Mammootty takes a break to prepare for son's marriage

Malayalam superstar Mammootty is very busy -- but not with movies. He has taken a break from acting to make preparations for the marriage of his actor son Dulquar Salmaan with A. Sufia, an architect.

"Yes, I am busy with the wedding and we are all leaving for Chennai Friday. The marriage is in Chennai on the 22nd of this month," Mammootty told IANS.

He added: "Yes, I have taken a break from my job and there will be a reception here on the 26th December and I will rejoin my work on the new year," said Mammootty known for keeping his family life away from prying eyes of media.

After giving a thought, Salmaan followed his father's footsteps and he has just finished the shoot of his first film "Second Show".

It will not be the usual 'filmy wedding'.

Sufia is the daughter of Syed Nizamuddin, who hails from north India, but is settled in Chennai.

The release of Mammootty's latest film "Venice le Vyappari" got delayed, but it is not expected to hit the theatres on the day of his son's wedding.

Mammootty fans association to pray

In the contemporary season of adopting different tactics to show their protest, the Mammootty fans association of the state has decided to hold Mass Prayer Sessions to protest against the various governments who are not paying heed to the demands for the new Mullaperiyar Dam.

In these prayer sessions, the fans will pray for the positive decisions in favour of Kerala and for igniting more realistic thoughts in the minds of political leaders of Tamil Nadu.

As a part of the plans, 'Shayana Pradhakshinam' was organised in Thaliyil Kshetram in the capital city which was attended by the district representatives of the fans associations. Prayer sessions were also organised at Thanur Mosque while the representatives in the Kottayam district will organise similar sessions in many churches in Kottayam tomorrow.

The state committe of the association has asked all the primary members of the asaociation to take part in prayer sessions, before the meeting between the two state Chief Ministers take place shortly. Though the fans association are in full spirits, the megastar hasn't yet jumped into the fray airing his opinions about the Dam issue.

Resul Pookutty to unite Mammootty and Big B

One of the best known technicians of Indian cinema, Resul Pookutty, had always expressed his interest in directing films. In fact he had one project going five years ago which got shelved due to financial reasons. Resul was then planning to make a movie out of the famous novel by Anand- ' Govardhan's Travels' with Mammootty as the hero. It was then planned in three languages, but the last minute crisis led the master technician to concentrate back on his sound engineering business.

But now Resul is taking more active steps to realise his dream. This time he will be bringing in Megastar Mammootty and none other than 'Big B'- Amitabh Batchchan for the first time together for his movie. The flick will tell the emotional story about a father -son relationship and will use the best of the technicians from Bollywood. As there are many more international projects coming his way, Resul will start working on his debut directorial venture only after completing his current assignments.

Mammookka, back with student scholarships

Megastar Mammootty is one actor who is ever busy organising charity activities for the people who really wants a support. His 'Care and Share foundation' has in the past organised many such initiatives, helping a lot in distress. Last day, the megastar was seen at Karunyashramam at Thoppe near Kakkanad, offering a scholarship to the nursing student Mamtha, who lives in the poor home. This was the state wide inauguration of Care and Share's 'Vidhyamritham' project aiming to help the students from poorer backgrounds with merit scholarships so that they can achieve heights in academics.

'Vidharymritham' project is devised to help the students who pass plus two with high marks enabling themselves to join the professional courses in merit seats. Every student who has already applied for the scholarship has been considered for the year's economic support. The scholarship amount for others will be delivered in their houses in a short while.

In a very unofficial function that followed, Mammootty himself described the details about the project. He also spent quite some time with the inmates of the 'Karunyasramam'. Care and Share vice chairman Geevarghese Yohannan, Fr. Thomas Kurien marottipuzha, Robert kuriakkose, George Sebastian, and M G M.

