Mammootty's charity to sponsor 250 more heart patients

Mammootty is not only a superb actor, he is also into charitable activities and the latest is that he will sponsor another 250 heart patients by joining hands with the NIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to IANS, the superstar said that he will visit the hospital on Thursday to spend some time with those who underwent heart surgeries.

"Along with NIMS Hospital two years back we had announced that 100 poor patients would be given totally free treatment, including by-pass surgeries. We did that and now we have decided to carry forward the scheme for another 250 more poor patients," said Mammootty.

The veteran superstar, who turned 58 this month, does charity work through his Fans Association and apart from sponsoring heart surgeries, he is also involved in providing free cataract surgeries.

Faizal Khan, managing director of NIMS Hospital, said that they are happy that Mammootty has decided to sponsor another 250 patients.

"The patients are identified by his Fans Association through medical camps. The financial position of the selected patients are thoroughly examined by them and the poorest of the poor people are selected. Once they get admitted to our hospital, then we take over till the time the patient leaves the hospital by providing free treatment," said Khan.

Mammootty in 'Kannum Kannum'

The practice of using the remix of a evergreen songs has already become a habit with the new film makers. And interestingly many new films are now remembered more for the remixed songs than the film itself. The same is the case of films like 'Thejabhai and family' and few others whose biggest highlight were its remixed songs.

Continuing with the tradition is the new Mammootty film 'Venicile Vyapari' which will feature the remixed version of the evergreen song 'Kannum Kannum'. The new song will have the megastar and Poonam Bajwa lypsyncing the song which in the original 'Angadi' was shot on Jayan and Seema.

'Kannum Kannuum' is remixed by young music director Bijipal for this 'Venicile Vayapaari', which tells a plot centred around the eighties. Mammootty and his costars appear in the dress codes and hairdo of the decade in this movie which is directed by Shafi in the scripts of James Albert.

Mammootty in Pothys ad

As plans are on to film a movie on the life and times of Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the erstwhile King of Travancore, with Mammotty donning the historic character, the Megastar has already appeared in a advertisement with similar dress codes and backdrops of the famed Raja. Mammootty is in the lead of the ads for the Pothys textiles which is getting ready to start its first outlet in the capital city of kerala. The advertisement in the scripts of 'Urumi' fame Shankar Ramakrishnan is directed by Jetty Jerry who had earlier directed Tamil films like Ullasam.

It is learned that as the outlet is in Thiruvananthapuram. with the  famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple now becoming the cynosure of all eyes, the directors of Pothy's were keen to create an ad with a Travancore Raja in the frames. Malayalam star Jagathi Sreekumar and 'Dev D' fame Mahie Gille also share the screen time with Mammooty in this bug budget ad.

Mammootty vows to avoid liquor in films

Malayalam superstar Mammootty has produced a documentary that asks people to avoid liquor in Kerala, which has recorded the highest alcohol consumption in the country. He also said he would do his best to avoid liquor and not act in film sequences featuring alcohol.

Mammotty's 40-second film with a message - Say No to Liquor and Say No to Drugs - was unveiled Thursday by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

"I always try to avoid such scenes but at times it becomes imperative to do it because the situation demands it. I assure everyone that from now on I will do my best to avoid such scenes which depict liquor or liquor imposed scenes," said Mammootty, who has been the numero one actor of the Malayalam film industry for two decades, at the event.

Pointing to director Priyadarshan, who was present at the event, Mammootty said: "You have to ask people like him (Priyadarshan) because they ask us to do this and that. But let me tell you, I will do my best to do away with such scenes."

Chandy said that people should make an edeavour to rid Kerala of the tag of being the top liquor consuming state.

"Not long ago, Kerala was known for the huge strides it had made in literacy and its health status. But of late, it has taken a back seat and we are now known as the top liquor consuming state. This has to change and we all hope that the promotional material like this (Mammootty's documentary) will do us a world of good," the chief minister said.

Excise Minister K. Babu said that the video will be shown in theatres and will be aired on television, besides being screened in educational institutions.

"The young minds have to be taught the evils of liquor and drugs - our target group is schoolchildren," said Babu.

According to a report, liquor sales touched an all time high of Rs.6,730.30 crore 2010-11 from Rs.5,539.85 crore in 2009-10.

The government earned Rs.5,239 crore from liquor sales during the last fiscal year, while it was Rs.4,260 crore in 2009-10.

Mammootty is like a brother: Blessy

Blessy is one of the most bankable directors and scriptwriters in Malayalam today. His recent releasePranayam is a runaway hit. In his recent interview, the director-scriptwriter said that he never thought of becoming a scriptwriter at the initial stage of his career and it was megastar Mammootty who made it possible for him to be a scriptwriter.

"When I was doing my first film Kazcha, I had approached different people for scriptwriting. It was Mammootty who told me to write it the same way I had narrated the story to him. If it was not for him, I would probably not have known the taste of scriptwriting. We don’t just discuss films that I do with him. We talk about all my movies, be it Kazhcha,Thanmathra, Brahmaram or Pranayam. He is like a brother," he said.

It's 'just another day' for birthday boy Mammootty

The award-winning thespian, who has acted in more than 350 films, says age is just a number for him

Malayalam matinee idol Mammootty turns 60 today, but he doesn't consider it a milestone.

"My birthday is over for me because we are not going to celebrate it. It's just another day for me. No plans or anything," Mammootty told tabloid! over the phone.

The award-winning thespian, who has acted in more than 350 films, said that age is just a number for him. "Yes, nothing more than that," he said.

Idolised by thousands of cinema buffs in Kerala, the Ore Kadal actor's career has spanned over three decades and he is still one of the busiest actors in South India. His 2011 drama Pranchiettan And The Saint won several awards and was also a money-spinner.

Mammootty’s car hit by bus

A private bus operating on Aroor-Ernakulam route hit Malayalam megastar Mammootty’s car from behind at Aroor temple junction signal on Tuesday at 5.30 p.m.

The bus crashed into the rear end of the car which had stopped at the traffic signal at Aroor temple junction. Mammootty, sitting inside the car, was on his way back to his home in Ernakulam from the sets of director Shafi’s Vennicile Vyapari in Allapuzha.

The crash caused a major dent in the car, though no one was injured. The Aroor police immediately came to Mammootty’s rescue and seized the bus. However, Mammootty told the police that he did not want any case registered against the bus driver as he apologized to the star, saying that the accident occurred due to his rash driving. Mammootty later left for Kochi.

Shikari audio to be released soon

The audio of Mammootty’s Kannada-Malayalam bilingualShikaridirected by National award winning director Abhay Simha will be out in a few days. This film, produced by K. Manju, is likely to be released some time in September. Director Abhay Simha said that the tunes composed by music director Hari Krishna are awesome.

”Audio of our film is ready for release… just sorting out dates… hopefully audio will be released within next two weeks… saw the final colour corrected song version… wow! It’s looking amazing,” he tweeted.

“Harikrishna has done a great job with the music. It is easily one of his finest works. Madan-Harini have done a great job choreographing it. And watching Mammootty sir in songs is like a dream! Can’t wait to share it with you friends…" is Abhay Simha’s latest note on his Facebook page.
Incidentally, Shikari has a subject of stirring a silent revolution, as the hero takes a lead in awakening public consciousness. At a time when Anna Hazare has got a big victory in his crusade against corruption, Abhay feels that the film’s release would be timely.