Mammootty truly deserves award for Bramayugam, why we agree with Prakash Raj’s ‘award committee is not a charity organisation’

Mammootty's big win for Bramayugam meant that Asif Ali, who was also in contention for what would have been his first Kerala State Award for Best Actor, had to settle for a Special Jury Mention.

Mammootty in Bramayugam, Prakash Raj

The horror film, Bramayugam, which once again saw Mammootty in a negative role, fetched the Malayalam megastar his seventh and record-breaking Best Actor Award at the Kerala State Film Awards for the year 2024. The veteran star’s big triumph meant that Asif Ali, who was also in contention for what would have been his first State Award, had to settle for a Special Jury Mention (Level Cross and Kishkindha Kaandam). But as Tamil actor Prakash Raj, the jury chairperson of the Kerala Awards, remarked that ‘award committee is not a charity organisation’, it is the merit of the performance and not any other factor that should decide the winner. Here’s a look at why Mammootty was more deserving for the honour.

Why Mammootty truly deserves award for Bramayugam

When we first see Mammootty in director Rahul Sadasivan’s period folk horror film Bramayugam, the megastar appears as the elderly patriarch Kodumon Potti at a Tharavadu (Kerala’s ancestral house), which is in ruins. But Mammootty, as the gray-haired patriarch with stained teeth, first paints a picture of an affectionate elderly man who welcomes Thevan (Arjun Ashokan), a folksinger from a lower caste, with open arms.

But as the film progresses, Potti begins to show his true colours, as it is revealed that he is an evil chathan (a goblin). Some of the scenes that stay with viewers include the menacing smile as he traps Thevan with a game of dice-and-roll, the manic laughter ringing out at the climax or his cry of anguish as the cook finally defeats the chathan. Mammootty was truly in his element in Bramayugam, even with seemingly simpler scenes when Potti chomps away on a piece of meat, or slumbers peacefully.

Apart from his seamless yet stunning transformation into various emotions, the 74-year-old actor was also lauded for fully embodying the character, without falling into the trappings of a star image.

Prakash Raj on Mammootty’s performance

While declaring Mammootty as the Best Actor, Prakash Raj had remarked that the presence of ‘Mammootty in Bramayugam and the nuances he carried just with his presence were very strong’.

“Youngsters are yet to have that level of expression. This is not a charity organisation; we have to give the awards to the best. If he’s still relevant, that is something to be inspired by,” pointed out the noted Tamil actor, who also slammed the National Awards’ jury for not recognising his talent.

He said, "files and piles are getting awards, and they don’t deserve Mammukka."

Asif Ali, on the other hand, also gave impressive and distinct performances in the slow-burning mystery thriller Kishkindha Kaandam and Level Cross but these cannot be quite compared to Bramayugam. His efforts fetched him a Special Jury Mention at the Awards, which declared Shamla Hamza as the Best Actress and Manjummel Boys as the Best Malayalam Film.

Also read: Shamla Hamza: Working in Dubai for 11 years to accidental actor, now Kerala Best Actress for Feminichi Fathima

FAQs

Q. Who is the Best Actor in Kerala in 2024?

A. Mammootty won the Best Actor in Kerala in 2024. The iconic star bagged his seventh Kerala State Award for his performance in Bramayugam.

Q. Who is the most Kerala State Award winner actor?

A. Veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty has won the most number of Kerala State Awards for Best Actor. The iconic star bagged his seventh Kerala State Award for his performance in Bramayugam finally breaking the tie with superstar Mohanlal.

Q. Which is the best film in Kerala in 2024?

A. Manjummel Boys won the Best Film in the 55th Kerala State Awards. Chidambaram's survival thriller is streaming on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium.

Q. Where to watch Bramayugam on OTT?

A. You can watch Bramayugam starring Mammootty, on SonyLiv via OTTplay Premium.

Share