Mammootty Harassed by Rightwing Fanatics on Social Media for His Role in Film

Thiruvananthapuram: Noted Malayalam actor Mammootty is being allegedly harassed online by the rightwing netizens for the character he played in the film ‘Puzhu’ released in 2022.

As per reports, he is facing cyberattacks from some right-wing persons who allege the film to be anti-Brahmanical.

Mammootty is being targeted after the film’s director Ratheena P T’s husband stated in a recent interview that the film aimed to insult the upper-caste Hindu community.

In ‘Puzhu’, Mammootty played the role of an upper-caste Brahmin who opposes his sister’s marriage to a lower-caste person. Some right-wing pages also called for a boycott of the upcoming films of the actor. Some of those attacking the actor online, named him Muhammed Kutty.

As the controversy intensified, political leaders of Kerala came out in support of the actor.

Kerala’s state Revenue Minister K Rajan said that Mammootty is “the pride of Malayalis, and he will always remain so”. “The Sangh politics of calling Mammootty as Muhammad Kutty, Director Kamal as Kamaluddin, and Vijay as Joseph Vijay is useless here. This is Kerala.”

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,” he added.

Senior CPM leader and Education Minister V Sivankutty said these attempts will have no space in Kerala.

The actor, who has won three national awards among many other recognitions, has not commented on the matter.