Salim Ahmed Ghoush (22 April 1951 – 2 February 2010), better known by his stage name Cochin Haneefa, was an Indian actor, film director, and screenwriter. He started his career in the 1970s mainly portraying villainous roles, before going on to become one of the most popular comedians of Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 300 films in Malayalam and Tamil.
As a director, he is best known for the films Aankiliyude Tharattu (1987) and Vatsalyam (1993).
Personal life and education Haneefa was born as Salim Ahmed Ghoush in Cochin (present-day Kochi) to Veluthedathu Tharavattil A. B. Muhammed and Hajira, as the second among their eight children. He studied at Kochi St. Augustine's School and St. Albert's College and graduated with a degree in commerce. He married Fasila and they had twin daughters, Safa and Marwa.
Career He made his film debut in 1972 in Azhimukham directed by Vijayan and went on to act in over 300 films in Malayalam. He also acted in over 80 Tamil films, including popular movies like Mahanadi with Kamal Haasan, and Sivaji and Enthiran with Rajinikanth.
Haneefa played memorable roles in many Malayalam films, including Mannar Mathai Speaking, Devaasuram, Kireedam, Chenkol , Punjabi House and Swapnakoodu, Pulivaal Kalyanam, Meesa Madhavan, C.I.D Moosa, Thilakkam etc. He also directed around 20 films, including Valtsalyam and Moonu Masangalkku Munbu. The last Tamil films in which he appeared were Madrasapattinam and Enthiran. His final Malayalam film was the 2010 film Body Guard.
Even though he started off in villain roles, he slowly transitioned to the comedic characters. He had also played dramatic supporting character roles to a great effect. Haneefa's comedic roles smartly captured his physique in a self-deprecating nature and eventually, he became one of the most popular comedians in Malayalam cinema. In Kireedam, he played the role of Hydrose, a hilarious rowdy. His first noted role as a comedian came in Mannar Mathai Speaking, where he played the role of Eldho.
Punjabi House was the movie which established him as a major comedian in Malayalam cinema. Considered one of the best slapstick comedy film in Malayalam cinema, Haneefa portrayed the character Gangadharan in the movie. Punjabi House was a major breakthrough in the careers of Harishree Asokan and Dileep as well. The movie eventually developed into a cult. Haneefa along with these Asokan and Dileep eventually formed a successful trio in Malayalam cinema. They acted together in numerous movies such as Udayapuram Sulthan, Ee Parakkum Thalika, Meesa Madhavan, Thilakkam, C.I.D. Moosa, Runway and Pandippada. Haneefa played the role of S.I Veerappan Kurupp in the 2001 slapstick comedy movie Ee Parakkum Thalika. He again played the role of a hilarious police officer, this time becoming Sudarshanan in the movie Snehithan, which was released the same year. His role as Mathukkutty in the 2002 film Mazhathullikkilukkam was also noted. Haneefa's character Thrivikraman in the 2002 movie Meesa Madhavan was highly appreciated. It was the highest-grossing movie of that year and many of the characters in the movie like Pillechan and Pattalam Purushu became a cult. It was in the year 2003 that Haneefa played some of the best iconic comedy characters in his career. In Thilakkam, he became the local rowdy called Bhaskaran and in Kilichundan Mampazham, he portrayed the role of Kalanthan Haji. Haneefa's one of the career best role came in the slapstick comedy movie C.I.D Moosa, where he played the role of Vikaraman. Similar to that of Punjabi House, Ee Parakkum Thalika and Meesa Madhavan, the performance of Dileep-Asokan-Haneefa trio along with Jagathy Sreekumar in this movie were highly appreciated and it became the second highest-grossing movie in 2003.
In Swapnakoodu, he played the role of Philipose and as Panchayath President in Vellithira. Haneefa's another memorable character came out in the movie Pulival Kalyanam, where he played as Dharmendra, often mistaken in the movie with the Bollywood legendary superstar of the same name. This movie was well appreciated especially for the comedy scenes between Haneefa and Salim Kumar, who played as Manavalan in the movie. Manavalan eventually became a cult character in Malayalam cinema.
Awards Kerala State Film Awards: 2001 – Second Best Actor – Soothradharan
Death Haneefa died on 2 February 2010, aged 58, at Sri Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai, from multiple organ failure. He had been treated for liver cancer. He was buried at the cemetery on the premises of Ernakulam Central Juma Masjid with full state honours.
