Adiyozhukkukal & Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam: An analysis of Mammotty's award winning characters

While Karunan in "Adiyozhukkukal" and James/Sundaram in "Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam" are two characters separated by more than three decades, Padma Shri Mammootty has  effectively conveyed the diverse range of emotions embedded within both of these characters.

Mammootty received his first state award for best actor in 1984 for his role in "Adiyozhukkukal," directed by I.V. Sasi, and his sixth state award for "Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam" in 2023, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery. It is remarkable how, despite being separated by over three decades, Mammootty's portrayal of characters in both films exhibits astonishing similarities.

Karunan's difficulty in adjusting to the changes that occurred during his time in prison and Sundaram's ongoing struggle to adapt to his daily life culminated in a form of insecurity, causing them to perceive themselves as the center of the universe. Sundaram's attempts to convince his wife and family, and Karunan's heart-wrenching realization that Madhavi, his former love, is now married to someone else, evoke deep emotions of sorrow and empathy among the audience.

Given that he was portraying two characters with opposite characteristics in James and Sundaram, Mammootty's barriers in Lijo Pallissery movie appeared to be significantly more challenging than those he encountered decades earlier in IV Sasi's 1984 classic movie. 

James' life as the head of a Christian family from Kerala returning from a visit to Velankanni is filled with anxiety about financial matters and disdain for his relatives. In just a few short hours into the film, Mammootty leaves James behind, dons the dhoti, milks the cows, and enters the rural Tamil family's home as Sundaram. In reality, we watch Mammootty's character from Kaazcha, another state-award-winning film for best actor, going about his daily routine in a humble setting. 

Meanwhile, Karunan from Adiyozhukkukal is a vengeful fisherman who has been released from prison after five years. His air of dominance made him an ideal guy in society, but he became impotent when Kumaran, for whom he had to go to jail, married his true love. 

In the end, Karunan and Sundaram are victims of the unfortunate plight, helpless and unable to accept reality. While Sundaram's minute plus long sermon trying to convince his Tamil family about his existence and Karunan opening up to Devyani (Seema) truly depict the extent to which Mammootty had gone to instil life in his characters.