Thousands braved incessant heavy rain to queue in front of the town hall in Kerala’s North Paravur on Sunday to bid farewell to Salim Kumar, the versatile comedian of Malayalam cinema, who passed away on Saturday night due to lingering health issues. He was 57 years old.
Kumar died in a private hospital in Kochi after suffering from fever and shortness of breath. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease and sepsis with multi-organ dysfunction, a hospital statement said. Kumar received a liver transplant a few years ago and was given ventilator support but succumbed to the disease around 10.43pm on Saturday.
The actor’s mortal remains were taken from the hospital to the city hall in North Paravur, where they were kept for public veneration until 1pm. Thousands, including actors from the film industry like Jayaram, Navi Nair and Tiny Thom, and politicians including Chief Minister V D Sathisan, Culture Minister B C Vishnunad, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden and MLA Ramesh Pisharody, were present to pay tribute to the talented actor.
The remains were taken to the actor’s residence, aptly named ‘Laughter Villa’ in the city, where he was cremated with full state honors around 3pm. Religious rituals were omitted during the cremation of the body, according to the beliefs of the late actor.
Salim Kumar’s passing left behind a huge void in Malayalam cinema that few can fill. His journey into performing arts as a mimic artist began in the early 1990s at the famous Cochin Kalabhavan where his exploits led him to the popular comedy show Comicola on Asianet TV.
As was common in those days where mimicry artists got favorable opportunities in the film industry, Kumar also got his chance and made his film debut. Ashtamano nuru vtam in 1997. It took a few years, several auditions and parallel theatrical performances on the imitation front for Kumar to get more exposure in films.
After he became famous for his role in the movie Satyameva Jayathi In 2000, Kumar met famous director duo Ravi McCartin. The latter recognized the actor’s potential, especially in slapstick humour, and cast him in the role of Muthuraman in the film. Thenkasipatnam Along with actors Dileep, Suresh Gopi and Lal in the same year. This turned out to be a huge breakthrough for Kumar, who did not have to look back in the following decade.
A series of successful films such as Kalyanaraman, Criminal Investigation Moses, Chathikatha Chanthu, Misamadavan and E parakum thalica Roles that cemented Kumar’s talents as a master comedian and entertainer followed in the early 2000s. His dialogue delivery style, coupled with the quintessential Kochi slang and the ability to transform into the most outlandish characters and traits, made Kumar a permanent fixture in comedies of the decade.
But Kumar, as subsequent years proved, showed that he was an actor capable of more than just humour. In films like Perumazhaklam, Adamanti is Abu’s place, Ashanurangata VidhuHe played the lead roles with gravitas and finesse. Critics and juries did not fail to notice his acting prowess. He received the National Film Award and Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in 2010 for his film Adamanti is Abu’s place. He received the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his film Ashanurangata Vidhu In 2005, Best Comedian in 2013 for Ailum Nganum Thamil And the best story of 2016 for Karutha Jothan.
In all, Kumar has starred in more than 300 Malayalam films and directed three others. Apart from films, Kumar was a popular Congress member and showed no hesitation in speaking out on behalf of the party even in its worst times. At political meetings, he emphasized the party’s secular and liberal credentials and was known for his humorous criticism of the CPI(M). Kumar shared a deep relationship with CM VD Satheesan, who is also an MLA from the actor’s constituency in Paravur. The actor was last seen in public in May at a function to congratulate Sathisean after the latter took over as chief minister.
“Salim Kumar was a rare talent who proved that he could adapt to any character, not just comedy. He effortlessly portrayed characters that made us cry as much as they made us happy and laugh. He showed a wealth of talent as well as sincerity in interpersonal relationships. He was a paravur son of the soil and reflected the raw look of the region,” Sathisan said.
