Actor and mimicry artist Kalabhavan Haneef sadly breathed his last in Kochi on Thursday. Haneef, whose illustrious career spanned over 150 films, marked his debut with the movie 'Cheppukilukkanna Chanagathi.' Hailing from Mattancherry, Haneef's journey into the world of entertainment began early, as he started showcasing his mimicry talents as a child. Much like many of his peers at Kalabhavan, he harbored the dream of making his mark in the world of cinema. In an earlier interview with Manoramaonline, Haneef shared the story of his journey, from becoming a member of the Kalabhavan troupe to his entry into the realm of movies.
He said it was Dasetan's guitarist Satish (brother-in-law of producer Preman) who introduced him in movies. “Once when I went to the Gulf for a program, Satish asked me why I didn't try my hand in films. I said I would do that if I got a chance. A few days after returning from the Gulf, I received a phone call from Satish who told me his brother-in-law is producing a film. He asked me to come to the Orchid Hotel in Kadavanthra, Ernakulam. I went there and met Satish, who introduced me to film director Kala Adoor. I showed a couple of items there and returned home.
A couple of days later, I got a call from the production team, asking me to go to the shooting location. Upon reaching the location, I was offered the role of a police constable. It was a combination scene with Mukesh, Jagadish, and KPAC Lalita Chechi. At that time, they were the busiest stars in comedy movies, and I felt very fortunate to begin my film career with them. I got a good role in the first film. After that, I was cast in the movie ‘Nettipattam’ by Kala chettan, followed by ‘Chanchattam’ by Thulasidas sir. Eventually, I grew passionate about acting and I too became an actor,” he had said.
Haneef had also recalled the great pains he took to land roles in films. “I was willing to go to great lengths to reach movie locations to meet the director, even if it meant walking for kilometers or taking long bus rides. There used to be some assistant directors who would create unnecessary ruckus. I would distract them and try to meet the director. Having performed in several small roles, people started recognising me, following which I started receiving some bigger and better roles,” he had said.
