In a recent conversation about the upcoming film Patriot, actor Prakash Varma broaches the perennial question of Malayalam cinema: "Who is the better actor — Mohanlal or Mammootty?” Prakash puts Kunchacko Boban on the hot seat, telling him to make a concrete choice. Kunchacko offers a diplomatic take. “I like them both. They are the same to me. And that is why this film happened,” says the actor. Soon afterwards, Mammootty says, pointing towards Mohanlal, “He is better for me, and I am better for him.”
Understanding the nuance of Mammootty’s statement requires a basic idea of these two superstars’ filmography, especially how the films featuring both of them present their stardom. Malayalam cinema has often clearly defined stardom, although it becomes even more of a balancing act when Mammootty and Mohanlal share the screen. Unless it is a multistarrer, such as Twenty:20, or an investigative film with two lead heroes, such as Harikrishnans, every Mohanlal-Mammootty film has always made one of them the hero, with the other playing a complementary role.
Take 1988’s Manu Uncle, for example. Can you imagine director Dennis Joseph’s film without Mohanlal playing himself in a cameo? One of the running jokes in the film is about Mammootty’s titular character lying to his nieces and nephews that he knows superstar Mohanlal. The kids constantly ask Manu Uncle to introduce them to his 'longtime friend Mohanlal,' but Manu being Manu keeps finding excuses not to do so. At one point, the kids chance upon the superstar at a hotel in what has now become a meta moment that often dominates social media reels. Long-term fans will do well to remember the moment where the kids force Mohanlal to introduce himself to them. “My name is Mohanlal. I act a ‘little bit’ in cinema,” the superstar says, much to the children’s surprise. However, the punchline comes later when Mammootty once again lies to the kids, saying Mohanlal did not ask them about his longtime friend because he has become a busy star. When the kids leave, Mammootty quips, “Mohanlal? How can I even know him!”
In between all the comedy, it is easy to miss a sequence where the kids lie in return to Mammootty's titular character about Mohanlal singing for them. The imaginary montage sequence sees Mohanlal performing ‘Poomaname’ from the 1985 Mammootty starrer Nirakkoottu, among other songs. In some ways, it is a subtle nod to Mammootty’s tendency to star in roles with more intensity and gravitas as compared to his longtime contemporary's effortless, more breezy charm. Few moments from their collaborations on around 50 films resonate better than this one from Manu Uncle. It captures the essence of what Mammootty referred to with regard to the better actor commentary in the Patriot Hangout conversation. Among other films from the 1980s and the 1990s, Manu Uncle also helps bust the myth that Mammootty cannot do comedy.
A couple of years later, it was Mammootty’s turn to return the favour with an extended cameo in Mohanlal’s blockbuster film, Number 20 Madras Mail, directed by Joshiy. In Number 20 Madras Mail, Mammootty plays himself, and Mohanlal makes fun of his character. The two superstars perform without any egos, shedding vanity like only they can. Of course, these were the years with no vanity vans, when cinema thrived on pure collaborations and where Mohanlal and Mammootty used to write letters to each other from their respective sets.
Narasimham also does something similar to Number 20 Madras Mail. Who can forget Mammootty’s iconic introduction scene in director Shaji Kailas’ 2000 film? For the unversed, Mammootty plays a lawyer, who comes to help bring Mohanlal’s father (Thilakan) from jail. When Induchoodan (Mohanlal) and his gang talk about which lawyer to choose to bail out the old man, Induchoodan suggests the name of his longtime friend Nandagopal Marar. Then, the film reveals the character’s face on the cover page of a magazine. For all the punchlines and the back-and-forth between Induchoodan and the antagonists in the film, one of the moments that elicited the biggest cheers from the audience in Narasimham is Mammootty’s introduction sequence as Nandagopal Marar. It is a testament to how the Malayali audience keeps both superstars close to their hearts, despite engaging in frequent banter about who among them is better.
Many of the fans know that such discourse is irrelevant, especially when the actors themselves recognise their strengths and show full commitment to their respective roles. As fans, we can only hope that Patriot also brings a collaborative magic onscreen comparable to their yesteryear films, while taking the legacies of the two Big M’s of Malayalam cinema to even greater heights.