Mammooty
has
time
and
again
remoulded
himself
to
chime
with
the
changing
times.
Withstanding
harsh
criticisms
singling
his
inability
to
dance
to
the
tune
with
as
much
flexibility
as
his
co-stars
or
even
contemporaries
like
Mohanlal
or
to
don
a
comic
role,
Mammooty
has
proved
them
wrong
many
a
time.
The
veteran
actor
who
had
once
breathed
life
into
many
unforgettable
characters
in
scores
of
movies
like
Oru
Vadakkan
Veeragatha,
Mathilukal,
Danny,
Kazhcha,
Sukrutham,
Ponthan
Mada
and
so
forth,
has
of
late
changed
track.
Pondering
over
his
change
of
mind
and
decision;
was
the
transition
a
well
calculated
move,
a
need
of
the
hour,
an
urge
to
satisfy
his
artistic
hunger
or
a
concerted
effort
to
prove
his
critics
wrong?
Whatsoever
may
have
been
the
decisive
criteria,
the
debatable
question
lies
as
to
whether
he
has
changed
himself
for
good?
Mohanlal
adjudged
for
his
flexibility
to
enact
any
role,
has
always
been
his
strong
competitor,
as
regards
sharing
the
onscreen
space.
With
young
blood
tasting
success
in
the
Malayalam
film
world,
many
veterans
made
way
for
the
new
order.
Mammooty,
a
legend
in
his
own
right
has
never
given
up
the
cudgels
when
it
comes
to
facing
the
acid
test.
So
when
Rajamanikyam,
a
masala
movie
heralded
a
new
phase
in
his
acting
career,
he
glided
smoothly,
lending
a
never-before-found
grace
to
the
Trivandrum
slang.
Undertaking
ever
painstaking
effort
to
master
the
accent,
the
actor
even
ended
up
wearing
flashy
attires
imparting
every
inch
an
originality
to
his
character.
If
Rajamanikyam
projected
the
comedian
within
him,
then
Ore
Kadal
released
later
only
honed
the
master
artist
within
him.
Lashing
loud
against
his
critics
with
the
simultaneous
release
of
his
movies,
one
of
the
artistic
genre
and
the
other
an
out-and-out
comic
caper,
words
can
hardly
match
his
acting
prowess.
A
string
of
movies
to
follow
the
suit
Maayavi,
Thuruppu
Gulaan,
Annan
Thampi,
and
the
latest
Parunthu
have
left
one
and
all
dumbfounded.
A
pricking
question
prevails
still.
Having
reached
the
highest
pedestals
of
stardom,
and
proving
his
critics
wrong
through
Rajamanikyam,does
he
need
to
enact
such
roles
again?
The
question
looms
large:
is
Mammooty
doing
justice
to
his
hard
earned
fame
and
stature
or
has
the
equations
changed
once
and
for
all?
Commanding
a
massive
fan
following,
how
can
he
let
go
off
his
social
obligation,
let
alone
pacify
his
own
conscience.
An
actor
of
his
calibre
cannot
afford
to
overlook
them
when
money
or
popularity
hardly
remains
a
pressing
issue.
All
said
and
done,
if
cut-throat
competition
be
the
new
game,
then
be
it
so!