Kochi |Well-known actor and mimicry artist Kalabhavan Haneef died at a private hospital on Thursday here following a brief illness, industry sources said.

He was 63.

The actor 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 Haneefa's spontaneous acting skills and dialogue delivery made his roles memorable.