Birthday Special: Looking at the rise, slump, and resurrection of the legend called Mammootty

The legendary star called Mammootty has been acting for more than five glorious decades, has given many blockbusters, some failures, multiple classics, and still stands tall. The Rise It was K. S. Sethumadhavan’s Anubhavangal Paalichakal when the world saw him for the first time all the way back in 1971 but as an extra. But fate had other plans. It took over a decade to bloom into a leading man of cinema. The year was 1983, to be precise, and the film was Visa, a commercial success. His second film as a lead Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu was even a bigger hit. The legacy was on its way to be written. The Resurrection There were a couple of unsuccessful films in between but post 1987, the career and charm were back on track. The film was New Delhi, which gave his career a new turn. The Best Some of his best films include: Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha Mammootty essayed the character of a 16th-century Kerala warrior Chanthu Chevakar in this National Award-winning historical epic. Malayali filmmaker Hariharan’s 1989 directorial features Mammootty’s Chanthu as a wronged man and a misunderstood historical character. Thalapathi This cult classic always make to the list of must-watch films for movie buffs. Ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s vision for Thalapathi was inspired by  _Mahabharata_ and features Mammootty as Devaraj, a character inspired by Duryodhana. The 71-year-old shared the screen space with  Rajinikanth , who essayed the role of Surya, a man who shares traits with Mahabharata’s Karna. Babasaheb Ambedkar In 2000, Mammootty had cinema fans glued to their screens with his portrayal of BR Ambedkar in this Jabbar Patel’s directorial. To exhibit BR Ambedkar’s contributions to the emancipation of the oppressed and the downtrodden classes in India, the movie was a jointly funded project by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Government of Maharashtra. It also showcased how BR Ambedkar shaped the Constitution of India.