Malayalam actor-mimicry artist Kalabhavan Haneef passes away
Kochi (PTI): Well-known actor and mimicry artist Kalabhavan Haneef died at a private hospital on Thursday here following a brief illness, industry sources said.
Haneef (63) had been under treatment at the hospital for some days, they said.
Hailing from Mattancherry near here, Haneef entered tinsel town through his mimicry performances.
He was a member of Kalabhavan, the famed performance troupe, which has played a key role in popularising the art form of mimicry in Kerala.
Like many of his co-artists in Kalabhavan, Haneefa also entered the world of cinema through a comic role. 'Cheppukilukkana Changathi' was his first movie.
He later acted in over 300 movies, the majority of them in humorous roles, in his years-long career in the film industry.
He also tried his luck in television serials and stage shows.
The Jude Anthony-directed film, '2018', was one of the latest movies in which the actor appeared.
Haneef is survived by his wife and two children.
Superstar Mammootty and Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan were among those who condoled the demise of the actor.
In a Facebook post, the minister said Haneef's spontaneous acting skills and dialogue delivery made his roles memorable.
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Cong members detained in Raipur during protest against Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar
Raipur (PTI): Several Congress members were detained after they took out a foot march to the residence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai here while alleging that Union minister Amit Shah had insulted Dr BR Ambedkar, police said on Tuesday.
Members of the opposition Congress and its youth wing started the protest march from Raipur's Gandhi Maidan on Monday afternoon.
While they were heading towards the CM's residence, several protesters were detained and later let off in the evening, a police official said.
The opposition party members also tried to 'gherao' the residence of CM Sai to register their protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar in Parliament recently.
Heavy police security was deployed near the CM's house to stop the agitating Congress workers. Police also used a water cannon to disperse the protesters, a party functionary said.
Speaking to reporters, Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, who led the protest, said, "The way Amit Shah made fun of Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament, we demand that he should resign. He should apologise to the people of the whole country.''
Chhattisgarh Congress chief Deepak Baij and state Youth Congress head Akash Sharma also participated in the foot march.
The Congress leaders also raised the issues pertaining to law and order, sale of narcotics, drugs, high power tariff and unemployment in the state.
Earlier, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Baij addressed a gathering of party workers in front of the Raipur Municipal Corporation.
Baij expressed concern over the law and order situation in the state while referring to an incident of firing at a man outside the Central Jail in Raipur last month.
Further targeting the BJP government, Baij claimed women were not safe in the state.
