Happy birthday, Mammootty: Actor's remarkable collaboration with MT Vasudevan Nair
With a filmography spanning over 420 films in six different languages—legendary Mammootty remains an unrivaled cultural icon. His insatiable quest for versatile characters has solidified his stature in the world of cinema. The actor's most significant creative partnership has been with the acclaimed writer-director MT Vasudevan Nair, and therefore, on his 72 birthday, we look back at some of their cinematic gems.
Here's when Nair recognized talent in young Mammootty
Mammootty's career bears the indelible mark of his mentor. It was literary luminary Nair who recognized the budding talent in Mammooty and offered him a pivotal role in the film Devalokam (1979). Though this project failed to secure a release due to financial constraints, Nair again offered the young actor a minor role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal (1980), marking the Malayalam actor's first credited role.
'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' (1989)
Mammootty's portrayal of Chandu Chekavar in this historical drama stands tall even today. This witnessed the collaboration of the actor with Nair, who served as the screenwriter. Upon its release in 1989, the film achieved remarkable commercial success and enjoyed a theatrical run that surpassed 300 days. It also earned four National Awards, and the Best Malayalam Movie award at the Filmfare Awards.
'Utharam' (1989)
Following the resounding success of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Mammootty continued his collaboration with Nair, taking the role in a Malayalam mystery-thriller film, titled Utharam. This masterpiece found its inspiration in Daphne du Maurier's short story No Motive. The film which also featured Suparna, Parvathy, and Sukumaran, is still widely hailed as one of the most outstanding investigative thrillers in the history of Malayalam cinema.
'Adiyozhukkukal' (1984)
Directed by IV Sasi and written by Nair, the Malayalam drama film Adiyozhukkukal earned Mammootty the prestigious Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as Karunan. The collaboration between Mammootty and Nair resonated with audiences, and such was its impact that the film was later remade in Tamil as Vanna Kanavugal, featuring Karthik, Murali, and Jayashree.
'Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja' (2009)
In 2009, Mammootty and Nair rekindled their partnership to deliver another masterpiece, titled Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. This epic period drama, helmed by director Hariharan, also achieved unparalleled success at the box office by amassing a staggering Rs. 49 crore against the production budget of Rs. 20 crore. The film also received the prestigious National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam.
