50 Glorious Years of Mammootty in Malayalam Cinema
Looking Back at All Time Best Movies of Mammootty
Who said stardom fades away with age? Whoever said that never met this amazing actor of Malayalam cinema. I’m talking about none other than the charming phenomenon Mammootty, affectionately called Mammookka by Malayalis. Mammootty seems to age like fine wine. A man who is nearly 70 years old, with 50 years in the industry and yet shining with full glory like always. On the occasion of his 50 years in cinema, here’s a list of all-time best movies of Mammootty.
1.Unda (2019)
Recently released Mammootty starrer Unda is about a bunch of local cops from Kerala who are sent to Chhattisgarh to prevent the Maoist interference in the elections about to be held there. The movie is a realistic portrayal of the struggle of the police department and really makes us empathize with them. Directed by Khalid Rahman, Unda is one of Mammootty’s best movies in recent times.
2.Mathilukal (1990)
Mathilukal is inspired by celebrated writer Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer’s novel by the same name. The story is a semi-autobiography of the writer Basheer himself, reflecting on the time he spent in jail during the freedom struggles. Mammootty excels as Basheer in the film. His performance in the movie was credited as ‘25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema’ by Forbes in April 2013.
3.CBI franchise (1988-2005)
Starting with ‘Oru CBI Diary Kurippu’ to ‘Nerariyan CBI’, there are a total of four movies under this CBI franchise, all equally gripping and thrilling. Mammootty’s character Sethuram Iyyer CBI is still one of the most celebrated movie characters in Malayalam cinema.
4.Amaram (1991)
Directed by celebrated director Bharathan, Amaram is one of the most appreciated movies of Mammootty. Mammootty plays Achootty, an uneducated fisherman who lives with his daughter. He wants his daughter to be educated and become a doctor but his dreams are shattered when she falls in love with a young fisherman and elopes with him.
5.Hitler (1995)
Mammootty’s character Madhavankutty (who is referred to as Hitler because of his tough persona) is still regarded as an iconic character. He plays the solar elder brother to five sisters whom he tries to protect desperately from creeps and perverts. We see him pair up with charming queen Shobhana.
6.Valsalyam (1993)
Directed by late Cochin Hanifa, Valsalyam is about the struggles and sufferings an elder brother (Mammootty) faces in his own house with changing culture and lifestyles of his siblings. We can’t help but empathize with him throughout the movie.
7.Samrajyam (1990)
Probably one of the most celebrated gangster movies in Malayalam cinema, Samrajyam has Mammootty playing the role of Alexander, a powerful underworld don. The sequel to the movie was released which, however, did not take off well.
Read: Sequels that turned out to be surprisingly good
8.Kaazcha (2004)
It is impossible to watch Kaazcha without shedding a few tears. Kaazcha is a movie about a young boy who gets lost in Kerala after being affected by the Gujarat earthquake of 2021 and befriends a film projectionist, played by Mammootty.
So, tell me which Mammootty film is your favorite!
Image courtesy: Instagram

I can’t stop talking about films, so I blog!
I started The FourthWall, my film blog, to share my thoughts on films and shows with fellow movie buffs, and over the years it has become my happy place. Come join in for some interesting conversations on cinema… and sometimes books and fashion!
One thought on “50 Glorious Years of Mammootty in Malayalam Cinema”