Meet National Award winner Salim Kumar

No more mere comedian roles for Salim Kumar. By winning the National Award for Best Actor, Salim Kumar has gagged his critics.

Before he bagged the coveted award for film Adaminte Makan Abu, the Malayalam actor was mostly known for his comic roles and mimicry talent. Despite proving his acting skills in movies like Achanurangatha Veedu, Gramophone, Perumazhakkalam, and Kerala Cafe, he seemed to be an unlikely candidate for Adaminte.

But it was Salim Kumar who made the film a must watch, and helped it bag a National Award for Best Feature Film.

Directed and produced by debutant Salim Ahmed, Adaminte is a story of an elderly Muslim couple, who wish to go on a pilgrimage trip to Mecca. Salim Kumar plays the husband Abu, an old vendor who roams the streets of Malabar selling Yunani medicines and athar. Zarina Wahab plays his wife.

Salim Kumar was initially reluctant to take up the role when director Salim Ahmed approached him. He feared that if he played the hero, the film would flop.

However, Salim Ahmed convinced him to take up the film, as he had liked his work in Achanurangatha Veedu.

Salim Kumar was so happy with the role in Adaminte, he decided to forego his remuneration.

Incidentally, Salim Kumar had bagged a Best Actor award from the state government for his work in Achanurangatha Veedu. Before this film, Salim Kumar had been confined to slapstick comedy, which hardly exploited his potential as an actor. But the character of Samuel in Achanaurangatha Veedu gave him a rare opportunity to prove himself.

Salim Kumar started his career with a comic cameo in Ishtamanu Nooruvattam in 1996. But it was his role in Thenkashippattanam (2000) that established him as a comedian in the Malayalam film industry.

Some of Salim Kumar's adorable comic characters roles are Advocate Mukundanunni in Meesha Madhavan and Kannan Srank in Mayavi.

Some of his other noted roles are Manikandan in Kerala Cafe and Aamu Elappa in Perumazhakkalam.

He has acted in over 100 films.

Salim Kumar attended the Goverment LP School in North Paravoor in Kerala. Later, he went to Goverment Boys High School in the same area. He completed his degree in Bachelor of Arts from the Maharajas College, Ernakulum.

In the college days, he was a great mimicry artist and won the university title for best mimicry thrice.

He joined theatre group Cochin Kalabhavan, and later moved to Cochin Sagar. He was also associated with professional drama in Arathi Theatres, Kochi, for four years.

He was part of a hit comic programme on Asianet television called Comicola, and has penned down his memoirs in a book titled Ishwara Vazhakkillello.

Salim Kumar is married to Sunitha, and has two sons Aromal and Chandu.

Join rediff.com in congratulating Salim Kumar for winning a National Award!