Four National Awards and counting! Bramayugam to Vidheyan: A look at all of Mammootty's Best Actor wins
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Four National Awards and counting! Bramayugam to Vidheyan: A look at all of Mammootty's Best Actor wins")
Mammootty Photograph: (X)
Mammootty is now a four-time National Award-winning Best Actor, placing him among the most decorated performers in Indian cinema. The veteran actor's latest National Award win is for the film Bramayugam.
Mammootty is one of the renowned actors, celebrated globally for his unmatched versatility. Dominating Malayalam cinema spanning over five decades, his ability to transform into vastly different characters has earned his widespread acclaim and a record of four National Awards for Best Actor. His latest honour for Bramayugam adds to an already illustrious list of award-winning performances, reinforcing his status as one of India's most accomplished actors and a towering figure in Malayalam cinema.
A look back at the four performances that earned Mammootty Indian cinema's highest acting honour
Mammootty's four National Film Awards for Best Actor reflect his remarkable versatility and willingness to take on challenging roles. Here's a close look at his four National Award wins.
Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989)- National Film Award: Best Actor (37th National Film Awards)
Mammootty won the National Film Award for Best Actor at the 37th National Film Awards for his performance in Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989). He shared the honour for his work in two films that year, as he was also awarded for Mathilukal. Directed by Hariharan and scripted by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, the film is celebrated for offering a sympathetic retelling of the legendary Malabar warrior Chandu, reimagining him from a traditional antagonist to a complex protagonist. The film stars Suresh Gopi, Balan K Nair, Captain Raju, Geetha, Rajalakshmi, Ramu, and others.
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Mathilukal is directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Mathilukal is based on Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's autobiographical novel of the same name. The film stars Murali, Ravi Vallathol, Sreenath, Karamana, Thilakan, among others.
Vidheyan and Ponthan Mada (1994) National Film Award: Best Actor (41st National Film Awards)
Mammootty won the Best Actor award at the 41st National Film Awards for his dual acclaimed performances in the Malayalam films Vidheyan (1994) and Ponthan Mada (1994). Vidheyan is helmed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. It explores the psychological complexities of power, servitude, and morality. Starring Mammootty and M.R. Gopakumar, it follows a meek migrant worker enslaved by a tyrannical landlord. The film also features MR Gopakumar, Tanvi Azmi, Sabitha Anand, Babu Namboothiri and Aliyar, among others.
Ponthan Mada, helmed by TV Chandran, is set in 1940s colonial India and tells the story of an extraordinary, class-defying friendship between a marginalised labourer and an exiled British-Irish landlord. The film stars Sreejaya Nair, Naseeruddin Shah, Laboni Sarkar, Janardhanan, VK Sreeraman, Mahesh, and others.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (2000) National Film Award: Best Actor (46th National Film Awards)
Mammootty won the Best Actor award at the 46th National Film Awards for his critically acclaimed lead performance in the English-language biographical film Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (2000). He shared the award with Ajay Devgn, who won for Zakhm.
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Directed by Jabbar Patel and produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the film documents the life and legacy of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Mammootty's transformative portrayal of the great social reformer earned him his third career National Film Award. The film stars Sonali Kulkarni, Mrinal Kulkarni, Govind Namdeo, Mohan Gokhale, Tirlok Malik, Anjan Srivastav, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sushant Singh, among others.
Bramayugam (2024) National Film Award: Best Actor (72nd National Film Awards)
Mammootty won the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at the 72nd National Film Awards for his stellar performance in Bramayugam (2024). He shared the prestigious honour with Kartik Aaryan, who was recognised for his role in Chandu Champion. The film also bagged another award in the Best Cinematography category by Shehnad Jalal.
Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, Bramayugam is a black-and-white Malayalam-language folk horror thriller which received widespread critical acclaim for its atmosphere, mythology, and psychological tension. The film also stars Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan, Amalda Liz, Manikandan R Achari among others.
Mammootty's rise to global stardom
Mammootty transitioned from a struggling lawyer to an internationally recognised Indian cinematic icon through relentless versatility, deep character work, and sheer perseverance. minor appearances in the 1970s, he built a dedicated following with literary-based dramas and the hit 1982 film Yavanika. His breakthrough happened in the 1987 film New Delhi, which propelled him to stardom.
He solidified his reputation as a powerhouse actor by winning three National Film Awards for Best Actor for films like Mathilukal and Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, gaining pan-Indian respect. Beyond Malayalam cinema, Mammootty expanded his footprint across Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema.
Popular films he has been part of include Bheeshma Parvam (2022), Rajamanikyam (2005), Kannue Squad (2023) and Big B (2027).
