Why is Mammootty facing backlash over a photo with DYFI leader M Vijin?

A photograph of actor Mammootty with DYFI Kerala state secretary and MLA M Vijin has put the Malayalam superstar at the centre of another social media debate, with some Left supporters questioning the association in the comments section of Vijin’s Facebook post.

Vijin shared the picture with the caption, “A 25-year-old with 50 years of experience.” The remark appears to refer to the contrast between the MLA’s age and Mammootty’s five decades in cinema. However, the post soon attracted comments from users who expressed displeasure at seeing party leaders with the actor.

The reaction comes months after Mammootty’s visit to homes built for victims of the Wayanad disaster became a subject of controversy. During the visit, the actor reportedly asked CPM Wayanad district secretary K. Rafiq not to walk beside him throughout the programme.

“Won't people misunderstand and think I have come here for you if you keep walking alongside me all the time?” Mammootty reportedly told Rafiq.

The reported exchange drew criticism from some Left supporters, who felt the actor had shown disrespect towards the party leader. Rafiq, however, sought to clear the air the following day. He said Mammootty had later called him and explained that he was worried people might misinterpret their being seen together.

The episode also drew a response from then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who came out in support of the actor and apologised to him over the online criticism. Vijayan said it was wrong to attack someone who had visited Wayanad with goodwill.

Despite Rafiq’s clarification and Vijayan’s intervention, the latest Facebook post suggests that some supporters have not moved on from the incident.

Several commenters said their loyalty lay with Rafiq and the party rather than a film star. Others pointed to the party’s martyrs as their real heroes and questioned why political leaders should give celebrities special importance. Some criticised Vijin for posing with Mammootty, while a few said they were unfollowing the MLA.

A recurring point in the comments was the question of why party leaders continued to give Mammootty special attention when Rafiq had, in their view, been put in an uncomfortable position during the Wayanad visit.

The renewed criticism has brought the earlier episode back into discussion, even though Rafiq had publicly explained Mammootty’s position and Vijayan had defended the actor at the time.

There is also a longstanding association between Mammootty and the CPM-backed television channel Kairali. The actor has served as the channel’s chairman since it was established in the mid-1990s.

With agency inputs