'Sultan of Thugs' Mamukkoya once said: Any sage born in Malabar would speak only Mappila language

Kozhikode: Actor Mamukkoya, known for his iconic characters and dialogues, has earned the title of "sultan of thugs" thanks to social media. His work has been celebrated by a new generation of fans who have created countless memes in his honour. His enduring legacy remains, with fans still enjoying his unforgettable characters and outlandish thugs that continue to bring laughter.

Mamukkoya's unique delivery style, often answering like a comeback, has made him a fan favourite. Many of his dialogues were improvised on the spot during the shooting. In an interview with Mathrubhumi.com, Mamukkoya expressed his happiness at being crowned the "sultan of thugs" among Malayalam comedy actors.

He said, "If people are happy about it, isn't it good? In earlier days, comedy was well written, so we didn't have much work to do. In some films, we had to put in extra effort."

Despite the popularity of his work, Mamukkoya remains humble about its impact. "All these memes are using movies from twenty years ago. I don't know if people enjoyed it that much during that time. Smart kids who weren't even born then are now enjoying it, editing it beautifully and making it viral, which is heartwarming to see."

Mamukkoya's characters have left a lasting impact on the audience. One such character is Abdu, the tea seller in the film ‘Manthramothiram’ directed by Shashi Shankar and featuring Dileep and Kalabhavan Mani in other roles. In the Shakunthalam ballet directed by Papi (Kalabhavan Mani), Mamukkoya plays the role of a Sage. Mamukkoya's dialogues in this role have been loved by the audience due to his Malabar Muslim slang.

During a scene in which Dushyantha tells about the beetles harassing the sage of Tapovanam, Mamukkoya's character, Abdu, responds with a witty retort. In a separate incident, when Dileep makes a comment about speaking the "Mappila language," Abdu reminds him that there should be "no communalism between artists'' and "any sage born in Malabar would speak only this language."

Mamukkoya is known for his ability to handle both comedy and serious roles, and has received accolades for his performances. In 2004, he received a Special Jury Mention at the Kerala State Film Awards for his portrayal of Abdu in the film ‘Perumazhakkalam’, and was nominated for Best Comedian in 2008 for his performance in ‘Innathe Chinthavishayam’.

Mamukkoya has a strong presence in the films directed by Sathyan Anthikad and Priyadarshan. He has portrayed a diverse range of characters throughout his career, including Gafurka, the fraudster in ‘Nadodikattu’, KG Pothuval in ‘Sandesham’, the usurer in ‘Chandralekha’, Hamsakoya/Raman Kartha in ‘Vettam’, Kunji Khadar in ‘Mazhavilkavadi’, Hamsakoya in Ramji Rao Speaking, Hamsa in ‘Varavelpu’, Keeleri Achu in ‘Kankettu’, Kunjananthan Mesthiri in ‘ThalayanaManthram’, Nambeesan in ‘Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka’, Abdu in 'Perumazhakkalam', and Ummer in Ustad Hotel, among others. He has also appeared in Tamil movies such as Arangetra Velai, and Cobra. Two films in which he played the lead character are Korappan the Great directed by Sunil in 2001 and Uru directed by EM Ashraf in 2023. His latest film 'Sulaikha Manzil' is receiving a good response in theatres.

In a 2021 interview with Mathrubhumi, Mamukkoya discussed his health issues. He underwent angioplasty and had two stents placed after experiencing chest pain while on shooting location. He was also battling cancer during the filming of "Kuruthi", undergoing 33 radiation treatments and six chemotherapy sessions for throat cancer. Mamukkoya has adopted a philosophy of accepting whatever life throws at him, including illness.