A thread no one asked for:

Sept. 7 was the b'day of one the most talented actors. People outside Kerala don't understand what @mammukka means. He evokes the fandom that @iamsrk evokes elsewhere.

He is not above criticism, but that's for another day. Here is the man in hot pink

For all those who discovered Malayalam movies this pandemic season. Here is a non-exhaustive list of Mammukka’s movies that must be watched. It’s a random order based on what I remember:

In 2019, he came out with ‘Unda’ dir. by Khalid Rahman. In this cop movie, he has been stripped off his superstardom. Kerala cops are in Bastar to help with the polls. It has no machismo, just a few struggling cops struggling to understand their 'enemy'

Watch it on Prime.

1987: Aankiliyude Tharattu. This has Mammooty, Revathi and heartthrob Rehman, dir. by Cochin Haneefa. Haneefa is remembered for his comic roles, but the man was so much more. The movie is about an extra-marital affair, which ends in murder.

The movie is on YouTube.

1984: Aalkkoottathil Thaniye dir. by IV Sasi. A broken love story & an unhappy family man played by Mammooty. Here you can see the trope of the lead actor slapping the woman in times of distress and woman ‘realising' her mistake’. Oh, and it has @Mohanlal too

It's on YouTube

1987: Adimakal Udamakal dir. by IV Sasi. It also has our other superstar Mohanlal. It’s a movie on trade unions and the nexus between politicians and factory owners. Mammootty plays a worker in the factory, who attempts to solve the stand-off between owners and workers.

1986: Aavanazhi, again dir. by IV Sasi. This is the 1st in Inspector Balram series with Mammukka. There are two more – Inspector Balram & Balram Vs Taradas. Mammooty plays an honest cop, suffering in many ways, taking on criminals. B vs T can be skipped.

It’s on Prime.

1988: 'Oru CBI Dairy Kurippu' dir. by K Madhu. A murder mystery enjoying cult status. M plays a CBI officer investigating a murder made to look like a suicide. There are three sequels – Jagratha, Sethurama Iyer CBI, Nerariyan CBI. Watch only the 1st & 2nd movies.

It’s on Prime

1988: August 1, dir. by Sibi Malayil is another crime thriller involving the assassination plot of idealistic CM. As usual, there are plots to kill him being hatched in hotels. M is the cop investigating it. The climax is similar to the 1987 assassination attempt on Rajiv Gandhi

Then in 1989 came Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, dir. by Hariharan, written by MT Vasudevan Nair. This epic historical tragedy is based on a ballad from north Malabar. This movie along with Adoor Gopalakrishanan’s Mathilukal in the same year got him his first National Award.

Again in 1989, there was the Army movie Nair Saab dir, by Joshiy. Based in Kashmir, this has comedy, drug smuggling, sale of ammunition to enemy state. Of course, Nair Saab aka Mammootty saves the day.

The movie is on Youtube

Ooh! I had forgotten ‘New Delhi’ made in 1987. Dir. by Joshiy & written by Dennis Joseph, M is a journalist & cartoonist. He unearths a political rape, but it doesn't get printed. Instead, he is accused, sent to jail. He comes out to take revenge.
It also has BJP MP Suresh Gopi

1990s was when M, I think, began to explore action comedy. It started with 'Kottayam Kunjachan', dir. by TS Suresh Babu & written by Dennis Joseph. It also stars ex-MP Innocent.

M is a thug attempting to turn a new leaf. The Kottayam dialect in this movie is .

1990: 'Kuttettan' dir. by Joshiy & written by AK Lohithdas. Mammooty is a married rich businessman. But, he goes around having multiple failed affairs, landing him in hilarious situations.
Then comes an orphaned girl, whom he wanted to seduce, but has to call her his daughter.

1990: 'Iyer the Great' dir. by Bhadran & written by Malayattoor Ramakrishnan has to be seen. In this thriller, M plays a man who can predict the future. But, the movie has no happy ending.

My favourite Shobana plays a reporter in this.

1992: Johnnie Walker, dir. by Jayaraj and written by Ranjith. It's a movie on drugs and M plays the protective elder brother.
Johnnie Walker has the popular song 'Shanthamee Rathriyil' sung by KJ Yesudas that all of us grew up singing.

This thread is getting longer that I wanted.

In 1992, there were 2 films that must be watched- Kizhakkan Pathrose & Soorya Manasam. M plays different roles - a lorry driver and fish vendor; and slow-witted man.
Inspired by 'Of Mice & Men', Soorya Manasam breaks your heart