INTRODUCTION

Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail, known mononymously as Mammootty is an iconic

South Indian Malayalam actor and producer. Mohanlal calls Mammootty as Ichakka means
big brother, for which fans nicknamed him as Mammukka and considers him as one of the
finest actors in Malayalam film industry. He has worked in over 400 movies spanning over
four decades, mainly in Malayalam and few in Tamol, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English.
His contribution to the Malayalam film industry is commendable. The Government of India
honoured him with Padmashri in 1998 for his contribution to the arts. Mammukka has won
three National Film Awards for Best Actor, seven Kerala State Film Awards, thirteen Filmfare
Awards South and numerous other awards. He was listed in Forbes list several times and
also most Influential Keralite.

EARLY LIFE

Mammootty was born  in Chandiroor,Travancore (now Kerala) on September 7 , 1951 th

(Zodiac sign: Virgo), to Ismail and Fatima, as an elder brother of Ibrahimkutty, Zakariah,
Ameena, Sauda and Shafina. Mammukka pursued LL.B. from Government Law College,
Ernakulam. He practiced law for two years in Manjeri. Mammukka instilled acting skills
during his college days. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of
Kerala in January 2010 and from the University of Calicut in December 2010.

PERSONAL LIFE

Mammootty married Sulfath in 1979. The couple has a daughter Surumi and a son Dulquer
Salmaan, who is also an actor. Family resides in Kochi and also owns a house in Chennai.
Mammootty's younger brother Ibrahimkutty is also an actor in Malayalam films and TV
serials. Ibrahimkutty's son Maqbool Salmaan is also a film actor.

CAREER

Mammootty made his acting debut with an uncredited role in Anubhavangal Paalichakal in
1971. His next film Kaalachakram and a theatre art Sabramathi gave him some credit.
Mammukka struggled to get his first major break, which came through his 1980’s film Mela
and Vilkkanundu Swapnanga. Mammooty’s next movie Ahimsa directed by I. V. Sasi, won
him first Kerala State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. The 1980’s marked him as the
most demanding actor of the period, where he acted in over 200 films  associating frequently
with the eminent directors and screenwriters of the era like I. V. Sasi, K. G. George,
Padmarajan, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Bharathan, P. G. Viswambharan, K. Madhu and Joshi.
Some of his most successful and memorable films during this period included Athirathram,
Adiyozhukkukal, Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam, Avidathepole Ivideyum, Yathra,
Nirakkoottu, Kariyila Kattu Pole, Aavanazhi, New Delhi , Thaniyavarthanam, Anantaram, Oru
CBI Diary Kurippu, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Nair Saab.  His seamless performance in
Adiyozhukkukal and Yathra won him Kerala State Film Awards in consecutive years and the
epic film Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha earned him the first National Award for his portrayal of
the folk hero Chandu Chekavar.

His 1980’s Critical acclaim and commercial success continued in 1990’s and delivered
several blockbuster movies like Kottayam Kunjachan, Inspector Balram, Dhruvam, The King,
Hitler Mathilukal, Amaram, Soorya Manasam, Vatsalyam, Vidheyan, Sukrutham, Ponthan
Mada and Bhoothakkannadi, which reaffirmed his stardom to reach the pinnacle of his
career. Mammootty won his second National Film Award for Ponthan Mada and State award
for Vidheyan  in 1984. In 1997, he bagged his fifth Filmfare Award for his performance in
Bhoothakkannadi. In 1999, Mammootty essayed the role of the jurist and social reformer B.
R. Ambedkar in the biopic Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar - a performance that earned him his
third National Film Award. This period also saw him foraying into other film industries . He
acted in nine Tamil films, three Hindi films and three Telugu films. The most recognised
movie among these was the 1991 Mani Ratnam film Thalapathi - a modern retelling of the
epic Mahabharata, where he starred alongside Rajnikanth. Swathi Kiranam, Dhartiputra a
Hindi movie, Kilipetchu Ketkava, Aanandham and Shikari are some other noticeable movies
in different languages.

Early 2000’s was marked with several box office failures, it was Blessy`s Kaazhcha, scripted
on Bhuj earthquake, that marked Mammootty`s return and won him state award. His
historical drama film Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, was the most expensive Malayalam film
at the time and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam that year.
Followed by the film Kerala Cafe and the mystery film Paleri Manikyam: Oru
Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha, both of which received praise for their refreshing storylines
and narrative brilliance. Paleri Manikyam went on to win four Kerala State Film Awards,
including a Best Actor Award for Mammootty. The comedy-drama film Pranchiyettan & the
Saint directed by Ranjith, gave him cult status among filmgoers. Later, he experienced a
slump in his career with few noticeable movies such as  Immanuel, Kunjananthante Kada ,
Munnariyippu, Varsham, Pathemari,  The Great Father,  Ranjith`s Puthan Panam, Street
Lights, Parole, Uncle, Abrahamine Santhathikal, Oru Kuttanadan, Unda, Pathinettam Padi,
Peranbu and Mamangam and Shylock,  which underlined Mammootty`s calibre as an artist.
His latest horror movie The Priest has received praises from critics and fans. In 2013, his
role in Mathilukal was listed among 25 greatest acting performances of Indian cinema in
Forbes India on the occasion of celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema.

BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SERVICE

Mammootty is the chairperson of Malayalam Communications, which airs the Malayalam

television channels Kairali TV, Kairali News and Kairali WE TV. He is the goodwill
ambassador of the Akshaya project, the first district-wide e-literacy project in India  and
charity project Street India Movement, which aims at the eradication of child begging and
child labour.Mammukka is the patron of the Pain and Palliative Care Society, a charitable
organisation for cancer patients in Kerala and also a  patron of Care and Share International
Foundation, which works to eliminate inequality and carries humanitarian works  including
the recent Hridaya Sparsham project, to mobilise help for the heart surgery of children.
Kazhcha is a venture, which receives special funds from the office of President of India to
distribute free spectacles to children,  extend free eye care  and treatment organised by
Mammootty Fans Welfare Association and Mammootty Times, in association with Little
Flower Hospital and Research Centre and the Eye Bank Association of Kerala. Actor
Fahadh Faasil challenged actors Mohanlal and Mammootty to take up the My Tree
challenge, which encourages others to plant saplings. Mammootty has joined hands with the
Kerala State Beverages Corporation to promote the anti-drug campaign Addicted to Life.

Mammooty an ambitious actor went through ups and downs to reach the pinnacle of his
acting career. Mammukka – A God gifted actor and a man with a golden heart.