The controversy ignited when the director’s spouse claimed in an interview that the film targeted a specific community, while also criticizing Mammootty for his role in the project….reports Asian Lite News
Political leaders from the Left and Congress parties in Kerala have united in support of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, who is facing online harassment from certain right-wing sympathizers regarding one of his movies released two years ago.
The controversy revolves around claims on social media platforms that the movie ‘Puzhu,’ a psychological drama directed by Ratheena P T, is anti-Brahmanical.
Critics even resorted to using Mammootty’s birth name, Muhammed Kutty, to target the actor in connection with the film.
The spark for the controversy came from an interview given by the husband of the movie’s director, where he asserted that the film was against a particular community and criticized Mammootty for his involvement.
Dismissing the social media campaign against the acclaimed actor, prominent figures including state Ministers V Sivankutty and K Rajan, and AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, voiced their support for Mammootty.
V Sivankutty, also the General Education Minister, shared a photo of himself with Mammootty on Facebook, declaring the actor as the pride of Malayalees.
Similarly, CPI leader and Revenue Minister K Rajan hailed Mammootty as the pride of Kerala and Malayalees, attributing the controversy to “Sangh Parivar politics” and asserting that such tactics wouldn’t succeed in Kerala’s secular society.
AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that Kerala’s secular society would not endorse such propaganda.
Venugopal emphasized that Mammootty, with his clear political views and acting prowess, cannot be confined to the narrow boxes of religion and caste.
He condemned the hate campaigns targeting the actor and called upon Kerala society to protect Mammootty from the divisive agenda of vested interests.
The Congress leader stressed that branding Mammootty solely based on his birth name reflects the contemptible mindset of those behind the hate campaigns.
Venugopal’s post read, “In Sathyan Mash’s last film ‘Anubhavangal Palichakal’, he became the voice and face of Malayalam cinema from a 20-year-old boy who stood beside actor Bahadur for the first time in the silver light in a minute-long scene. The name Mammootty stands among the actors who have given Malayalam cinema a beautiful address at the top of world cinema during his half-century of career.”
Venugopal highlighted the efforts by 72-year-old Mammootty for Malayalam cinema. “When Malayalam cinema was going through historical stages of its growth, actor Mammootty was able to shoulder it alone and overcome the weaknesses. Mammootty has been able to simultaneously be the figure of authority in Bhaskara Patel and the figure of a subordinate in ‘Ponthanmada’. That man cannot be tied to the framework of any religion or caste. Only those with specific political goals were behind it. The fact that Mammootty is still Muhammad Kutty today is due to the hatred in the minds of those hate mongers. “
He concluded his post, “The secular society of Kerala will not cooperate no matter how much they try to slander a person with a correct political view and sense of acting. Mammootty’s caste and religion are the same as Mammootty’s voice and face seen in Malayalee meals and sleep for fifty years. It is Kerala that needs to wrap Malayalam’s Mammootty away from the poison of hate campaigns. It has no colour of politics, no colour. Mammootty alone is enough.”
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