‘Doing negative roles not out of courage but out of desire; a villain has no limitations’: Mammootty

Actor Mammootty has said that his willingness to take on villainous or morally ambiguous roles stems not from bravery but from an inner artistic desire. The Malayalam superstar made the remarks in a promotional video for his upcoming film Kalamkaval, which is directed by Jithin K. Jose.

Mammootty explained that his foremost priority has always been to remain an actor above anything else. “Doing negative roles is not about courage; it is about desire,” he said. “I do not want to ignore the actor within me. What I like most is being an actor. Everything else came later. I have no objection to being called a star, but my preference is to be recognised as an actor.”

His iconic characters such as Putturumees (in Suryamanasam) and Varunni (in Mrugaya) were born out of such passion, the actor noted.”

He added that while he would easily be offered romantic roles if he asked for them, he does not find them particularly exciting. As performers mature, he said, they gain greater freedom to choose their characters. “A hero has limitations, though that has changed somewhat now. But a villain has none,” he noted.

Speaking about his role in Kalamkaval, Mammootty clarified that his character cannot strictly be labelled a villain, nor is he a conventional good man. The film, he said, features characters who closely resemble people encountered in everyday life.

Reflecting on his craft, Mammootty remarked that actors should not hesitate or overthink when offered a role. “If you keep wondering whether it will turn out well, someone else will do it. You must step in boldly. You cannot learn to swim by standing on the shore,” he said.

Kalamkaval features Vinayakan, Gibin Gopinath, Gayathri Arun and Rajisha Vijayan alongside Mammootty. The screenplay has been written by Jithin K. Jose together with Jishnu Sreekumar.