At 74, Mammootty Finds More Freedom in Senior Roles: 'No Fun Being Just a Hero'
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Malayalam superstar Mammootty is back on screen after a brief health break, and he's now promoting his upcoming film Kalamkaval, set to release on December 5. In a recent promotional video, the 74-year-old actor credited transitioning to senior roles for giving him more creative freedom as an actor. Mammootty has had a diverse career, playing romantic leads, action heroes, and complex characters. However, he now finds that senior roles offer more variety and choice. Mammootty cited his role as the villainous Chathan in Bramayugam (2024) as an example of the kind of freedom he now enjoys. He noted that playing a hero can be limiting, but playing a complex character like a villain or an anti-hero offers more scope for experimentation. In Kalamkaval, Mammootty plays a character he describes as 'not a villain, but not a good soul.' When asked about breaking away from his star image, Mammootty emphasized that he's driven by his desire to play complex characters rather than fear or courage. He believes that being an actor is his true calling, and he wants to satisfy his creative instincts above all else. Kalamkaval, directed by Jithin K Jose and co-written by Jishnu Sreekumar, has been misunderstood as being based on the real-life story of Cyanide Mohan, a serial killer with 21 victims. However, Mammootty clarified that the film is not about Mohan's case, but rather inspired by real events. The film also stars Vinayakan, Gibin Gopinath, Gayatri Arun, and Rajisha Vijayan.
