Veteran Malaysian actor Kamarool Yusoff died aged 68 on Wednesday (Aug 5) at 5.15pm.
He leaves behind his 49-year-old wife Norliza Mohd Aduni and two children — Ahmad Fakhrol Aliff, 23, and Nur Najihah, 27.
A respected figure in Malay cinema, Kamarool is popularly known as Cik Man, the name of his character in the Rock (2005-2016) film trilogy.
According to Fakhrol, the late actor was admitted to the intensive care unit at Tanah Merah Hospital in Kelantan due to a blocked heart artery.
He reportedly received treatment and was placed in a medically induced coma, where he later died from a heart attack.
Kamarool shot to fame with his debut film Gila Gila Remaja (1986), where he played Farouk, the leader of the Gagak Hitam gang.
He starred in over 100 movies and TV shows, with notable titles including Rozana Cinta 87 (1987), Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah (2010) and Mael Totey The Movie (2020).
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil paid tribute to Kamarool in a Facebook post on Aug 6, referring to him as a “legend who left a huge impact on the Malaysian film industry”.
“Malay film fans, especially those from the ’80s, will never forget the character Farouk in Gila-Gila Remaja. His acting was so impactful that the character’s name has remained etched in the hearts of fans,” he wrote.
“Thank you Farouk/Cik Man for adding colour to the world of art and creating so many beautiful memories for generations to come. Your services, contributions and work will live on in our memories.”
Kamarool was buried at a Muslim cemetery at Gual Ipoh in Kelantan on Aug 6. According to reports, around 500 people, including family members, relatives and friends, were present at the funeral.
The Malaysian Artistes’ Association (Seniman) described his death as a great loss to the Malaysian arts industry.
According to Malaysian media Bernama, the organisation’s secretary-general Hafiz Nafiah said Kamarool “was not one to seek recognition or popularity” but “his dedication, discipline and commitment to the arts made him a highly respected figure among industry peers and the younger actors”.
In an interview with Harian Metro, 50-year-old Malaysian actor Azhan Rani said the news came as a shock as he had just met Kamarool recently and the latter “never showed signs of suffering from any prolonged illness”.
“I am truly saddened and shocked because there are several dramas we acted in together that haven’t been broadcast yet… Most of them were filmed in Kelantan, and in one of the dramas, he played my father,” he told the publication.
He added: “When I met him the other day, I even joked and told him, ‘Cik Man, cut down on the smoking,’ because I knew he was a heavy smoker.”
They were due to work together again in September for a film in Kelantan.
“In all the time I knew him, he was never someone who liked to speak ill of others. He was the one who brought joy to the set,” said Azhan.
syarifahsn@asiaone.com
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