Actor in me fostered by MT’s brilliant characters: Mammootty

Megastar Mammootty credited MT Vasudevan Nair's writing for his 41-year-long career in Malayalam cinema and said the strong characters and engaging script plays of the legendary writer played a major role in evolving the actor in him.

The screen icon became emotional while speaking at the 90th birthday celebrations of the veteran writer held at Thunjan Parambu, Tirur. And he ended his short speech by dedicating all awards he won to MT.

Mammootty himself adorned MT with the bracelet he brought along with him as a special gift for the Jnanpith laureate, with whom he collaborated for several cult films, including Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha, Adiyozhukkukal, and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja.

Earlier Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the event titled ‘Sadaram MT’ to celebrate the 90th birthday of the writer, popularly known as ‘MT’.

“The characters and scripts of MT were the ones that fostered the actor in me to a great extent. Even as I start to read his works, my desire for the stories and the characters used to come out at the same moment. I used to stand before a mirror or water, without anyone noticing, and practice bringing the characters to my face. During my childhood, I had dreamt of meeting MT someday.

“The connection, when I met him on the sidelines of a film festival one fine evening…I can still experience that magic. It was after that (meeting) I got so many opportunities to act in movies. I feel blessed to perform before you all these years. I enjoy the love and respect showered by you for my movies. I feel extremely proud and relish the special recognitions I get as an actor who enacted roles in MT’s films.

“I finished giving life to the character of his writings the last time, only four to five months back. Still, there are so many wonderful characters remaining in his books. I’m one who is still waiting to enact many more impact characters. I have received many recognitions and awards for acting in his films. I’m dedicating all of them before his feet as a Gurudakshina.

“I can approach him in any capacity -- as a brother, father, friend, or a fan. I have turned into all the characters of his literary works. Not only in movies, but I have also enacted the characters in his works, even in my dreams. His characters were the ones which fostered the actor in me,” Mammootty reflected.

MT is the pride of the state, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Culture Minister Saji Cherian noted that the Government will organize a literary fest at Thunjan Parambu in the name of MT, a suggestion proposed by Mammootty.

Minister V Abdurahiman, P Nandakumar MLA, and Writer C Radhakrishnan were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.