Ahead of the 77th Republic Day of India, the announcement brought a sense of long-awaited recognition for Malayalam cinema and its audiences. On Sunday, the Ministry of Home Affairs named Mammootty as a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour, ending a 28-year gap since the actor received the Padma Shri in 1998. For many fans and Malayalis who have followed his journey for decades, the honour felt overdue rather than surprising.
Mammootty reacted in his usual understated manner. Speaking to Mathrubhumi News, he said the honour was unexpected and added that he was “very happy”. “There is no greater honour than being recognised by the nation,” he said. The moment was made more special as the announcement came on the same day he was in Thiruvananthapuram to receive the Best Actor award at the 55th Kerala State Film Awards for his widely praised performance in Rahul Sadasivan’s Bramayugam. Asked what he wished to say to Malayalees, the actor replied simply, “I am happy, and I hope you all are happy too.”
The honour also arrives in a moment of rare collective pride for Malayalis, coming less than a year after Mammootty’s contemporary and long-time peer Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023, India’s highest recognition in cinema. Together, the two actors, whose careers have run parallel for over four decades, are marked by creative rivalry, mutual respect and an enduring bond with audiences.
Born Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail on September 7, 1951, Mammootty has had a film career spanning more than five decades. He began as a junior artiste in Anubhavangal Paalichakal in 1971, got his first credited role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal in 1980, and became a leading actor with Thrishna in 1981. By the mid-1980s, he had established himself as one of the most dependable stars in Malayalam cinema.
Mammootty has acted in more than 400 films and is known for taking on a wide variety of roles. While Malayalam cinema remains his main space, he has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English films. His ability to move easily between popular films and serious, challenging roles has kept him relevant across generations.
Over the years, he has received several major honours, including three National Film Awards, multiple Kerala State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards South and critics’ awards. CNN once named him among the people who changed Indian cinema, recognising his lasting influence. In 2022, the Government of Kerala honoured him with the Kerala Prabha award. His impact goes beyond awards and box-office success. Mammootty’s life and career are part of the BA History syllabus at Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, under a course on the history of Malayalam cinema.
The Padma Awards will be formally presented by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan later this summer.
