From break to brilliance: Mammootty's stunning comeback in 2022

This is the 8th State award in his kitty, including 6 best actor awards, one second best actor (Ahimsa, 1981), and a special Jury award (Yathra, Nirakoottu, 1985). Though he won the award for Lijo Jose Pellisery's 'Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam', some of his other notable characters were also considered by the award Jury. Earlier in 1989 and 1993, Mammootty had stunned everyone at the National and state awards with his multiple performances. 2022 can easily be called the year of Mammootty, with his various characters that dabbled with several shades of grey. It was the actor at his finest in 'Bheeshma Parvam', 'Puzhu', 'Rorschach', and 'Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam'. His dedication and passion for his craft are indeed an inspiration for young actors.

During the pandemic, Mammootty took a 275-day break from work. But soon after he came back, reenergized, with a lineup of spectacular films and performances. 2022 was also the year that saw Mammootty reinventing and exploring the actor and star in him.

He effortlessly slipped into a mass hero with grey shades in 'Bheeshma Parvam', a bigot in 'Puzhu', an NRI thirsting for vengeance in 'Rorschach', and a Malayalee man who slips into a daydream and becomes a Tamilian in 'Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam'. He had hardly anything special to do in 'CBI 5: The Brain', 'Priyan Ottathilanu' (was a cameo), and the action thriller 'Christopher' (released earlier this year).

'Bheeshma Parvam' witnessed his collaboration with Amal Neerad after 'Big B', and the film was a commercial and critical success. Many felt it was a fitting tribute to 'Godfather' (with generous Mahabharata influences) after the Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam film 'Nayakan'. Mammootty was superb (blending mass and emotional bits ably) as the brooding patriarch Micheal Appan.

Mammootty has the distinction of introducing the most number of new directors in Malayalam cinema. Last year, his discovery was Ratheena, who directed 'Puzhu' in which Mammootty did an image-breaking act as a casteist bigot and a toxic parent. He was also playing an antagonist after a long time. It was indeed a brave choice from the Megastar, and he nailed it.

The unpredictable and mysterious NRI Luke Antony in Nissam Basheer's 'Rorschach' was a stunning masterclass from Mammootty, who showed that he was open to any wild experimentation as an actor. The aloof and odd Luke was the highlight of the film. The 72-year-old Mammootty was once again demonstrating that he was not ready to slow down and has enough in his arsenal to surprise the audience.

It was Mammootty's first collaboration with one of the most exciting directors of our times, Lijo Jose Pellisery. In 'Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam', it was stunning to watch Mammootty alter between the Malayalee Christian James and the Tamil villager Sunder. The combination of LJP's craft and Mammootty's spectacular act turned NNM into a modern classic. His performances are so delicate in 'Puzhu', 'Rorschach', and 'NNM' that you can't seem to foresee the character's reactions. His choices in 2022 underline his undying passion for cinema and his willingness to experiment as an actor. To cut a long story short, there can't be a more deserving winner than Mammootty this year.