at the time of her death. Mathrubhumi

Laila Beegum had spoken in a 2017 interview about her father's simple habits with fans and about the limited personal photographs kept at the Payyancheri home. She said the family kept little connection with the film industry after his death and that the memory of his unpainted smile was what remained for her.

The reports attribute the cause of death to age-related ailments without specifying a medical diagnosis, and the memorial mentioned remains an unfulfilled wish with no construction reported as completed.