A mimicry artiste par excellence before taking over the film arena

Salim Kumar was a serial winner in mimicry contests at the university level long before he enthralled film audiences.

In fact, he secured admission to the Bachelor of Arts programme at Maharaja’s College by literally promising the then principal, the late K.N. Bharathan, that he would win prizes for the college in university arts festivals. And he lived up to that promise.

His excellence in mimicry brought him fame and made him a sought-after artiste in the famed Kalabhavan troupe and in foreign shows, though at the expense of his academics. The university eventually barred him from appearing for his final exams due to inadequate attendance, by which time he had already debuted in films and was a professional mimicry artiste.

The college, however, repaid him for the laurels he had brought by allowing him to continue as a student for two more years to garner sufficient attendance to sit for the exam. Thus, Salim Kumar has the distinction of spending five years at the college to complete his graduation.

K.R. Prasad, an active member of the Mimicry Artistes Association and an early exponent of the art before Salim Kumar entered the scene, recalls being impressed by the actor’s mimicry of political leaders such as K.R. Gauri and K. Karunakaran. “He was probably the first to imitate political leaders. I recommended him to Kalabhavan, which he often recollected. It was at my instance that Kalabhavan Jayan met him at his home and introduced him to Kalabhavan,” he said.

Before joining Kalabhavan, Salim Kumar was part of Sharika, an Aluva-based drama troupe that later turned to mimicry. “Salim Kumar joined Kalabhavan in 1993 and was a contemporary of the late Kalabhavan Mani. Those two years were probably the best period of Kalabhavan, with a healthy competition between the two to outsmart each other, elevating the overall performance. He mostly imitated actor Jagadeesh. More than imitation, his strength lay in acting, supported by humorous gestures and his expressive wide eyes. He never strayed from the script and ensured the comedy landed with the audience,” Mr. Jayan recollected.

Salim Kumar later left Kalabhavan for Cochin Sagar, a troupe started by the late mimicry artiste and actor Aby. His popularity soared further through numerous video and audio cassettes, notably the blockbuster Dhe Maveli Kombathu series. His switch to popular television comedy shows such as Comicola and Cinemala added to his fame.

He eventually started his own troupe, where budding artists like Ramesh Pisharody worked alongside him. Mr. Pisharody has often fondly recalled his memories of working with Salim Kumar and sharing meals at his home in North Paravur.

While mimicry paved the way for Salim Kumar’s entry into the film industry, he ensured he was never confined by that image. He expanded his horizons beyond comedy, as testified by his national and State awards for Best Actor.