Filmography
As actor
Malayalam films
1970s Year Title Role Notes 1972 Azhimukham 1974 College Girl College Student 1975 Love Letter Velicham Akale Kalyaanappanthal Hello Darling 1976 Chottanikkara Amma Kannappan Yudhabhoomi Panchami Rajan Chirikkudukka Vasu 1977 Mini Mol Niraparayum Nilavilakkum Aval Oru Devaalayam Rathimanmadhan Pattalam Janaki 1978 Thacholi Ambu Aval Kanda Lokam 1979 Maamaankam Vellodi - Zamorin's Warrior Manasa Vacha Karmana Rameshan Irumbazhikal Krishnankutty Aavesham Ponnil Kulicha Rathri Kochu Thampuratti Choola Sarapancharam Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum Yusaf
1980s Year Title Role Notes 1980 Benz Vasu Thoma Dwik Vijayam Sakthi Khadir Karimpana Kari Puranda Jeevithangal Muthalali Sathyam Appu Moorkhan Police Officer 1981 Aarathi Gangan Vayal Paappi Sambhavam Adima Changala Kaahalam Itha Oru Dhikkari Sekharan 1982 Sharam Kayam Dheera Williams Ivan Oru Simham Joseph Sree Ayappanum Vavarum Kaliyappan Aadharsam Babu 1983 Himam Ameer Khan Thaalam Thettiya Tharattu Chandran Bhookambam Anwar Attakkalasam Kuttappan Aa Raathri Charam Ee Yugam Kaathirunna Divasam Kodungattu Vijayan Kaathirunna Divasam 1984 Koottinilamkili Krishnanunny's Roommate Chakkaraumma Sandarbham Krishna Guruvayoorappa Pandya Rajan Oru Nimisham Tharu Inakkilly Peter Piriyilla Naam Umanilayam Gopi Ente Upasana Doctor 1985 Oru Sandesam Koodi Chandran Kaiyum Thlayum Purathidaruthe Bus Passenger Makan Ente Makan Doctor 1986 Thalavattam Antony Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu Kadathanattu Pappan Gurukal 1987 Aankiliyude Tharattu Sudhir Oru Sindoora Pottinte Ormaykku Cheppu Police Inspector 1988 Inquilabinte Puthri Das Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu Police Inspector 1989 Kireedam Haidros Vandhanam Salim Lal Americayil Eenam Thettatha Kattaru George
1990s Year Title Role Notes 1990 No.20 Madras Mail Himself Cameo Kadathanadan Ambadi Kathiroor Chandrappan Veena Meettiya Vilangukal Antony Sunday 7 PM 1991 Abhimanyu Chotta 1993 Devaasuram Achuthan Vatsalyam Bullock cart driver Chenkol Haidros 1994 Kinnaripuzhayoram Mental Patient Bheesmacharya Sidharthan Chakoram Sreedharan Kartha 1995 Mannar Mathai Speaking Eldho Kaattile Thadi Thevarude Ana Nagayya Thacholi Varghese Chekavar Puthooran Kakkakkum Poochakkum Kalyanam Achan Rajavu Appan Jethavu Thalakkadi Thankappan 1996 Kalyanji Anandji Vengalam Chakkunni / Adv. General Oorumadam Subbarama Iyer Udyanapalakan Kala Pani Ahmed Kutty Hitler Jabbar King Solomon Sulthan Hyderali Damu Kaliveedu Dr. Gonzales Azhakiya Ravanan Varghese 1997 Superman Rajan Philip Mayaponman Pattalam Vasu News paper boy Jagadeeshwara Iyer Nagarapuranam Manikyan Thampuran Chandralekha Sathyapalan Mangalya Pallakku Raghavan Vamsham Thampan Aaraam Thampuran Govindan Kutty Lelam Jayasimhan Aniyathipraavu Inspector Eeyyo 1998 Vismayam Janardhana Kurup Punjabi House Gangadharan Mayilpeelikkavu Gopichetty Kanmadam Police Officer Harikrishnans Kunjikuttan Elavamkodu Desam Singer The Truth Kumaran Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam KrishnaKumar Anuragakottaram Pala Poulose Sooryaputhran Chekanoor Neelakantan Karthavu 1999 Udayapuram Sulthan Beeran Kutty Pathram David Sabhapathi Panchapaandavar Varkey Vazhunnor Vadakethala Sivadas Njangal Santhushtaranu Soudamini's Husband Megham Kunjikuttan Crime File SI Jamal English Medium Mathukutty Auto Brothers Independence Charlie Chaplin Friends Sundareshan Chandamama Natwarlal
