Lived, not acted

It's been exactly a month since a comedy legend from Malayalam crossed the rainbow bridge, and the departure of another artiste who, just like Innocent, established a distinct oeuvre of his own has dampened the spirit of Malayali moviegoers who grew up watching his films. Mamukkoya belonged to that distinguished group of actors spawned by a theatre background but impressed one and all with a distinctly recognisable original and natural style that made him stand out from the rest. One can easily categorise Mamukkoya under that group of actors who ‘lived, not acted.’ What earned my admiration is his remarkable gift for firing sharp counters that qualify, in the minds of today’s generation, as ‘thug’ behaviour.

Among the most exceptional examples would be Thalayanamanthram, where an episode of miscommunication results in his student, played by Sreenivasan, creating an accident that causes minor injuries to both. The characters of Sreenivasan and Innocent get two different kinds of ‘harsh’ responses in a now iconic scene. Also memorable is the photographer in Vadakkunokkiyanthram, who tries hard to make Sreenivasan smile, but to no avail. This photographer, who once worked in Dubai, brings to mind another iconic Mamukkoya character with a Gulf connection, Gafoor, from Nadodikkaattu, who agrees to get Mohanlal and Sreenivasan’s Dasan and Vijayan to Dubai on his boat “headed for California.”

A frequent collaborator of Sathyan Anthikad and Priyadarshan, two filmmakers who brought out the best in him more than others, Mamukkoya, just like the other skilled actors of his generation, explored the possibilities of dubbing and off-screen improvisations to come up with varied and nuanced comical experiences. 

His unique body language and dialogue delivery, strongly tinged with a distinct Mappila dialect, made him an instant favourite among Malayalis who turn to any of his numerous clips to take the edge off of a long day. In one film, Manthramothiram, this Mappila dialect was the topic of a clever interaction where Dileep’s character forbids him from using the vernacular while portraying a sage in a play, to which Mamukkoya quips in his characteristic style that “artists are not supposed to harbour any communal feelings” and that “any sage born in Malabar would speak this way.”

An oft-revisited performance of Mamukkoya is in Gajakesariyogam, that of the broker who, along with Jagadish, constantly annoys Innocent with his talk of eating and visiting restaurants when he is supposed to help the former buy an elephant. His role in Ramji Rao Speaking, as a moneylender in relentless pursuit of Sai Kumar’s character, the way he addresses Balakrishnan as ‘Balasna’ (a favourite routine of mimicry artistes), or the gag involving a kidnapping where he puts his gift for physical comedy to good use, is an extraordinary testament to his unparalleled abilities. And what about Keeleri Achu from Kankettu—the ‘scary’ hooligan later proven to be a paper tiger by Jayaram’s character?

But let’s not forget Mamukkoya’s serious characters, such as the ones in Perumazhakkalam, Byari or the most recent one, Kuruthi. In a film featuring heavyweights like Prithviraj Sukumaran and Murali Gopy, Mamukkoya’s performance as Moosa Khader, a man moulded and sobered by a dark history of his own, stood out.

Thank you for the memories, Maamukka. Your presence will be sorely missed.