His choice of roles has put the 72-year-old mega star in a league of his own. From high-octane actioners to quiet character studies, he is redefining Indian cinema — one role at a time
In March 2022, as the third wave of COVID-19 was plateauing in India, social media was all agog over Malayalam director Amal Neerad’s latest film, Bheeshma Parvam, starring Mammootty. At 70, the mega star had made a massive comeback to big screens and was set to woo cinephiles in the commercial action entertainer, dressed in a black kurta-like shirt and emerald green dhoti. There was a lot riding on his shoulders. It was the time cinemas in Kerala had opened to full capacity after a hiatus of two years. There was a hope that Mammootty would bring in the much-needed cheer after the long spell of pandemic-induced gloom. And that he did!
Bheeshma Parvam, an iteration of Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia epic The Godfather —adapted from Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name — and interwoven with references from the Mahabharata, was a sweeping hit not only in Kerala but in other states as well, and one of the biggest blockbusters of Mammootty’s storied acting career; he has acted in over 400 films in Malayalam, and in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English and Kannada. His character, Michael Anjootti aka Michael Appan, the patriarch of a Kochi-based Christian family, gained iconic status among the fans, cutting across generations.
Out of the nine films Mammootty has starred in the last two years, six have received both critical acclaim and commercial success. The exceptions include Christopher, an action drama in which he plays a vigilante cop, and CBI 5 – The Brain, the fifth instalment of his CBI film series, and a few others — like the Telugu film, Agent — in which he makes guest appearance. Before Bheeshma Parvam, out of his three films, only one had done reasonably well. While Shylock, a typical commercial action movie, performed decently at the box office, Priest, a horror film featuring him as the titular character, didn’t make much of an impact. He also starred in One, a political film in which he played Kerala Chief Minister — a role which invited comparisons to Pinarayi Vijayan. The opposition, led by the Congress, had requested to postpone the film’s release during the 2021 assembly elections, expressing concern over its influence on voters, but it ultimately fell short of expectations, failing to resonate with audiences in theatres.
An icon scripts history
From Bheeshma Parvam to his latest release Bramayugam, a deeply intense film shot in monochrome with just three main characters and a few others on the sidelines, Mammootty (72) has transformed himself into a formidable presence in Indian cinema over the past three years. Interestingly, this remarkable evolution came after his 70th birthday, during which he delivered outstanding performances in a series of meticulously crafted movies, particularly by the younger generation of directors, showcasing his enduring passion for acting.
Bramayugam, a folk horror film infused with potent political undertones by Rahul Sadasivan, boasts of Mammootty’s exceptional portrayal of Kodumon Potty, a menacing feudal lord and the oppressed chathan (demon). His extraordinary performance, unprecedented in Indian cinema, will be etched in the history of Indian cinema forever. This also marks Mammootty portraying a negative character in a second film in the past three years; he seems to be utterly immersed in his role as a seventeenth-century feudal lord, eclipsing almost all the other elements of the brilliantly made film.
Bheeshma Parvam, an iteration of Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia epic The Godfather, was one of the biggest blockbusters of Mammootty’s storied acting career.
“When it comes to experimental films, cinema is pretty much an experiment itself. Whether it’s a regular story everyone knows or something totally unique, it’s all about trying something different. Personally, I haven’t really seen films beyond that perspective. Whenever I can, I try new things to make the character better, but honestly, most of it just happens naturally,” said Mammootty prior to the release of Bramayugam.
“I narrated Mammookka (as he is respectfully called) the story of this film in about 20 minutes. I started with just three words: ‘Mystery film with Mammookka in Black & White.’ When he asked about the black and white concept, we did a test shoot and showed it to him. From then on, it became a collaborative effort”, adds Rahul Sadasivan, the director of the film.
Bramayugam has quickly become the talk of the national cinema scene within a few days of its release. People from across industries are discussing Mammootty’s bold choice and virtuoso, layered depiction of the villain. He has played characters with negative shades in the past: as Kammaran in Padayottam (1982), an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, and the first 70mm film produced in India; as Bhaskara Patelar in Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s internationally acclaimed Vidheyan (1994); and triple roles in Ranjith’s 2009 period drama, Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha. However, it’s his recent roles that truly set him apart.
