Kochu Preman, an actor who made a mark with his distinguishable voice in Malayalam cinema, passed away of respiratory disease on the afternoon of Saturday, December 3. He was 68 years old, and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He had worked in over 130 films in a span of 25 years.
Officially KS Premkumar, Kochu Preman began his acting days in theatre before debuting in films. He mostly played comedic roles but would sometimes do serious characters. Though he made his film debut in 1979 with Ezhunirangal, it is through Dilliwala Rajakumaran which came out 17 years after that, that Kochu Preman became noticed.
The velichapad (oracle) in Thilakkam, the drunk government official in Pattabhishekam, the tea shop man in Varathan, the funny uncle in In Ghost House Inn are a few of the scores of comedies he is remembered for. He also played serious characters like the doctor in Leela and the blind advisor to the king in Guru. Kochu Preman’s style of dialogue delivery was what had made him unique among fellow comedians.
Actors like Aju Varghese and Manoj K Jayan condoled the death of the senior actor. "A good actor, but more importantly a good human being," Manoj K Jayan said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of Kochu Preman, calling him an actor who did both comedy and character roles effortlessly well. He had played characters that received national recognition, CM Pinarayi noted.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan also offered his condolences over the actor’s demise. “His smile, those special facial expressions and his body language have a special place in the hearts of Malayali audiences. Kochu Preman had the ability to make even the minor characters stand out through the way he performed. It is painful to know that we won’t get to see this smile and innocence anymore” said Satheesan.