Entertainment: The Indian government has announced this year’s Padma Awards ahead of Republic Day. Veteran actor Mammootty has been conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan award by the committee. This is a fitting tribute to his immense contribution to Malayalam cinema, which includes numerous memorable roles throughout his illustrious career. Mammootty is considered one of the greatest legends of the Malayalam film industry, as he is among the few actors who have brought immense fame to Mollywood beyond Kerala with his stardom and popularity. He is an influential personality who has elevated the image of Mollywood nationally and globally with his stellar performances for over five decades. Born as Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail in 1951 and later adopting the name Mammootty, he began his film career in 1971 with the drama film Anubhavangal Palichakal. He initially started his career as a supporting actor and later became a leading man. He gradually established himself as a reliable hero and achieved stardom with several powerful roles. Some of his memorable roles came from films like Bramayugam, Bheeshma Parvam, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Thalapathi, Pathemari, Rajamanikyam, Kottayam Kunjachan, Prajapathi, and Bus Conductor. He also appeared in the Telugu film Swathi Kiranam and impressed the Tollywood audience with his brilliant acting. Throughout his illustrious career, Mammootty has won numerous awards for his exceptional acting skills. He has won three National Film Awards and seven Kerala State Film Awards. For his distinguished service to cinema, the Government of India honored him with the fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in 1998. He was also a recipient of the second highest Kerala award, ‘Kerala Prabha’, in 2022. After almost 30 long years, he has once again been honored with a Padma Award by the Government of India, and this time it is the Padma Bhushan. This honor was long overdue, as he is considered one of the pioneers who have taken Malayalam cinema to new heights with his contributions. The fact that he has acted in over 400 films in a career spanning 55 years is a testament to his contributions to the world of cinema. Even at the age of 74, Mammootty continues to propel Malayalam cinema forward with roles that are both popular with audiences and critically acclaimed. He has already signed five films for the next few years.
Mammootty receives a major honor at the Padma Awards.
