THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Noted Malayalam film actor Kochu Preman , 68,  has died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kochu Preman breathed his last on Friday while being taken to a hospital following breathing complications.
Starting his acting career through drama, Preman made his debut in the Malam films in 1979 but had to wait till the late 90s to make his mark and after that he has had no reason to look back. He  excelled in comedy roles and was a regular in films in the past 20 years.

With the advent of television serials, he was busy acting in them as well. Though short in stature, when it came to essaying comedy roles, his height was never a handicap and was known for his dialogue delivery, particularly when he was at ease in the popular Thiruvananthapuram accent.

Preman, born in 1955 as KS Prem Kumar was educated in Thiruvananthapuram and completed his graduation from his hometown before venturing into stage theatre. Hailing from the state capital city, he is survived by his actress wife and their son.

He slowly went up the ladder to mainstream cinema and debuted with Ezhu Nirangal in 1979. He played key character artist roles and comedy characters in hundreds of films and re-entered the industry in 1996 with Dilliwala Rajakumara. His last film was Oru Pappadavada Premam in 2021.

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