Veteran Malayalam actor Mamukoya passed away at a hospital in Kozhikode on Wednesday. According to the hospital authorities, where he was undergoing treatment, he breathed his last around 1.10 pm. The 77-year-old actor fainted while attending a function related to a football tournament in Malappuram district on Monday night and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Mamukoya was known for his sharp comic timing, spontaneity and his wit with the Kozhikode slang of Malayalam.
Personalities from the Malayalam film industry came forward to pay tribute to the late actor. Mohan Lal took to her Facebook, shared a picture of Mamukkoya, and wrote, “Dear Mamukkoya was a man without pretensions and full of goodness. This unique talent presented the Malabar style in a very natural way on the silver screen. I was lucky enough to I am proud to have worked with her in many films, from Door Door Oru Koodu Koottam to the recent Priyadarshan directorial Olavum Theeravam. That innocent smile will never fade away and will remain in my heart forever. This is a great tribute to Malayalam cinema A great loss, and I mourn his passing.”
Mammootty also posted a picture of the late actor on his Facebook and wrote, “Tribute to dear Mamukoya”. actor’s son Dulquer Salmaan Tweeted a broken heart emoji along with Mamukkoya’s picture to express his grief. Prithviraj Sukumaran wrote on Twitter, “Rest in peace Mamukkoya sir! Absolute privilege to have shared screen space with you so many times. But watching you #Musa in #Kuruthi from such close quarters will be a memory I will cherish forever.” ! #Fable.”
The last rites are likely to be performed on Thursday. The actor is survived by his wife and four children. Mamukoya worked in a timber mill in Kozhikode and started his acting career in theater in 1979. In his long career, he painted Grease in over 450 Malayalam films and won two State Awards. The highlight of his acting career was his Malabar dialect and his physical stature, which made people burst into laughter the moment he opened his mouth.