10 Best Mammootty Films To Watch Online

The ‘new-gen wave’ may have put a dent in the notion of superstardom, but some of Kerala’s stars have been exceptional performers first and foremost. If you have been missing Mammootty’s stellar performances on the big screen, then this list is for you. It was a herculean task to pick just 10 of his memorable films/performances from a filmography that shows over 400 films, but this is a sincere attempt.

1. New Delhi (1987)

Loosely based on Irwing Wallace’s The Almighty, the film, scripted by Dennis Joseph and directed by Joshiy, had Mammootty playing G Krishnamurthy, a talented journalist and cartoonist in Delhi who finds himself deceitfully shut in jail with a broken leg for taking on two politicians. The narrative trails his carefully planned vengeance against his detractors, with the aid of a newly launched newspaper and a mystery journalist. Sumalatha, who plays the female lead, is a catalyst in his plans. With an ensemble of actors (Urvashi, Suresh Gopi, Thiagarajan, Siddique, Devan), New Delhi was a resounding success and later remade in Hindi and Telugu. Mammootty internalises the trauma and anger of GK, making the transition from a righteous scribe to a blood-thirsty media baron smoothly. As an aside, the actor, whose career was also going downhill like GK, also rose from the ashes, getting back into superstardom in Malayalam cinema. (Available on JioCinema and YouTube)

2. Ore Kadal (2007)

Mammootty plays Nathan, a professor of Economics, a loner, sceptic, who prefers fleeting physical affairs, finds human emotions claustrophobic, and insists on inspecting the world through statistics. An unexpected gesture of kindness leads him to Deepthy (Meera Jasmine), a homemaker. They have a brief affair where Deepthy mistakes his lust for love and commitment but is devastated when he turns her down. What follows is a tumultuous and moving account of how the incident affects the otherwise unflappable Nathan and how Deepthy recovers after a meltdown. Director Shyamaprasad yet again picks an adaptation—Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Bengali novel Hirak-Dipti. With a brilliantly nuanced act from its lead pair (Mammootty aces the intense lover bit) and a closure that is refreshingly non-judgmental, Ore Kadal is one of the finest romances in Malayalam cinema.

(Available on Hotstar)

3. Big B (2007)

One of the earliest Malayalam films in the last decade that ushered in the new wave, Big B, directed by debutant Amal Neerad, was a loose adaptation of John Singleton’s Four Brothers set in Fort Kochi. The murder of Mary Teacher, a philanthropist, brings back to town her four adopted sons, who decide to find the people behind it. Mammootty plays Bilal, the eldest, with whom she had a fallout owing to his criminal activities. Bilal is enigmatic, ominously silent most of the time, and when he does speak, it’s mostly one-liners. At a time when heroes were given lengthy verbose monologues in Malayalam cinema, Unni R. fashioned pithy lines for Bilal, and Mammootty intones it in a peculiar style, bringing his trademark nuances to the character. Though the film didn’t do that well at the box-office, a decade later it is considered a cult action thriller. Technically it is top notch with its stylishly choreographed action scenes, soundscape, and cinematography. Two years ago, Neerad announced a sequel, Bilal, starring Mammootty again and the news was welcomed warmly on social media.

(Mx player and YouTube)

4. Kanamarayathu (1984)

Loosely inspired by Jean Webster’s novel Daddy-Long-Legs, in this IV Sasi directorial written by Padmarajan, the main lead Roy is crafted like a quintessential Mills and Boon hero, the rich business scion, who, along with taking over his father’s business empire, continues his humanitarian projects as well, including funding orphaned Shirley’s higher education. Roy is in his late 30s, well-respected and has decided to stay single. But the entry of the waif-like, innocent Shirley (an adorable Shobana) messes with his plans and she makes no bones of her love for him. It is a light, heartwarming romance (backed by a superb set of supporting characters) and Mammootty smoothly negotiates the character’s dilemma, who is torn between anxiety over their widening age gap, and his own conflicting heart. This one is a nostalgic favourite for the 80s kids.

(Available on Hotstar)

5. Arayannangalude Veedu (2000)

AK Lohithadas scripts a poignant family drama in the backdrop of an old tharavadu where its prodigal son, Raveendran (Mammootty) has returned after two decades, setting the tone for the drama and the character to unfurl leisurely. It is an impulsive urge that drives Ravi to visit his home from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhilai. Constantly having got the short shrift for the sins committed by his siblings, Ravi has only painful memories of his childhood and this time he has come prepared to bail himself out of charges in his name. Raveendran is mild as milk, and there are occasions when he allows his wife to take over. Mammootty’s performance can be described as gentle and perceptive. With an ensemble cast (Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Devan), soothing music, the narrative is filled with heartrending moments of familial bonds that do not leave you even after the film gets over. Like most feted Lohitadas films, it is intensely emotional and raw and has aged well.

