Mohanlal Vs Mammootty: Comparing the Jewels of Malayalam Cinema
Mohanlal and Mammootty are no doubt the most invaluable gems of Malayalam cinema, and are one amongst the finest actors in Kerala, India and perhaps even the world. Their legendary presence has been synonymous with the notion of the Malayalam Film Industry and their careers have successfully spanned over more than a hundred films.
With their prestigious statures in mind, it was always natural for a rivalry to be incited amongst them, whether it’s a clash of their films in the box office or a clash of their characters in the same film like 20–20. With their fans locked in a never-ending fiasco on who is the better actor, I thought it would be interesting to draw a comparison between these two Mega Stars.
The Superstar image
Mohanlal debuted as a villain in the film Manji Virinja Pookal and went on to play many supporting roles till the mid-1980s, and soon established himself as a lead actor. Throughout the years, he has had the ability to create larger than life characters as seen in films like Narasimham and Ravana Prabhu.
The charisma, mannerisms and style he brings to characters like Aadu Thoma (Spadikam) are truly unique and irreplaceable. I mean could you really imagine someone else saying “Savari Giri Giri” or lecture Siddique’s character in Ravana Prabhu about gups? Whether it’s his dialogue delivery or the way he tucks his mundu; Lalettan (as fans lovingly call him), has always been a trendsetter for the youth.
Muhammad Kutty Ismail Paniparambil abbreviated as Mammootty and often lovingly called Mammooka, started on things a bit differently, working as Lawyer for two years before venturing into films. Mammootty’s Megastar image is often attributed to more serious and righteous characters, rather than pure charm compared to Mohanlal.
The King, a political thriller, directed by Shaji Kailas and written by Renji Paniker was a milestone in Mammootty’s career with his character Joseph Alex’s power-packed monologues leaving behind a lasting impression for years to come. His glamorous Lawyer Persona in Cinema, like in Narasimham with the infamous and unfathomable English dialogue “Shall I remind you something…” is a cultural icon in its own right. Due to his stature and dialogue delivery, Mamooty has been successful in playing aristocratic characters like the one seen in Oru Vadakan Veerakatha.
Comedy
Mohanlal has always been a natural when it comes to comic timing. How easily he pulls off the “Nyan ninte thandayada” phone call scene in Adhipan is awesome in epic proportions. He also works wonders when paired up with other actors. A Mohanlal-Jagathy combo like in Kilukkam or a Mohanlal-Sreenivasan one in the Nadodikattu series, have all made us laugh so hard.
On the other hand, it is a common misconception that Mammootty can’t do comedy. He may not be able to loosen himself the way Mohanlal does, but that hasn’t stopped him from drawing out some rather unique caricatures. I am, of course, talking about Bellari Raja in Rajamanikyam with the Trivandrum slang and the cooling glass, a role which was a major image breaker for someone who is mocked for his inability to do comic roles.
It always seemed to be that Mohanlal’s earlier comic roles were meant to portray the energetic, unemployed youth and their angst, like how he keeps on ranting about his B Com first class in Nadodikattu; while Mamooty’s comedy works best when he changes into different characters with unique accents and mannerisms.
Artistic roles
Mohanlal and Mammootty have both won a number of accolades and awards for their performances. Among Mohanlal’s roles for which he was given a national award, a Kathakali dancer in Vanaprastham stands out as his best.
Mohanlal is indeed versatile and has a number of artistic roles under his belt, but I feel there is always an element of himself in all his roles. Mammootty, on the other hand, is proficient in method acting and can completely transform himself into roles that are least reminiscent of the superstar.
Perhaps that could be the reason why Mohanlal hasn’t ventured into biographical movies while Mammootty has played Dr. B R Ambedkar in his biographical movie. Although Mohanlal has played characters with negative shades like in Aaaran Thampuran, I doubt he can make his characters receive much hate from the audience. Mammootty is someone who has experimented with not so heroic roles. He portrayed the villainous feudal Landlord Bhaskara Patel in Vidheyan for which he received a national award, and in this scene below the smugness and cruelty shown is barely anything like the ‘Mammooka’ we know.
He also had the guts to play a convincing rapist in Paleri Manikyam, even after the 30 years of stardom. Mammootty is also the master of slangs and dialects, with his entries including a south Canara accent in Vidheyan, Thrissur slang in Pranchiyettan and the Saint, Trivandrum slang in Rajamanikyam, a Tamil-Malayalam mix in Karathupakshikal and so on. When it comes to artistic roles, I have to give Mamooty the edge.
Action and Dance
Mohanlal is understandably more of a song and dance man that Mammootty. Mammootty’s attempts at dancing in films like Pinnilavu and Indhraprastham didn’t go too well and more than often his dance steps have made the theatre explode with laughter. This definitely sunk in and he has let go of his dancing fiasco. However, in Rajamanickyam, Mammootty went on to do the unexpected. He parodied his own inability to dance, to turn the tides in his favour. In the song Pandimelam, he appears in the frame, where actor Rahman and other junior artists are dancing. The group stops dancing and waits for the leading man to shake a leg. He poses as if he would start dancing at any moment, and then suddenly runs off, leaving their mouths gaping. Well, he may not dance but he can certainly take a joke!
As for action sequences, I was in awe to see Mohanlal’s action sequences in Pulimurugan despite his age and frame. There were rumors floating around that he used a body double, but they were put to an end when he recreated the fight sequence in the Asianet Film Awards, including that famous flip where he hangs on the fighter’s neck and flips him down!
Conclusion
I certainly hope I haven’t upset anyone in this ambitious task of comparing these two legends. Ultimately, its upto the fans to decide for themselves as to who the better actor is. For me, it has always seemed, that while Mohanlal is better in bringing life and energy into his characters, Mammootty’s forte lies in transforming himself completely into the character he plays.
To all Mammooka- Lalettan fans out there, let your love flourish ;).
