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The secret behind Salim Kumar’s comedic genius

And that, in my opinion, was predominantly because he knew his jokes very well. Not by heart, but rather in terms of their essence, metre, setup, punchline, and more. There have been far too many times when I felt that his commitment was not to the audience but to the jokes themselves. As if his aim was never to make the audience laugh, but rather to deliver the jokes or comedic acts perfectly, knowing well that the laughs would follow.

Salim Kumar loved humour so much that he consistently ensured that no good joke fell flat or passed by without the recognition it deserved, and his performance was simply a tool for their personification, amplifying their brilliance. In fact, the actor himself has spoken about instances where, if he loved a joke that didn’t make it into the final cut of a film, he would make a mental note of it and later rework and use it in a completely different scenario in another movie, giving it a new lease of life.

Salim Kumar loved humour so much that he consistently ensured that no good joke fell flat. (File Photo/Anil Sharma)

From mimicry artiste to Tinseltown fame

Much like many of his contemporary comedians in Malayalam cinema, Salim Kumar also began his career as a mimicry artiste at Cochin Kalabhavan, a renowned institute for teaching performing arts in Kochi that has contributed several talents to Kerala’s cultural domain over the decades. Although he entered Tinseltown with a small role in Ishtamanu Nooru Vattam (1996), it was his stint on the popular Asianet comedy show Comic Cola that earned him fame.

While he subsequently delivered notably hilarious performances in movies such as Mannadiar Penninu Chenkotta Checkan, Mattupetti Machan, My Dear Karadi, and Melevaryathe Malakhakkuttikal, it was director Viji Thampi’s Sathyameva Jayathe that helped him capture the attention of both the audience and industry insiders alike.

In between, Salim even appeared in the softcore adult film Kinnarathumbikal, headlined by Shakeela, which marked the beginning of the Shakeela tharangam (wave) that defined Malayalam cinema’s trajectory for the next few years. However, Salim himself once told Saina South Plus that he took on the film because he was told it was an “award (art) movie,” like those made by master filmmaker Bharathan, and hence had a few sex elements. When the producers failed to find distributors for the movie, the explicit scenes were filmed and added later. Although Salim wasn’t part of any such scenes, his repertoire still featured a softcore film.

Nonetheless, his noteworthy performance in Sathyameva Jayathe, albeit in a small role, helped Salim Kumar secure better parts in bigger movies. From Thenkasipattanam’s Muthuraman and Ee Parakkum Thalika’s Koshy, to Sundara Purushans’ Balan, One Man Show’s Bhaskaran and Soothradharan’s Leela Krishnan, he received a handful of substantial comedic roles in the aftermath, and the actor ensured impressive performances every time, winning the hearts of the audience.

Salim Kumar’s golden era

It would not be an exaggeration to say that 2002-2005 belonged fully to Salim Kumar, as he kept delivering iconic performances one after the other. While the biggest benefit he received during this period was undoubtedly that noted writers and directors of the era — such as Benny P Nayarambalam, Shafi, Rafi Mecartin, Johny Antony, and Udaykrishna-Sibi K Thomas — created hilarious scripts packed with back-to-back comedic moments and impactful one-liners, Salim had the unique ability to elevate the humour to the next level with his in-tune performances.

In a way, he may have torn a page from the playbook of comedic icons such as Cochin Haneefa and Jagathy Sreekumar, who ensured they added to a scene’s overall hilarity through shenanigans or reactions, even when the camera wasn’t focused on them.

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Take Rafi Mecartin’s Chathikkatha Chandu and Shafi’s Kalyanaraman, for instance. While it’s mostly his hysterical one-liners and the hilarious way he delivered them, using both his voice and physique to amplify the humour, that earned him significant praise, the excellence in his performances transcended that. Even when he wasn’t the focal point in certain scenes, Chathikkatha Chandu’s dance choreographer Vikram and Kalyanaraman’s Pyarilal never missed a chance to add to the character’s comedic essence.

Be it when Vikram applies a hot water bag on himself after being beaten up by the police or when Pyarilal is taking a foam bath in a large vessel used for cooking, this was evident. The subtle reactions he gave while standing in the background to his fellow actors’ lines in various scenes were actually easter eggs, adding to the scenes’ humour during later rewatches.

Nonetheless, it was the way he delivered the jokes that made Salim Kumar who he was. Look at the following lines:

* “Kaanaan oru lookillenne ullu, bhayangara budhiya.”

* “The two families attached to the bathroom, your family’s food and accommodation!”

* “Angane padakka kada khuda gawah…”

* “Enikku ee vishappinte asugham undey…”

* “Enikku praanthayi poyathana, atho naattukaarkku motham praanthaya?”

* “Ee bloody Indians and Malayalees pranju nadakkunnu, enikku Dufaiyil kooli paniyanennu.”