(YouTube)

6. Pranchiyettan and the Saint (2010)

Cherammal Eenasu Francis aka Pranchiyettan, despite his flourishing rice trade and real estate, is bogged down by the fact that he is a school dropout, a drawback which he believes takes the edge off of his achievements. The narrative picks on this thread, leading us on a hilarious ride through the life and times of this unassuming rice trader and his quest to get a “name” for himself. Directed and written by Ranjith, there is a poignant drama in those layers of satire, with Mammootty perfecting middle-aged Pranchi with a heavy Thrissur slang. There are a smattering of fascinating characters (Siddique, Khushboo, Priya Mani, Jagathy Sreekumar, Biju Menon) in this beautifully written narrative. Just for that one hell of a performance, it is a must-watch film for every Mammootty fan.

(SunNXT)

7. Rajamanikyam (2005)

Director Anwar Rasheed’s début on paper has a typical potboiler narrative—after the untimely death of its patriarch, the warring family is taken to the cleaners by the adopted son, who suddenly makes an appearance out of nowhere. But what really upped the novelty quotient was Mammootty’s turn as Bellary Raja, an illiterate buffalo trader who has a penchant for fast cars. He is flamboyant, irreverently funny, packed a punch and spoke chaste Thiruvananthapuram slang. Rasheed’s assured direction that checked all the mainstream cinematic boxes and Mammootty’s breakthrough performance (till then he was mocked for his inability to pull off comedy)showed in the numbers at the box office, making it the biggest hit of that year. 15 years later, Rajamanikyam continues to be eulogised and celebrated.

(Mx player, Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema)

8. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989)

In 16th century Kerala folklore, Chanthu is a warrior who deviously kills his cousin Aromal Chekavar when he gets rejected by Unniyarcha. But writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair gives it a clever spin and tries to tell Chanthu’s side of the story, thereby turning him into a fallen hero. Directed by Hariharan, Chanthu in the cinematic version is a man of word and honour, who loved and lost, felt orphaned all his life and eventually committed hara-kiri. Mammootty (who won his first National Award for this film), in keeping with the tone of the narrative, plays Chanthu as stylised and dramatic, impeccably intoning the effusive dialogues with feeling and clarity. Equally striking is Madhavi as the fiery, manipulative Unniyarcha who deceives Chanthu. With a line-up of fabulous actors, brilliant dialogues, music and warm cinematography, the film is one for your cinema library.

(Newly restored HD version available on YouTube)

9. Vidheyan (1994)

Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s most seminal work, Vidheyan, an adaptation of Paul Zachariah’s novella, Bhaskara Pattelarum Ente Jeevithavum, is about the oppressive bond between Bhaskara Patelar, the feudal landlord and his man Friday, Thommi. Patelar preys on women and exploits the poor. Thommi is servile enough to remain silent when Patelar molests his wife. The film follows their unequal relationship as Patelar’s life, blinded by lust and power, goes into a downward spiral and Thommi eventually gets freedom from the bondage. The irredeemably evil Patelar, who speaks with a heavy North Canara slang, is one of the actor’s finest performances (which got him his second National Award). He makes us loathe his character passionately.

(HD Version available on YouTube)

10. Kottayam Kunjachan (1990)

Kunjachan’s entry echoes like a tom-tom, with a young lad running around, declaring his sighting to all and sundry. As if to validate his formidable reputation, Kunjachan gets into a scuffle with his earlier employer and single-handedly vanquishes a dozen men who try to mess with him. But Kunjachan is also a lot of fun—after pledging to reform himself, he starts a new business in town, tries to make himself amiable to the townies and just as quickly falls for the charms of Mollykutty (Ranjini). Kunjachan is an affable variant of Sangam’s Kuttappayi (Mammootty again)—the quintessential Christian Achayan who does not take himself too seriously. Mammootty expectedly aces the Kottayam slang and the comical ruffian sits lightly on him (check out that iconic drunken brawl scene) making it one of his most loved characters of all times. Written by Dennis Joseph, directed by TS Suresh Babu, with its superbly written supporting characters (Sukumaran, Innocent, KPAC Lalitha, Ranjini) rest assured there is not a single dull moment. (Amazon Prime Video)