On Beypore Sultan's Recommendation; This Is How Mamu, Became The Comedy Sultan Mamukkoya!

Mamukkoya, one of the comedy kings of Malayalam cinema, has also passed away. He was admitted to the hospital last day due to a heart attack. When he came to inaugurate the local football tournament, he was admitted to the hospital after feeling unwell. He was one of the few actors who have always shined in comedy scenes in Malayalam cinema.

The comedies told by Mamukkoya in Malabar's unique dialect are still remembered by the audience. Among it dialogues like 'Gafoor Ka Dost' are that have become part of Malayalees popular culture. He has been in Malayalam cinema for more than four decades and has acted in more than 450 films.

Mamukkoya's acting career begins with amateur plays. In an interview to Manorama, Mamukkoya had once spoken about his foray into cinema. Mamukkoya got a good role for the first time in the movie on the recommendation of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. Mamukkoya has also said that Sreenivasan later bought him a prominent role.

Timber Measurer, Actor In Amateur Theatre

Mamukkoya had had a desire to become an actor since childhood but was not in a position to do so. Mamukkoya, who grew up watching small plays in his own village, slowly ventured into acting. Later, he started to work as a timber measurer in a lumber mill at Kallai to make ends meet. And he continued to act in plays in Kozhikode and surrounding areas.

Mamukkoya's life views had the depth of seeing, hearing, and experiencing the literary and cultural life of Kozhikode in an era. He had very close friendships with legendary cultural figures like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, S. K. Pottekkatt, M.S. Baburaj, and others. Mamukoya's role in real life was not that of a comic character like in the films but of a serious social observer who carefully assesses contemporary developments and has precise and clear views on them. He never hesitated to voice his social, religious, and political opinions and differences.

He entered cinema in 1962 with the film "Anyarude Bhoomi," directed by Nilambur Balan. That film was produced at the initiative of the members of the local theatre group. The black-and-white film was not well received. After five years, he acted in the movie 'Surumayiitta Kannukal' on the recommendation of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer aka Beypore Sultan.

When the director and writer of the film 'Surumayiitta Kannukal' came to Basheer to seek his blessings, Basheer introduced Mamukkoya, who was there, and asked the director if he had a role for the friend, Mamu. The film was set in Kozhikode itself. Mamukkoya went to the set of that movie as instructed by Basheer.

Bahadur and Nellikode Bhaskaran, who felt sorry for Mamukoya during the shooting, told the director and included the actor in the tea shop scenes in the film. And thus Mamukkoya's second film happened.

Recognition As Actor

Mamukkoya got a notable role for the first time in the movie "Doore Doore Oru Koodu Kootaam," directed by Sibi Malayil. The screenplay of the film was written by Srinivasan. Mamukkoya played the role of an Arabic teacher in a primary school. A character with only two or three scenes in the script. But Mamukkoya's performance in those scenes was amazing, and the director added more scenes for the character. Thus, he became one of the main characters in that movie. His Malabar dialect in the movie got the appreciation of the audience, and thus Mamukkoya's acting and dialect became a staple of popular Malayalam cinema.

Mamukkoya said that after that movie, he did not have to act in a play or measure timber. After that, Sreenivasan recommended a role for Mamukkoya in director Sathyan Anthikad's movie. From there, the growth of an actor called Mamukkoya began.