Malayalam's Big M: Mammootty Turns 63
Three-time National Award winner Mammootty is a matinee idol in Kerala. The Malayalam movie actor who has acted in more than 300 films, is considered one of the finest actors in the industry. He has proved his acting prowess in not just art movies but also commercial movies. On his 60th birthday, we look back at his life and his immense contribution to Malayalam cinema.
-
Malayalam superstar Mammootty's much-awarded career, spanning three decades, has seen him star in nearly 400 films. A towering presence in both mainstream and art-house cinema down south, Mammootty is the rare actor whose appeal and popularity cuts across state boundaries. He is almost as beloved in Tamil Nadu as he is in his native Kerala. On his 63rd birthday, we look back at his life and his incredible screen journey.
-
Roles started flowing in only in 1980 and, just like his contemporary Mohanlal, Mammootty began his career playing villains. Mammootty had a small part playing a bad guy in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal, starring Sukumaran. The same year, he starred as the main villain in Mela.
-
In the mid ‘80s, Mammootty's graph slumped somewhat with the actor being typecast into the role of a businessman-father. The hit thriller New Delhi (1987), in which Mammootty played a victimized journalist out for revenge against corrupt politicians, revived his career from the doldrums of sterotyping.
-
Mammootty followed up New Delhi with an award-winning performance in the drama Thaniyavarthanam and the record-shattering Oru CBI Diary Kurippu(1988), a mystery film that created box-office history in Kerala as well as in Tamil Nadu. His character from the film, Sethurama Iyer, a CBI officer became so famous that a spinoff franchise featuring the character has so far spawned three more films with yet another one in pipeline.
-
By now, Mammootty was a force of nature. 1989's Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathulikal fetched Mammootty the National Award for Best Actor. A second National Award came his way with Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Vidheyan(1993) and Ponthan Mada, and a third with 1999's Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.
-
The 2000s, however, were less golden for Mammootty, now trapped in clichéd matinee idol roles. He tried comedy with films like Thuruppu Gulan and Rajamanikyam. But the actor made a real strong comeback with Big B (2007) which became one of the biggest hits ever in Malayalm cinema and is considered a pioneering film in technical brilliance.
-
In 2010, Mammootty dabbled with many styles and won over audiences with films like Pokkiri Raja (Remade in Hindi as Boss), Best Actor and Pranchiyettan & The Saint. The last film became a milestone in his successful career and also earned him a National Award nomination.