An elegantly stylized approach
After the huge success of Bheeshma Parvam, it was debutant director Ratheena P T’s turn to showcase Mammootty on screen in the film Puzhu (The Worm), which had a direct release on OTT platforms. In Puzhu, Mammootty essays an exasperatingly disciplined and bigoted upper-caste police officer, who harbours deep-seated contempt for his younger sister after she marries a Dalit theatre artiste against the family’s wishes. He gets into the skin of Kuttan, who has soft-spoken demeanour but is entrenched in caste prejudices, with nuance and subtlety. This role demanded a level of sophistication and daring that few other actors would attempt, especially against Parvathy Thiruvothu, who plays his sister. Film enthusiasts, including his fans, were bowled over by Kuttan, who kills his own sister and her husband. If the film’s themes (honour killing, caste prejudice) made it stand out, Mammootty’s discerning choice of characters was also widely applauded.
In subsequent months, Mammootty played a character with dual/split personality in a magical realist psychological drama, Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery. The film revolves around a busload of Malayali families, including theatre artists, journeying back from a pilgrimage in Velankanni aboard their troupe bus. As they transition into a dreamlike setting in a secluded, nondescript Tamil village, Mammootty’s character James undergoes a delirious transformation, assuming the identity of a local Tamil named Sundaram. As a Tamil man, James adapts to his new family with effortless ease. Seamlessly transitioning between Tamil and Malayalam as a man who forgets his own past and begins to believe he is someone who is long dead, left audiences in awe. As James/Sundaram, Mammootty displays his extraordinary versatility and finesse.
Luke Antony, the NRI seeking vengeance for his wife’s murderer in Nissam Basheer’s neo-noir psychological thriller Rorschach, is another remarkable character portrayed by Mammootty with impeccable flair and élan. Beneath the surface, Luke Antony radiates an aura of overt disturbance, struggling with hallucinations and engaging in battles with imaginary foes. His enigmatic presence upon arriving at the forest village adds layers of mystery, amplifying the intrigue surrounding his perplexing behaviour. Mammootty’s stylized approach is evident in his meticulous attention to detail, nuanced body language, and compelling movements on screen.
Flawless execution, perfect timing in action sequences
Playing a disturbed police officer, George Martin, in Roby Varghese Raj’s directorial debut, Kannur Squad (2023), may not have been particularly challenging for an actor of Mammooty’s calibre. He injects the film with a killer punch that contributed to its phenomenal success, garnering praise from both audiences and critics alike. His flawless execution and perfect timing in the action sequences, especially considering his age, have left everyone astonished.
In Kaathal – The Core, Mammootty plays Mathew Devassy, a closeted gay man trapped in a heterosexual marriage.
Jeo Baby’s Kaathal – The Core has garnered widespread attention in India, largely because of its innovative narrative focusing on a divorce due to the protagonist’s sexual orientation. By playing the role of Mathew Devassy, a closeted gay man trapped in a heterosexual marriage, Mammootty has defied conventional stereotypes associated with stardom. In the eyes of the audience, Mathew lacks any conventional heroic attributes, yet the director’s treatment of the issue and Mammootty’s remarkable performance have propelled the film to tremendous success. This achievement is noteworthy in a society that continues to be, by and large, conservative, reluctant to fully accept LGBTQAI+ rights.
“I felt that he’s deeply passionate about portraying characters he hasn’t explored before. He feels a bit bummed when indie filmmakers don’t approach him,” says Jeo Baby, the director of Kaathal. “He likes talking politics, sometimes even more than movies. When it comes to discussions about the scenes, he can get caught up in political talk and other stuff for hours, but then switch to focusing on the scene for just a few minutes. New directors find it easy to reach out to him; they say working with him is smooth sailing,” Jeo Baby tells The Federal.
