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Mammootty was shocked seeing his remuneration for Mela, as his previous role earned him just Rs 50: ‘I’m going to have a blast with this money’
Discover how Mammootty transitioned from a legal career to stardom, starting from his uncredited beginnings in Anubhavangal Paalichakal, first credited role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal, and then a breakthrough in Mela.
It was Sreenivasan who recommended Mammootty's name to director KG George for Mela. (Credit: Facebook/@Mammootty, YouTube/MZmalayalammoviecafe)
Although Mammootty made his on-screen debut in director KS Sethumadhavan’s classic political drama Anubhavangal Paalichakal (1971), which starred Sathyan, Prem Nazir, and Sheela in the lead roles, it took him nine more years to earn his first credited role. After playing a bystander, sans any dialogues, in a scene in Anubhavangal Paalichakal, he appeared in an uncredited role as a boatman in K Narayanan’s Kalachakram (1973), where he had a few lines. Yet, the young Muhammad Kutty did not receive any immediate offers.
After graduating from college, he began practising law but did not abandon his acting aspirations. He finally secured a proper role in Azad’s Vilkkanundu Swapnangal (1980), with his name appearing in the opening credits alongside those of other stars. Although the part was lengthy, it wasn’t extraordinary, nor was his performance. Nonetheless, Mammootty managed to leave a lasting impression on the audience that same year with his portrayal in legendary filmmaker KG George’s Mela (1980), marking the true beginning of an illustrious career that remains glorious even after 45 years.
Incidentally, it was Sreenivasan, who was yet to make his screenwriting debut at that time and was slowly making a mark as an actor, who recommended Mammootty’s name to director KG George and the producers. The two actors had previously worked together in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal and had been friends since then. Not only did Sreenivasan play a small role in Mela, but he was also involved in its production from start to finish as he harboured a close relationship with its producers.
Mammootty in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal. (Screenshot: YouTube/MovieWorldVisualMediaMalayalam)
While Mela revolved around Govindankutty (Raghu), a circus clown, and his wife, Sharada (Anjali Naidu), the story also featured the role of a bike jumper, Vijayan, the male lead’s close friend. “They needed a smart, good-looking young man for that role. Hearing this, I told them that there’s a person named Mammootty in Ernakulam. He works as a lawyer and had done a role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal. Since Mela’s cinematographer Ramachandra Babu himself headed the department in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal, he also knew Mammootty and supported my suggestion. ‘He would be apt for that role,’ Babu attested. That’s how Mammootty came on board Mela,” Sreenivasan recalled during an old episode of a Kairali TV talk show.
‘Mammootty got just Rs 50 for his role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal’
The movie’s dubbing took place in Madras (now Chennai). “As Mammootty was gearing up to return home after completing his portions, I handed over to him his remuneration, which the producers had entrusted to me. He was shell-shocked to see the amount: Rs 800. Apparently, all he had received for his role in Vilkkanundu Swapnangal was Rs 50. So, it was understandable that he was stunned upon receiving Rs 800. He told me, ‘I’m going to have a blast in Ernakulam with this money.’ That’s when I realised that he wasn’t making much from his lawyer job,” Sreenivasan added.
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“As the person who secured him the opportunity in Mela, Mammootty began showing a special fondness towards me. However, I didn’t suggest him for his sake, but for Mela’s sake. I have no role in his growth as an actor. I believe a person’s rise and fall depend entirely on their own talent. If one lacks the ability to act, no amount of recommendation will make them an actor,” he noted.
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