Salim Kumar

Salim Kumar (Auto Salim) (born 10 October 1969) is an Indian film actor, director and writer in Malayalam cinema.[1] He won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2010 for his role in Adaminte Makan Abu (which also won the year's Kerala State Film Award). His directorial film Karutha Joothan won the 2017 Kerala State Film Award for Best Story. He has also won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for Achanurangatha Veedu (2005) and a Kerala State Television Award for Best Actor (2013).[2]. He is expected to start a new web series directed by an anonymous upcoming director from Melattur, Malappuram.

Salim Kumar
Born (1969-10-10) 10 October 1969
Chittatukara, Kerala, India
OccupationActor, director
Years active1996–present
Spouse(s)Sunitha
Children2
AwardsNational Film Awards
Kerala State Film Awards
Filmfare Awards South

Early life

Salim Kumar was born on 10 October 1969 in North Paravur, as the youngest son of Gangadharan and Kausalya. He once told an interviewer that his father was an atheist and a follower of the veteran social reformer Sahodaran Ayyappan, who was also from North Paravur, and so named his son Salim Kumar to avoid religious associations.

Kumar attended the Govt. Lower Primary School, Chittattukara North Paravur; went to high school at the Govt. Boys High School, North Paravur; and completed his pre-degree education at Sree Narayana Mangalam College Malyankara, Moothakunnam. He wanted to become a singer at a young age but later took up mimicry. He graduated with a BA from Maharajas College, Ernakulam where he won the university's Mimicry title thrice. He started his stage career at Cochin Kalabhavan. He was also a performer in Comicola, a comedy program on Asianet. For about four years, he was associated with professional drama in Arathi Theatres, Cochin.

Film career

Kumar was chosen as host for a comedy programme on a private Malayalam television channel. In 1997, his breakthrough in cinema came with Ishtamanu Nooru Vattam, a family drama directed by Siddique Shameer.[3]

In the 2003 romantic-comedy movie Pulival Kalyanam he played the character of Manavalan. Most of the critics acclaims this as the best comedy character played by Salim Kumar. The many expressions of Manavalan, including his helpless face, his coy smile and act as a rich man smoking pipe later developed into a cult and are widely used in memes.[4]

He received critical acclaim for his role in the Kamal movie Perumazhakkalam (2004). Though slightly comedic, the role was realistic, allowing him to display different acting skills. His role as the father in Achanurangatha Veedu (2005), directed by Lal Jose, was a major break in his acting career, when he was able to shrug off the usual idiot-fool-illiterate comedic roles for which he seemed destined. The role won him the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor. He was then declared the winner of the National Award for Best Actor for his performance in Adaminte Makan Abu in 2010.[5]

Kumar appeared in a hip-hop number in the album "Coffee @ MG Road - Palavattam" (2008); it was an instant hit and developed a cult following.

Kumar later ventured into direction, directing documentaries [6] and feature-length dramas that were well received by critics.[7] His latest directorial effort is Daivame Kaithozham K. Kumarakanam (2018).[8]

Personal life

Kumar lives in North Paravur-Ernakulam District, in a house called "Laughing Villa". He and his wife Sunitha have two sons, Chandu and Aaromal.[9] He is a member of Indian National Congress in Kerala. He has written a memoir called Ishwara Vazhakkillello. He conducts a mimicry troupe, Cochin Stallions, which introduced cine-serial actor Ramesh Pisharody and many other talents.[10]

Filmography
Malayalam films (partial)
Other languages
As Director

As dubbing artist

Television
YearTitleRoleChannelNotes
2015Cinema ChirimahimselfMazhavil Manorama
2016Comedy CircusJudgeMazhavil Manorama
2017-PresentComedy stars season 2Recurring JudgeAsianet
2017Comedy UtsavamHimselfFlowers TV
2018Urvashi TheatreMentorAsianet
2018Thakarppan ComedyMentorMazhavil Manorama
2020John Jaffer JanardhananNarratorSurya TV

Accolades
National Film Awards
Kerala State Film Awards
Kerala State Television Awards
Filmfare Awards South
South Indian International Movie Awards
Asianet Film Awards
Other awards

References
  1. "Co-passengers made disgusting faces when they saw me reading Shakeela's biography: Salim Kumar".
  2. Jebaraj, Priscilla (19 May 2011). "South hogs limelight at 58th National Film Awards". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  3. From a sidekick to an award winner - Views - livemint.com
  4. "Manavalan from 'Pulival Kalyanam' - Five movie characters that trollers made iconic". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  5. Salim Kumar wins Best Actor Award along with Dhanush
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentId=17199655&programId=1073753134&channelId=-1073751306&BV_ID=@@@&tabId=5
  11. Salim Kumar wins Best Actor National Award
  12. "The 59th Idea Filmfare Awards 2011(South)". The Times Of India. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
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