By TCN News,
Malappuram: When he won the national best actor award for his role in ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’, Salim Kumar had announced that he would give financial aid for one person from Kerala to perform the holy Hajj pilgrimage. And that decision is going to help Koppilakkal Alavikkutty of Malappuram to fulfill his dream of performing the pilgrimage.
Salim Kumar with Alavikkutty [Photo by Madhyamam daily]
Just like Salim Kumar’s character ‘Abu’ who collected every penny to go for the Hajj, 71-year old Alavikkutty also had been collecting money for the pilgrimage by working as a daily labourer. Besides the money he collected, the help of his children and relatives also helped Alavikkutty apply for the pilgrimage. He was selected by the state Hajj Committee and has also reportedly paid the advance amount of Rs 31,000.
Salim Kumar did not make the offer to help for Hajj as a time-pass. He asked Minister of Social Welfare Dr MK Muneer to find a suitable person for the help. Muneer suggested Alavikkutty’s name, in consultation with the Malappuram District Muslim League office.
The actor will pay the whole amount for the pilgrimage of Alavikkutty, including the advance amount the latter has already paid, according to reports.
‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ tells the story of an aged couple who longs to go to Mecca to perform the holy Hajj. Abu, the protagonist played by Salim Kumar, sells Athar and copies of the Qur’an for a living, by which the couple dreams of Hajj. His wife, played by famous actress Zarina Wahab, breeds cattle and hens, and helps her husband realize their dream. Their only son in Dubai is of no help to the couple. Abu then decides to sell the huge tree in front of his house, but after cutting the tree only he comes to know it is not a good (sellable) tree. Many including travel agencies get ready to help him, but Abu is not ready to go for Hajj with borrowed money. At last when he is sure that he cannot fulfill his dream, Abu reaches another conclusion – that tree too has life, and several lives must have died when he cut the tree in front of his house. And that may be one of the reasons for his not being able to go for the Hajj.
The film gave Salim Kumar his first best actor award in the state and national levels. Besides, the film won awards for the best script, background score, etc also.