Mammootty delivered a thoughtful and generous acceptance speech after receiving the Best Actor award at the 55th Kerala State Film Awards in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday for his exceptional performance in Rahul Sadasivan’s Bramayugam. The award came on a day of heightened emotion for the veteran actor, as it followed shortly after the announcement that he would also be receiving the Padma Bhushan this year.
Addressing the audience, Mammootty said awards were not just personal achievements but a source of encouragement for everyone involved in cinema. “Awards are always an encouragement for an artist,” he said, adding that in a film culture like Malayalam cinema, recognition also belongs to the people who support and nurture films.
He spoke about the strong year Malayalam cinema had enjoyed in 2024 and 2025, noting that recent releases had succeeded both creatively and commercially. Mammootty made a point of highlighting the work of younger actors, especially Tovino Thomas and Asif Ali, who received Special Jury Mentions along with him for ARM and Kishkindha Kaandam, respectively. “They are not even a millimetre behind me. They are with me,” he said, drawing applause from the audience. He added with humility, "I may have received the award because I am older in age”.
The veteran actor also praised the performances of Manjummel Boys actor Soubin Shahir and Feminichi Fathima-fame Shamla Hamza, saying they had delivered exceptional work. Referring specifically to Feminichi Fathima, Mammootty said such stories reflected the unique imagination of Malayalam cinema. “Such films are possible only in Malayalam cinema,” he said, pointing to the audience’s role in supporting meaningful and unconventional storytelling. Reflecting on what makes Malayalam films distinct, Mammootty said the industry’s strength lies in its portrayal of ordinary people. He explained that Malayalam cinema does not rely on superhuman heroes, but on characters who reflect real human emotions and flaws. “The good and bad that ordinary people do, the same good and bad exist in our characters. That is our strength,” he said.
Mammootty concluded his speech by thanking the Kerala government and the jury for the honour and expressing his hope to continue being part of Malayalam cinema’s journey. The actor’s win for Bramayugam marked a milestone moment, earning him his seventh Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, the most by any performer in the category.
