Malayalam cinema lost one of its most recognisable faces on Saturday, June 6. Salim Kumar, actor, comedian, director, and writer, died at Amrita Hospital in Kochi. He was 56.
Early life and roots
Salim Kumar was born on October 9, 1969, in North Paravur, Ernakulam district. He was the youngest son of Gangadharan and Kausalya. He completed his schooling at Government Lower Primary School and Government Boys High School in North Paravur. After finishing his pre-degree studies at SNM College, Maliankara, he graduated from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. He was known to be a strong admirer of social reformer Sahodaran Ayyappan.
His home in North Paravur was named “Laughing Villa,” a reflection of the personality he carried into public life for three decades.
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From mimicry to the screen
Salim Kumar did not begin his career on a film set. He started on the mimicry stages of Kerala. He won the mimicry competition at the Mahatma Gandhi University Youth Festival three times.
The actor began his career in mimicry at Cochin Kalabhavan and later joined the mimicry troupe Cochin Sagar. He was also a popular presence on the television comedy show Comic Cola, aired on Asianet.
Salim Kumar made his acting debut in 1996 with the film Ishtamanu Nooru Vattam. The 2000 blockbuster Thenkasipattanam proved to be a turning point in his career. The film brought him to a wide audience and established his reputation as a comedian capable of holding screen space with seasoned performers.
Building a comic legacy
Through the early 2000s, Salim Kumar appeared in a string of commercially successful Malayalam films. Some of his most memorable performances came in Kalyanaraman, CID Moosa, Mayavi, Meesha Madhavan, Thilakkam, Pulival Kalyanam, Chathikkatha Chanthu, and Chess.
His career spanned over three decades and more than 300 films. He also acted in three Tamil films and one Odia film. While the comedy roles brought him fame, they also risked confining him to a single register. He would later break that ceiling in a way few had expected.
The turn toward drama
The shift came with a performance that demanded restraint rather than laughter. In Achanurangatha Veedu, he delivered restrained performance that earned him the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor in 2005. Directed by Lal Jose, Kumar played lead role of sleepless father enduring profound familial hardship following daughter’s disappearance. The performance was lauded for its raw intensity and departure from humour.
This role signalled to the industry that Salim Kumar was not simply a comedian who had wandered into serious cinema. He was an actor who had been waiting for the material that matched his range.
Adaminte Makan Abu and the National Award
The defining moment of his career came in 2010. In Adaminte Makan Abu, directed by Salim Ahamed, Kumar played the titular role of Abu, an elderly, destitute attar seller in Kerala whose lifelong aspiration, along with his wife, is to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage amid financial and health adversities.
The film was a landmark not just for Kumar but for Malayalam cinema as a whole. Adaminte Makan Abu won four National Film Awards: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Background Score, as well as four Kerala State Film Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Background Music.
Salim Kumar won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2010 for Adaminte Makan Abu. The film was also selected as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards that year.
Continued recognition
The awards did not stop with Adaminte Makan Abu. He continued to add to his achievements, winning the Kerala State Film Award for Best Comedian in 2013 for Ayalum Njanum Thammil. In 2016, he received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story Writer for Karutha Joothan. He was also honoured with the Kerala State Television Award for Best Actor in 2013.
Career behind the camera
Salim Kumar did not limit himself to acting. As a filmmaker, Salim Kumar directed Compartment, Karutha Joothan, and Daivame Kaithozham K Kumar Akanam. Karutha Joothan won him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story in 2016. His directorial work showed a continued interest in telling stories rooted in the lives of ordinary people.
Political engagement and public life
Beyond cinema, Salim Kumar was vocal about his political views. During the recent Kerala Assembly election campaign, he openly backed the Congress-led United Democratic Front and participated in several campaign programmes across the state. He actively campaigned for VD Satheesan in his home constituency of North Paravur. He also attended the civic reception event held for VD Satheesan on May 24.
Despite recurring health issues and a visibly fragile condition, he continued to make public appearances throughout the election season.
Illness and death
The actor had been battling liver-related health issues for several years. He had earlier revealed that he was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. He clarified that condition was hereditary and not linked to alcohol consumption. Also, he had previously undergone liver transplant.
He was reportedly undergoing treatment for a liver-related illness and died following a heart attack. He passed away around 10:45 p.m. at a private hospital on Saturday.
His mortal remains were taken to Paravur Town Hall in Ernakulam, where the public paid their final respects. The funeral was scheduled for Sunday evening.
He is survived by his wife, Sunitha, and sons Chandu and Aromal.