Decoding the myth of Mammootty as the superstar turns 70
We attempt to unravel the iconic star’s enduring appeal, success and star value
All those who fear getting older and dreading entering the sunset years should take a leaf out of Malayalam superstar Mammootty’s book. The revered icon turns 70 today and has never looked in better form or shape.
Just like our age-defying Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor (64), this multiple National Award-winning South Indian talent is undoubtedly one of the most well-preserved actors of our generation.
And he’s in no mood to slow down. In India’s notoriously ageist entertainment industry, this self-made actor’s star-wattage and bankability at the box-office hasn’t diminished despite his advancing years.
Even after appearing in more than 400 films with a career spanning five decades, his appeal and on-screen charm hasn’t waned. Unlike Bollywood heroes who seem desperate to appear young, youthful and sprightly on the big screen, Mammootty has never shied away from taking on age-appropriate roles. Barring a few misadventures in his forties where he was spotted romancing actresses of his daughter’s age in forgettable films, Mammootty’s spine of work is sturdy.
His recent release — a political thriller called One — where he plays a stoic state-head was at best an ordinary film, but his towering on-screen charisma elevated that drama to an immensely watchable feature.
But what’s it about Mammotty’s appeal that transcends age, gender, or class? Is it his ability to morph easily into any character with enviable ease or is it his borderline arrogance, but magnetic real-life personality that makes him compelling?
MAN FOR EVERY SEASON
From playing an uncouth fisherman in the stirring father-daughter drama Amaram to portraying a flashy businessman in the hit comedy Pranchiettan And The Saint or channelling a straightlaced detective in the CBI Diary franchise with panache, this self-made actor has this insane ability to make any character convincing.
On the big screen and off it, he’s a formidable force of nature. And what makes his prolific career catalogue so interesting is that has always experimented with roles and has eluded being stereotyped as the actor who only does flattering or one-dimensional roles.
His diabolical turn as an evil and wicked upper-caste patriarch in director Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Vidheyan is a masterclass in being unapologetically loathsome.
In director Ranjith’s celebrated thriller Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha, Mammootty took on three roles with varying moral compasses and played each part with scary pre
I have been [in the Indian film industry] for almost 36 years and it’s a task to be relevant. But if you have passion you can pull it off for a long time.” MAMMOOTTY ★ South Indian superstar
cision. He isn’t averse to having some fun with his roles either. In the Mohanlal-led murder mystery No 20 Madras Mail, Mammootty played himself — an iconic actor travelling in a passenger train bound for Chennai (previously known as Madras) and gets reluctantly drawn into a murder investigation. In the film, his chemistry with the adorable man-child (Mohanlal) is still a joy to watch. If Mohanlal is the accessible superstar of Malayalam cinema, then Mammootty is diametrically opposite in his persona and proudly maintains an aura of mystery and untouchability around him, He seems to take immense pride in being slightly distant from his adoring army of fans.
And what makes his stupendous success story so compelling is that Mammootty — now a UAE golden visa holder — was never a part of an acting dynasty.
SELF-MADE HERO
Mammootty’s actual name is Mohammadkutty Ismail Panaparambil and he was raised in a modest middle-class Malayali household where his father did farming and his mother took care of them. Before he became one of the most recognisable names in South India, he was a lawyer who studied at the Ernakulam Law College.
Initially, he featured in a series of forgettable roles in the 70s, and it was the 80s that marked the beginning of his onscreen reign. It’s safe to say that he and his equally talented colleague Mohanlal are the two driving forces and pillars of Malayalam cinema. Both have dominated the cultural landscape in an industry which is notorious for spitting out talents and rejecting new, unfamiliar faces.
While there’s no denying Mammootty’s stupendous skills as an actor, there was often chatter in Malayalam cinema about his monopoly and legacy throttling the growth of young talents. But that was almost a decade ago. Now fierce actors such as Parvathy, Fahadh Faasil, Prithviraj and Manju Warrier have learnt to survive and thrive in an entertainment ecosystem filled with sharks like Mammootty and Mohanlal.
And in turn, veterans like them have learnt to adapt and change with the times. During the recent lock-down, Mammootty – a doting grandfather in real life — proudly flaunted his newly-acquired gym body. His rock-hard abs and long hair may be a recent development, but Mammootty has always been rock solid as a performer and brave in his acting choices. Give him any role and this actor, with leftleaning political ideology — will make it his own in his inimitable style. While he’s a cracking performer on the big screen and has also been upping his style game recently (yes, he can carry off leather jackets and psychedelic shirts), he’s not an easy subject to interview. In journalistic parlance, he’s a tough nut to crack and is painfully politically correct in all his media interactions. During the handful of times that this journalist has interviewed him, Mammootty has staunchly refused to be drawn into any controversy or anything remotely provocative. For instance, when we broached him with some sticky, but relevant questions about sexism or misogyny rampant in Malayalam films or his take on the relevance of the #MeToo movement, he brushed us off curtly and instructed us to stick to the film that he was peddling that week. Perhaps he’s just embarrassed to have acted in cop films with seriously questionable dialogues disparaging women or promoting casual patriarchy and misogyny in his films. While he may shy away from using his celebrity and clout to draw attention to larger issues and shatter deeply ingrained regressive mind-set among his impressionable male fans, there’s no denying that he is a powerhouse performer. Unlike many actors in Indian cinema, there’s no vanity or self-consciousness when he steps into the shoes of his complex characters. Clearly, Mammootty makes 70s look like the new 40s and is undoubtedly the grand old – read enviably youthful – man of Malayalam cinema.