2000s Year Title Role Notes 2000 Mr. Butler Swamy Dada Sahib Raghavan Snehapoorvam Anna Abu Uncle Arayannangalude Veedu Gangadharan Indriyam C.I Theepori Veerabhadran Sathyam Sivam Sundaram Ajayan 2001 Rakshasa Rajavu Attuva Antony Praja Hamid Plaavullakandi Methar / Malayalees Pranayamanthram Goa Kanakambharan / David Thomas Nalacharitham Naalam Divasam Dubai Vincent Sebastian Soothradharan Mani Uncle Kakkakuyil Local goon Ee Parakkum Thalika Veerappan Kurup Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka Kittunni Ee Naadu Innale Vare Chandrakumar Rajapattam Sundrapurushan Alavuddin Barthavudyokam Pratapan Nair 2002 Snehithan Sudarshanan Pranyamanithooval Moosakka Phantom Sexton Devasia Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan Punchiri Pushparaj Mazhathullikkilukkam Mathukutty Kunjikoonan Thoma Kaiyethum Doorath Kundara Sharangan Chirikkudukka Sathyavan Bamboo Boys Makku Meesa Madhavan Thrivikraman Kasthooriman Philipose Uncle Kattuchembakam Kankani Rajappan Kannaki Ravunni Bucket Shilpa Ee Bhargavinilayam www.anukudumbam.com 2003 Relax Ganesh Thilakkam Bhaskaran Kilichundan Mampazham Kalanthan Haji Sadanandante Samayam Headmaster Chacko Vellithira Panchayath President C.I.D. Moosa Vikraman Meerayude Dukhavum Muthuvinte Swapnavum Divakaran Swapnakoodu Philipose Hariharan Pillai Happy Aanu Velappan Valathottu Thirinjal Nalamathe Veedu Bullet Ismail Pulival Kalyanam Dharmendra Malsaram Bhaskaran Pattanathil Sundaran Shekhara Pillai 2004 Kerala House Udan Vilpanakku Vadival Vasu C. I. Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu Mahadevan Vismayathumbathu Nandakumar Chathikkatha Chanthu Dharma Runway Divakaran Vettam Kurup Maratha Nadu Ee Snehatheerathu Neelan Ennittum Professor Villas Youth Festival Kannappan Mampazhakkalam Manathudi Madhavan Vesham Adv. Chithrabhanu Vellinakshatram CI Velayudhan Cameo Vacation Urumees 2005 Udayananu Tharam 'Sona' Balan Chandrolsavam Sreedharan Daivanamathil Iruvattam Manavaatti Ambujakshan/ Ambiyannan Pandippada Ummachan Nerariyan CBI George C. Nair Chiratta Kalippattangal Ben Johnson ASI Eenashu Immini Nalloraal Sub Inspector Rajamanikyam Varghese Anandabhadram Maravi Mathai 2006 Vargam A.S.I Gopala Krishna Pilla Kilukkam Kilukilukkam Appukuttan / Annamma Madhuchandralekha Abootty Thuruppugulan Raman Kartha Keerthi Chakra Nairettan The Don Aanachandam Pulikkathara Janmam Lion Vendor Chandy Chakkaramuthu Kumarettan Red Salute Hamsa Koya Badadosth Javed 2007 Rathri Mazha Changathipoocha Vattu Bhargavan Chotta Mumbai Vasuttan Inspector Garud Gopalan July 4 Abukka alias Abu Mayavi Jailor Panthaya Kozhi Parunthu Bhaskaran Paradeshi Head Constable Detective Shivaraman Heart Beats Plaparabil Inashu Kichamani MBA Jinnah Romeo Ratheesh Kumar Avan Chandiyude Makan Chackochi Indrajith Udumbu Rudrakshan Ali Bhai Kunji Kannan 2008 Mayakazhcha Kilippadan Twenty:20 Peruchazhi Vasu Parunthu Kunjachan Bullet Uttaman Vellayani Kurukshetra Havildar 2009 Loudspeaker Organ agent Sarangadharan Changathikoottam Pathrose Colours Rahul's father Hailesa Police Inspector Pothuval Venalmaram Achuthankutty
2010s Year Title Role Notes 2010 3 Char Sau Bees Body Guard Principal 2011 Kalabha Mazha Posthumous release 2013 Musafir GK Posthumous release 2015 3 Wicketinu 365 Runs Posthumous release
Tamil films