Inspire award for Mammootty and Navya

Mammootty was named the bets actor in the second Inspire Award announced yesterday. While his 'Pranchiyettan and the Saint' was selected as the best picture of 2010, Navya Nairbagged the award for the best actress for he performance in the movie 'Sadgamaya' and 'Yugapurushan'.While Harikumar was selected as the best director for 'Sadgamaya',  Late Mohan Raghavan was named the best debutante director for his 'T D Dasan, Std VI B.The other awards announced are listed below

Best Script writer: Ranjith (Prachiyettan And The Saint),Second Best Actor: Biju Menon (Meriykkundoru Kunjaadu),Second Best Actress: Shwetha Menon (TD Dasan STD 6 B),Best Comedian: Suraj Venjarummoodu (Various Films),Popular Director: Lal Jose,Popular Film: Elsamma Enna Aankutty,Film with Social Awareness: Soofi Paranja Kadha,Best Lyricist: Rafeeq Ahammed,Best Musician: Berny- Ignatious (Meriykkundoru Kunjaadu),Best Male Singer: Afsal (Kaaryasthan),Best Female Singer: Manjari (Various Films),Best Cinematographer: Pradeep Nair (Cocktail),Best Editor: Mahesh Narayan (Aatmakadha),Special Jury Award: Thalaivasal Vijay,Best Make Up man: Pattanam Rasheed (Kuttysrank),Best Costume Designer: Saji Kunnamkulam (Elsamma Enna Aankutty),Best Art Director: K Krishnankutty (Yugapurushan),Production Controller: Shaji Pattikkara,Best Film Journalist: M S Das Maattumantha,Best Film based TV Programme: Movie Bazar (Amrita TV) Nivin Pauly and Akhila Sasidharan got award for Best debutante artists

The awards will be given away in a colourful function that will be held at Kaloor stadium on the 5th of November.

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 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.

Mammookka's son to debut

As the Megastar is on with his plans of his son's marriage Dulkar Salman, the young man is also planning to officially start his career as a movie actor in a short while. The new project titled 'Second Show' to be directed by Sreenath Rajendran, an associate to Jayaraj, will have Dulkar Salman debuting as the hero. Expected to be on sets in a week at Kozhikkod, the movie will have him as an underworld don. Salman had been to the rehearsal camp of the movie for the last one month and it is reported that the scripts written by debutante Vini Vishwalal for the movie is top class.

The makers behind 'Second Show' are close friends of Dulkar Salman including the cinematographer Pappu, who had been an assistant to Rajeev Ravi. The Mumbai based  A.O.P.L. will produce this movie which will also feature debutante Avanthika as the heroine. Baburaj and Salimkumar are also in the cast of the flick which will have music by Avial band.

Earlier it was reported that Dulkar Salman will debut into filmdom through the film directed by Linguswamy. But now, Mammooty and his wife Sulfath seems to be much impressed by the scripts of the film that they have given the green signal for heir son to go for 'Secoind Show'.

Meanwhile, Dulkar Salman is also expected to get married by the 22nd of this December at Chennai.

Asin to be Mammookka's heroine

After a decade from his first movie 'Narendran makan Jayakanthan Vaka', the star heroine Asin will be once again speaking Malayalam onscreen. The actress who has risen to great heights in Indian cinema will make a comeback to Mollywood playing the lead role opposite Mammootty. According to the reports, Asin is said to have given green signal to be in the new flick directed by Shyamaprasad with Mammootty.

Asin, who had a Bollywood release recently in Salman Khan's "Ready", have two more big projects in Bollywood including 'Two cities' with Shah Rukh and' Houseful 2' with Akshaykumar.

IT raids offices, homes of Mammootty and Mohanlal

Income tax sleuths have raided the houses, offices and hotels of Malayalam film stars Mammootty and Mohanlal. Both the Kerala-based actors have been asked to appear before tax officials in person here.

The searches started at 6.30am on Friday morning with 80 officials simultaneously verifying records at their homes in Kochi and numerous offices in Chennai, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram.

IT sleuths cited a huge gap in the IT returns and the income the superstars make in a year. Both have the same chartered accountant who has his head office in Thiruvananthapuram. The initial statements from both the actors have been taken.

The taxmen have reportedly seized several documents. Official sources report that the team has also found an elephant tusk from Mohanlal's Kochi residence.

Residence of Mohanlal's close aid Antony Perumbavoor is also being raided, said the official.

Mammootty is expected to appear before IT officials in the evening as he was in Chennai when the raids began, while Mohanlal may not arrive Friday as he is shooting in the coastal town of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
IT officials reached Rameswaram and took a statement from Mohanlal.

The extensive raids, it now appears, were kept secret by the IT department and also a well planned one as officials also closed in on the business associates of the two superstars.

The officials reached the home of Mohanlal in the Kerala capital where his aged mother resides.

For Mammootty, the raid came a day after his son's engagement in Chennai. Sources close to him say he has left for Kochi.

