The Best Actor!

Today is 7th September 2020. This is my first blog ever. This Corona virus pandemic and the resulting lock-down/quarantine situation that hit the world like a hurricane have made many people creative, innovative and experimental. We all had a lot of time to explore and experiment. Everyone was keeping themselves busy with something or other. Some were exploring their cooking skills with a number of recipes like Delgona coffee, bucket chicken, jack fruit seed juice to name a few while some others were working out and challenging others to work out, some were enjoying their free time with their families and sleeping in their homes while some others were getting close to nature, some were making masterpiece artworks while others were making creative films and so on. I was really having a long cool off period. My routine for the past few months were limited to sitting simply, watching series and movies, eating, sleeping, having small fights with my two little ones (my bro and sis) and rarely working from home (only if some task is assigned to me) and repeat. But then a realization struck me like an awakening thunderbolt that i have to do something more. So I did a small research and came up with some options based on my likes and dislikes. Some things that I am passionate about includes travelling, reading, watching movies and series, writing, the art of enjoying food to name a few. And when I thought deep about it, I understood that blogging is a way in which I can combine all my interests into a single platform. That's how I came up with this blog.

Only the day before yesterday I created this trial website as a first step. I thought that I will start slowly and do things gradually. I had a very long day today due to a number of reasons which i will write another blog about. But today, I am writing about something else. Till today evening 5, I had not even a slight clue that I will be writing my first blog tonight. But then something that happened led me into writing this blog. Today is the birthday of a legendary Malayalam(Indian) actor and his name is Muhammed Kutty Ismail Panaparambil popularly known by his stage name Mammootty. He is called by malayalees with respect as Mammookka or simply Ikka which is a way to address respectfully a brother or an elder man. If you are a person who knows Hangul (Korean), it is similar to Oppa. Through out this blog I will be referring to him as Ikka.

He was born on 7th September 1951 in a Muslim family based in Kerala which is a South Indian state and home to Malayalam Film Industry. He was the eldest son of Mr. Ismail who was a wholesale businessman who dealt in garments and rice and Mrs. Fathima who was a housewife. He have five younger siblings namely Ibrahimkutty, Zakariah, Ameena, Saudha and Shafina. He went to the prestigious Maharaja's College, Ernakulam for his degree and was graduated with LL.B from Government Law College, Ernakulam. Before beginning his acting career, he practiced law for two years in Manjeri, Kerala. He married Sulfath in 1979 and they have a daughter named Surumi and a son named Dulquer Salmaan. Surumi is married to Dr. Rehan Sayeed who is a famous heart surgeon and she is also an artist. while his son Dulquer Salmaan aka DQ/ Kunjhikka (Small ikka) is also an actor just like his dad. Dulquer is a great actor who have acted in a number of hit Malayalam, Tamil as well as Hindi movies. He is married to Amal Sufiya and have a beautiful daughter Maryam Ameerah Salmaan.

From a junior artist role to the Megastar Mammootty, his acting career has been incredible. Mammookka began his acting career in 1971 and his onscreen debut movie was Anubhavangal Paalichakal which was scripted by Thoppil Bhasi sir and directed by K.S. Sethumadhavan. The story is based on a novel of the same name penned by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. He appears as a junior artist in the movie. Then in 1973, he acted in a bit part in Prem Nazir movie Kalachakram. His very first credited role even though a small role was in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal in 1980. And then in 1980,s he got his first State Award in the category Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Ahimsa. some of his notable works includes films like Padayottam, Sphodanam, Munnettam, New Delhi, Thaniyavarthanam, Jagratha, Oru CBI Diary Kuripp, Sethurama Iyer CBI, Nerariyaan CBI, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Sukrutham, Mrigaya, Amaram, Mahayanam, Mathilukal, Ponthan Mada, The King, The Commissioner, Number 20 Madras Mail, Bhoothakannadi, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar (Indian English-Hindi bilingual feature film), Harikrishnans, Arayannanghalude Veedu, Valliettan, Hitler, Dubai, Vaalsalyam, Chronic Bachelor, Rajamanikyam, Kazhcha, Karutha Pakshikal, Inspector Balram, Balram vs Tharadas, Athirathram, Thuruppu Gulan, Mayavi, Ore kadal, Big B, Annan Thambi, Thommanum Makkalum, Twenty: 20, Roudram, Pazhassi Raja, Paleri Manikyam, Drona 2010, Pokkiri Raja, Pranchiyettan and The Saint, Best Actor, Venicile Vyaapari, Immanuel, Pathemari, Kammath & Kammath, Balyakalasakhi, Munnariyippu, Manglish, Puthiya Niyaman, The Great Father, Masterpiece, Madhura Raja, Shylock, Yathra, Peranbu, Thalapathy, Azhagan, Kandukondain kandukondain to name a few. He acted in more than 400 movies in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English languages.

He got various awards including 3 National Film Awards for Best Actor for the movies Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathilukal in the year 1989, Vidheyan and Ponthan Mada in the year 1994 and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in the year 1999, 7 Kerala State film awards, 13 Filmfare Awards, 11 Kerala Film Critics Awards and 5 Asianet Film Awards. He has always been an inspiration for me since my childhood. I used to watch his movies again and again and still does it. Some of his characters like Raghavan (Raghavettan) in Valsalyam, Appukuttan (Appu ettan), Pallikkal Narayanan in Pathemari wherein he was that candle which have burnt itself to give light to his family without any expectation and Varunni in Mrugaya, have made me cry. Even as I am writing this, tears are rolling down my cheeks as i think about these characters. Some of his other roles like Joseph Alex Thevalliparambil in The King and The Commissioner, Arackal Madhavanunni of Valliettan (Big Brother), Nandagopal Marar of Narasimham, Sethurama Iyer of CBI series (3 movies namely Oru CBI Diary kuripp, Nerariyaan CBI and Sethurama Iyer CBI), Chandu of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Madhavan Kutty of Vartha and G. Krishnamoorthy of New Delhi have given me goosebumps and made me stand up and clap for him and wanted to whistle for him when he delivered some remarkable dialogues with such passion and grace. And some other roles like Sivan of Thommanum Makkalum, Gulan Kunjhumon of Thuruppugulan, Mahi of Mayavi, Hari of Harikrishnans have made me laugh to the core.

According to an IMDB article or list by Prashob Kumar named "Best Actors Around The World" (even though published in 2014 I only have come across this list recently), along with actors from around the world, there exists 3 malayalee names which are Mohanlal, Mammootty and Thilakan. Other Indian actors in this list include Kamal Hassan, Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Amitabh Bachan and Irrfan Khan. I felt really good to see 3 actors from a very small place and a small film industry like that of Kerala with a mere population of 3.48 crores.

Mammookka have always inspired me. I will always love him and his acting. Even now when he is 69, he looks so young that we are still confused whether he is really a human being or a vampire who doesn't age at all. He is a great actor and a wonderful human being. This is my debut blog and my birthday gift to Mammookka (I don't even know whether it will reach till him, but still writing this down). So please do forgive my flaws and bear with me! Once again Happy Birthday mammookkaa.... May Allah bless you and always stay blessed and happy!

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