A beloved figure in Malayalam cinema, Salim Kumar built a remarkable career spanning more than three decades
National Award-winning Malayalam actor Salim Kumar died on Saturday in Kochi after a prolonged battle with liver-related illness. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital, where his condition had reportedly deteriorated, leading doctors to place him on ventilator support.
Salim Kumar is survived by his two sons, Chandu and Aromal.
The actor had openly spoken about his struggle with liver cirrhosis, stating that the condition was hereditary and not related to alcohol consumption.
A beloved figure in Malayalam cinema, Salim Kumar built a remarkable career spanning more than three decades. Renowned for his impeccable comic timing, he later established himself as a powerful character actor capable of delivering critically acclaimed performances.
His most celebrated achievement came in 2010 when he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in Adaminte Makan Abu. He also received multiple Kerala State Film Awards, including honours for acting, comedy and story writing.
Born on October 10, 1969, in Chittattukara, Ernakulam, Salim Kumar began his artistic journey through mimicry and stage performances. His talent earned him recognition at college festivals before he joined prominent stage troupes, paving the way for his entry into cinema.
After making his film debut in the 1990s, he rose to prominence with memorable performances in films such as Thenkasipattanam, Kalyanaraman, CID Moosa, Meesa Madhavan, Mayavi, Pulival Kalyanam and Chathikkatha Chanthu. During his career, he appeared in nearly 300 films across Malayalam, Tamil and Odia cinema.
Apart from acting, he ventured into filmmaking and directed projects including Compartment, Karutha Joothan and Daivame Kaithozham K. Kumarakanam.
With his passing, Malayalam cinema has lost one of its most versatile and widely admired performers, whose contributions to comedy and character acting left a lasting mark on the industry.
