Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 27 (IANS): Malayalam actor Mammukoya, famous for the line "Gafoor ka dost," passed away on Wednesday. He was 77.

This was the line from his in the film 'Nadodikattuu' released in 1987, which is on the list of all time hits of Malayalam film industry.

In the film, Mohanlal and Sreenivasan, unable to find a job in Kerala try to migrate to the Middle East, and the fly by night operator played by Mammukoya, after taking money from them puts them on a boat which he says will reach the shores of Dubai and tells them to say to anyone who asks who they are: "just say, you are Gafoor ka dost."

It was this line which made the career of Mammukoya, who made his debut in the film industry Ain 1979, who until then, was a worker at a timber mill in Kozhikode.

After that he went on to make his presence in close to 450 films and became the 'dost' (friend) of all Malayalee film viewers.

This was seen in the endless queue of people at Kozhikode at various places where his body was kept for people to have one last glance.

He collapsed while inaugurating a football tournament on Monday and after that his condition turned worse and he passed away on Wednesday.

Mammukoya was characterised by his lean frame and a protruding tooth, and the mere sight of him in each of his films was enough to send audience laughing, even before he said his first dialogue.

The body was placed for people to pay their last respects on Wednesday evening and thousands of people with a heavy heart filed past the mortal remains of one of the most popular person in Kozhikode.

His body was laid to rest at his favourite mosque near Kozhikode.

His passing away comes a month after Kerala bid goodbye to another legend of the Malayalam films, Innocent.