- By Ridhi Suri
- Thu, 16 May 2024 09:03 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Malayalam actor Mammootty is experiencing online harassment regarding his portrayal in the 2022 film 'Puzhu'. The controversy is reportedly about the film carrying anti-Brahmanical undertones, igniting a contentious discussion on religious and caste-related narratives depicted in cinema. Detractors singled out Mammootty, even going as far as using his birth name, Muhammed Kutty, to critique the actor's involvement in the film directed by Ratheena PT. The movie, a psychological drama, delves into themes of caste discrimination. Amidst this, politicians in Kerala have stepped forward to support the actor.
He has been targeted by cyberattacks from certain right-wing sympathizers online. This controversy erupted after the husband of the film's director, Ratheena P T, mentioned in a recent interview that the film intends to criticise the upper-caste Hindu community.
In 'Puzhu', Mammootty portrayed the character of an upper-caste Brahmin who objects to his sister's marriage to a person from a lower caste. The film released on OTT platform, centers on Kuttan (Mammootty), a former police officer struggling with evolving societal standards and ingrained caste biases. Amidst the escalating controversy, certain right-wing pages advocated for a boycott of the actor's upcoming films. As tensions heightened, political figures, including ministers, expressed solidarity with the actor. State Revenue Minister K Rajan asserted that Mammootty is "the pride of Malayalis, and he will always remain so".
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that the "secular society of Kerala will not subscribe to the Sangh Parivar narrative, no matter how hard they try to label Mammootty, who has a clear political view and acting sense. Mammootty is the first among the actors who gave Malayalam cinema an identity in world cinema with his acting excellence in a career spanning half a century."
"When Malayalam cinema is going through the historical stages of its growth, most times Mammootty has been able to overcome the weaknesses by shouldering it all alone. Such a personality cannot be tied to the framework of any religion or caste," he wrote.
While Mammootty is occupied with the promotion of his forthcoming action thriller, 'Turbo,' supporters and social media enthusiasts have united in his support, inundating the internet with expressions of solidarity and humourous memes.
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