Renowned mimicry artist and actor Kalabhavan Haneef, aged 58, passed away in Kochi on Thursday at a private hospital in Ernakulam. He had been undergoing treatment for a lung infection for a few days. The cremation will be held tomorrow at Mattancherry.
Haneef made his film debut with Cheppukilukkanna Chanagathi in 1991 and subsequently appeared in over 150 Malayalam films. He was also part of 2018- Everyone Is a Hero, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, which served as India's official entry to the Oscars.
Kalabhavan Haneef hailed from Mattancherry in Kochi. Some of his noteworthy films include 'Ee Parakkum Thalika' (2001), 'Pandippada' (2005), 'Thuruppugulan' (2006), and 'Ustad Hotel' (2012), among numerous others.
Reports indicate that he was a contemporary of Malayalam film industry icons like Jayaram, Harisree Ashokan, Lal, Siddique, and the Kalabhavan group.