Malayalam film actor and mimicry artist Kalabhavan Navas was found dead in a hotel in Chottanikkara here on Friday evening, police said.
The incident came to light when the staff of the hotel, where Navas (51) was staying for a film shoot, alerted authorities.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead, police said.
Police suspect he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Manorama News reported that Navas had completed shooting for his upcoming film Prakambanam on Friday and was preparing to vacate his room.
The report added that a hotel employee found the actor unconscious in his room when he went to confirm his checkout.
According to the police, no suspicious items were found in his room. His body, currently kept at SD Tata Hospital in Chottanikkara, will be handed over to his family after the autopsy on Saturday.
Navas was widely known for his comedic and supporting roles in several Malayalam films, including Mattupetti Machan, Junior Mandrake, and Amma Ammayi Amma. He began his career as a mimicry artist with the famed Kalabhavan troupe, which brought him early recognition. His film debut came in 1995 with Chaithanyam.
Beyond cinema, Navas was active in television and frequently performed at stage events across the state. He came from a family deeply rooted in the performing arts — his late father, Aboobacker, was a noted theatre artist and actor. His wife, Rehana, and brother, Kalabhavan Niyas, are also actors.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, expressed grief over Navas’s untimely demise. “The passing of film and television actor Kalabhavan Navas is deeply saddening. Entering the world of performing arts through mimicry, he brought new dimensions to the craft of comic impersonation and won over many hearts through stage shows. Navas was also an artist who upheld progressive and democratic values. I offer my condolences and join his family and admirers in their grief,” the Chief Minister wrote.