boss, always
The year was 1981. Infosys was born, Nargis died and Mammootty entered my world through a full-page advertisement in the Malayala Manorama newspaper for the film. spodanam (explosion). I was about to enter college and it was difficult to notice the handsome young man who looked unlike any other Mallu actor. The title spoke to me as I blasted my way through the shackles of a boring boarding school life into the exciting world of college. I met him exactly 20 years later in 2001. Mammootty was the chairman of the newborn Kairali TV, where I learned the ropes of television production. Suddenly, my matinee idol became my boss. You all know he could have walked out of the poster of spodanamWho was 20 years old at that time. He looked younger than me then, as he does now. And he still owns me.
toned agelessness
Ask him, and he’ll tell you that the secret to his everlasting looks is a sacrifice with a capital S. In the world of glamor, the Mammuks—as we call them with affection and pride in Kerala—live an “ordinary” life. Traveling together, whenever we eat a sumptuous dinner, I know exactly where to meet her the next morning at the hotel gym. The man refuses to let his wealth influence his middle-class values. His son, rising superstar Dulquer Salmaan embodied a fine trait.
warmth in a cold handshake
Mammootty is often considered impulsive as he does not bother with formalities. Few people realize that these impulses stem from a basic understanding of life. It’s a miracle how this man survived and became a symbol in a world where being two-faced is the norm. Filmmaker Ranjit- whose 2009 film Kerala Cafe Hints at the arrival of the latest ‘Lehar’ in Malayalam cinema-recalls how he met his only superstar. “Director Kamal introduced me to Mammootty in 1988. He gave me a cold hand. I could sense that he was measuring me. That’s his style. He gradually warms up, but once he does, his friendship never cools,” he says.
on his guard
Mammootty was the only superstar who dared to act in an experimental film anthology Kerala Cafe This is a testament to not only their friendship, but also of their commitment to people who think differently. He has worked with many new filmmakers, many of whom are now famous across India thanks to the OTT platform. He identifies new talent from the film set—cameramen looking to direct, assistant directors looking for their big breaks. Unbeknownst to them, Mamukka places them under ‘observation’, and once convinced of their ability, volunteers to date them.
to be honest
If Mammootty has ventured into every ‘new wave’ of Malayalam cinema, it is because he hates the yes-man. He asks questions to the directors to check their commitment level while discussing the script and trusts people to speak their mind or challenge them. It is an integral part of his liberal, progressive worldview. He himself is never afraid to articulate his politics. I believe it is his outspoken political views that stand between him and a Padma Bhushan (he received the Padma Shri in 1998). One caveat: He never let his politics come in the way of friendship or his spouse’s reasons.
ahead of schedule
The consummate method likes the actor Stanislavsky. In Mammootty’s own words, he breaks his own iron cage to reshape it according to the demands of a new role. An avid reader, he “enters the world” uninvited to seek new challenges. Once, at a public function, director Satyan Anthikkad told me that he was writing a new script with Mammootty in mind. I told him that he should announce it there. He took the bait and the crowd erupted in applause. Later, he quipped: “My headache starts now. I am still in the initial stages of the project, but Mammootty will start preparing for the role already.”
Tech Patron-in-Chief
Not many know that the biggest superstars of Malayalam cinema are serial investors in tech startups. Mammootty’s passion for technology began when he began tinkering with ham radio. In the 1990s, long before the mobile phone revolution, he used to use the ham radio in his car to communicate with his wife as he moved from set to set. If a new gadget strikes his fancy, he will travel far and wide to acquire it. He will also independently recommend gadgets. Once, upon hearing me about repeated throat infections, Mammuk asked, “Do you go for a morning walk?” When I said yes, he replied, “Bring a set of ear pods. Closing your ears should help your throat.” For good measure, he added: “Listen to the air, it suits your age.”
(2021 completes 50 years in Mammootty’s cinema)
John Brittas Rajya Sabha member and Managing Director of Kairali TV
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