* “Ee Saamoothiri, Namboothiri ennoke keetitundu… ee mindaathri etha jaathi?”

* “Ee kadhina pottana kanumbo enikkente achane orma varum…”

* “Pandithan aanennu thonunnu!”

* “Entha sir cut paranjathu, kooduthal nannayo?”

* “Ninte keepayi irikkan thaalparyamundennalle?”

* “Daivame, eth thendiyaanu ee ‘welcome’ kandupidichath?!”

* “Ithiri alankolappani maathram baakki ind.”

* “My biological name is Michael alias Jackson alias Vikram alias…”

* “Njan malam phootham!”

* “Chapalavyaamohangal!”

* “Ente ponnoo venda… Enatu kaash illannu parayumbo thaadikkittu thattaan alle?”

I have purposely avoided mentioning the names of the movies in which Salim delivered these lines, knowing that those familiar with his work will not only recognise which film they are from but also the specific scenes, and will even read them in his voice. That was Salim Kumar’s mastery. He not only immortalised his characters and performances but also the jokes.

While most other comedians focused on their portrayals, trying to imprint themselves and the characters as a whole on audiences’ hearts forever, Salim was inseparable from the jokes. It was as if the jokes knew him as well, seamlessly seeping into his psyche and reemerging through his voice in the perfect form and pace. Even when the differences between his characters were limited to their appearances and certain traits, Salim knew how to deliver his lines impeccably, thanks to his real-life ability to narrate stories well.

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Even though physical comedy wasn’t his strongest suit, Salim knew how to use his body to amplify the humour in the dialogues and moments. Almost like 1960s’ actors who exaggerated their expressions and gestures — as theatre performers used to — Salim also employed similar techniques. He would even use his eyes as if in a melodramatic scene while delivering the lines, adding to the humour.

The slight shivers, rhythmic and dramatic hand gestures, and even the way he walked in certain moments all elevated the comedy. The actor’s talent was such that he made a massive section of the populace laugh even while watching disgustingly problematic portrayals in movies such as Mazhathullikkilukkam and Bamboo Boys, which abhorrently ridiculed tribals.

Salim Kumar: The National Award-winning powerhouse actor

Much like many comedic legends in Malayalam cinema, Salim Kumar was a powerhouse performer who also left audiences spellbound with his intense, dramatic performances whenever he took on serious roles. Gramophone’s ‘Tabla’ Bhaskaran, Achanurangatha Veedu’s Samuel, Vaasthavam’s Thrippan Namboodiri, Mulla’s ‘Thotti’ Sasi, Adaminte Makan Abu’s Abu, the protagonist in Karutha Joothan, and Queen’s Advocate Mukundan are just a few examples of his astounding performances in more dramatic roles.

Besides earning the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Adaminte Makan Abu, Salim Kumar also received four Kerala State Film Awards over the years, including Best Story for Karutha Joothan. He also donned the director’s hat three times, making Compartment, Karutha Joothan, and Daivame Kaithozham K Kumar Akanam.

Salim Kumar with Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar, Sreelakshmi, and Kalabhavan Navas in Mattupetti Machan. (Express archive photo)

Politics, farming and controversies

Salim Kumar was also inseparable from politics. In fact, his father was an ardent follower of the renowned social reformer Sahodaran Ayyappan and named him Salim Kumar as a response to the social evil of the caste system, so that one couldn’t recognise his caste from his name.

A staunch supporter of the Indian National Congress, Salim never shied away from publicly backing the party, even appearing before and addressing the masses during its electoral campaigns.

He was also deeply interested in farming, and according to news agency PTI, owned agricultural land in North Paravur and Vypin, where he cultivated Pokkali rice and vegetables. He was also involved in fish farming. During the devastating 2018 Kerala floods, he opened the doors of his residence, Laughing Villa, in North Paravur to about 45 people seeking shelter after floodwaters entered their homes, providing them with food and accommodation.

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Although Salim Kumar never shied away from speaking his mind, the extremely distasteful comments he made about the 2017 Kerala actor assault case — shaming the survivor and throwing his weight behind his longtime friend Dileep, accused of masterminding the crime — received significant backlash. While he often claimed that he didn’t believe Dileep would ever do what he had been accused of, Salim once even went so far as to demand that the survivor be subjected to a lie detector test.

“People who want to harass Dileep must first do one thing. Get Pulsar Suni and the woman actor to undergo a lie detector test. It will end there… everything will end there,” he wrote in a Facebook post, as reported by The News Minute. After it received widespread criticism, Salim retracted the post and issued an apology.

Salim Kumar passed away at the age of 56 on Saturday, June 6, while undergoing treatment for liver disease at a private hospital in Kochi. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife Sunitha and their two sons, actor Chandu Salim Kumar and Aaromal Salim Kumar.