3 days ago
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Salim Kumar — the histrion who aboriginal ventured into penning and directing — has had a roller-coaster career. Few actors would person endured the ignominy of being unceremoniously dropped from a movie for their expected deficiency of acting prowess aboriginal successful their career, lone to aboriginal triumph some the National Film Award and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor successful the aforesaid year, a small implicit a decennary later.
The humiliation came successful 1997, a twelvemonth aft his debut, erstwhile helium was formed successful a movie by a salient director. After a day’s shooting, Salim Kumar was sent backmost connected a bid by a accumulation enforcement without adjacent being told helium had been replaced. He would aboriginal callback however helium was mocked by galore erstwhile helium returned empty-handed aft leaving for the sprout with overmuch fanfare.
Redemption arrived 14 years aboriginal erstwhile helium bagged duplicate honours for Salim Ahmed’s critically acclaimed Adaminte Makan Abu in 2010. He had already demonstrated his scope beyond humour and slapstick 5 years earlier, winning the Kerala State Award for Best Second Actor for his moving portrayal of Samuel, the begetter of a rape victim, successful Lal Jose’s Achanurangatha Veedu, inspired by the Sooryanelli rape case.
Purple patch
Since his debut successful a tiny relation in Ishtamaanu Nooru Vattam (1996), Salim Kumar has acted successful implicit 250 films. Rafi–Mecartin’s blockbuster Thenkasipattanam (2000) turned retired to beryllium his breakthrough and helium deed a purple spot successful the ensuing decade. Shafi’s Kalyanaraman (2002) was followed by the aureate twelvemonth of the vocation successful 2003 erstwhile a drawstring of hits including CID Moosa, Thilakkam, Pulivaal Kalyanam, and Kilichundan Mambazham hit the box-office.
Though 2004 was thin with lone 3 releases, helium struck golden with Chathikkatha Chanthu, wherever his antics arsenic Dance Master Vikram had theatres erupting successful laughter. Rajakannu in Thommanum Makkalum (2005) and the iconic Kannan Sranku successful Shafi’s Mayavi (2007) sealed his presumption arsenic the reigning drama star. Other than the legendary Jagathy Sreekumar, fewer tickled the Malayali audience’s comic bony arsenic overmuch arsenic Salim Kumar did during his aureate phase. In this helium was ably supported by writer-directors specified arsenic Rafi-Mecartin and Shafi, who by their ain admission, often simply wrote Salim Kumar successful the publication for his scenes with astir a unsighted religion successful his humour instincts. He besides shared an effortless on-screen rapport with actors Harisree Ashokan, the precocious Cochin Haneefa and Dileep, each arsenic adept successful handling humour, arsenic evidenced successful galore films.
Beyond humour
To his credit, adjacent amid this laughter riot helium began delivering roles beyond humour. His quality Aamu Elappa successful Kamal’s Pezhumazhakkalam (2004) was much mean than comic, and it was followed by Achanurangatha Veedu. In 2017, Salim Kumar turned to penning and directing with Karutha Joothan, which won the State Award for Best Story. He donned the director’s chapeau again a twelvemonth aboriginal for the Jayaram-starrer Daivame Kaithozham K. Kumarakanam, which unluckily flopped astatine the container office.
Thereafter, his prolific vocation deed roadblocks arsenic his wellness deteriorated. From the heights of 17 films successful 2009, 13 successful 2012, and 17 successful 2019, the numbers nosedived. In the 7 years since 2020, helium has acted successful conscionable 22 films, with lone 1 merchandise each successful 2025 and 2026. His memoir, Eeswara Vazhakkillallo, published successful 2023, lone reaffirmed his mastery implicit humour.