Mohanlal has interests in film production, distribution, IT education and also the hospitality industry. Besides, he is an active player in the real estate sector along with his close friends.

Mammootty's interests also include a film production house and he is the patron of a new boutique hospital in Bangalore.

Those questioned include Mohanlal and Mammootty's main business partners, producer Antony Perumbavoor and Anto Joseph respectively.

One bedroom of Mohanlal at his Kochi residence is yet to be opened because a bio-metric gadget makes entry possible only with the fingerprints of close family members.

Last week Kozhikode businessman K.A. Rauf, without naming anyone, said a Malayalam superstar and a business house in the state were engaged in a huge real estate deal in Maharashtra.

The IT officials locked the homes from inside and no one was allowed to come in or go out as they prepared their report based on the superstars' IT returns. 

Filmfare awards for Mammoottty, Mamtha

The year's Filmfare awards for South Indian films was announced yesterday. Megastar Mammootty was named the best actor for his performance in' Pranchiyettan and the Saint' while Mamtha  Mohandas was named the best actress for 'katha thudaraunnu'.'Pranchiyettan and the saint' also bagged the awards for the best picture and best director for Renjith. While Hariharan was selected as the best singer for 'katha Thudarunnu', Shreya Ghoshal was named the best female singer for her song' Kizhakku pookkkum 'from 'Anwar'. Urvashy was selected as the best supporting actress while Biju Menon was named as the best supporting actor. Gopi Sundar bagged the award for the best music director.

Vikram and Allu Arjun was named the best actors in Tamil and Telugu respectively. A R Rehman was named the bets musician in Tamil and Telugu while 'Maina' was named the best feature in Tamil.

Mammootty's 'Care&Share' to offer scholarships

The Care and Share foundation based at Kochy, working under the patronage of Megastar Mammootty will offer student scholarships, this year. The scholarships will be given to students living in orphanages, who have qualified for merit seats of professional courses in various colleges of the state.

The foundation has invited applications from deserving candidates, with valid copy of qualifying certificates. The applications must be addressed to the project officer of Care and share international foundation, P B No 1755 at Kochi

Mammootty and Shyamaprasad together again

The last time Mammootty and Shyamaprasad came together was for 'Ore Kadal', that was much appreciated by fans and critics alike.

The director and the actor would be joining hands again for a crime story now, and the film would be scripted by Shyamaprasad himself.

'Ore Kadal' had won several awards and accolades at national and international level, and the news of the director and the actor coming together, is hence welcomed by lovers of good cinema.

This film would be produced by Vindhyan, who had also produced other Shyamaprasad films like 'Ore Kadal' and 'Electra'.

Mammootty is my role model: Vikram

Tamil superstar Vikram has revealed that Mammootty is his role model. The actor says that the Malayalam Megastar has always inspired him to do a variety of roles.

Vikram says that though Mammootty has acted in several films as a police officer, he has been able to do all of them quite different from one another.

The actor also says that he doesn't like to be dragged into the number game. "I have no intention to be known as the Number One star, by doing one action role after the other. I would like to do a variety of characters instead," he adds.

Vikram is all set for a release this week with Deivathirumagal. This is rumored of be his best performance till date, and is said to have been admired by the members of the censor board as well.

Mammootty awarded Best Actor in 58th Filmfare Awards (South)

The 58th Filmfare Awards South ceremony honoring the winners and nominees of the best of South Indian cinema in 2010 was held on July 2, 2011 in Hyderabad. Megastar Mammootty awarded Best Actor (Malayalam) for the film Pranchiyettan and the saint. It also honored as the Best Film. Director Renjith, Biju Menon(Best Supporting Actor) also were in the star studded function.

State Anti-Drugs Campaign receives a boost through Mammootty

The Anti-Drugs campaign in the state has received a boost with the presence of Megastar Mammootty. The star would spearhead the Awareness Campaign that targets the youth in the state.

Mammootty who took part in the programmed organised by the State Excise Department at the Town Hall at Ernakulam on Sunday exhorted the young generation to stay away from drugs.

He talked of a man whom he had met in a jail five years back, who was undegoing punishment for having murdered his own son. Mammootty said that he was shocked on coming to know that the son, under the influence of drugs, had attempted to molest his own mother.

Mammootty also added, that the general assumption that only the use of alochohol makes an artist is wrong. That is no real art, he said.

The Excise Department is also planning a short film for the campuses that would have Mammootty carrying the campaign even further