&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Here's why Mammootty is facing criticism over his traditional welcome at National Film Awards")
Following his National Film Award win, Malayalam superstar Mammootty has found himself at the centre of a social media debate after a video from the ceremony showed him accepting a traditional welcome in Gujarat.
Mammootty was honoured with the Best Actor award at the 72nd National Film Awards on September 22 in Gujarat for his role as Kodumon Potti in Rahul Sadasivan's Malayalam horror film Bramayugam.
Also Read: National Film Awards 2026: Mammootty receives fourth Best Actor National Award for Bramayugam
What's the controversy
A video shared by the Statue of Unity page showed Mammootty's arrival at the awards venue. Dressed in a white shirt and cream trousers, the actor was welcomed with a bouquet. A woman then applied a tilak to his forehead and draped a tricolour shoulder cloth around his neck.
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Mammootty appeared to accept the welcome and smiled during the interaction. While several people online congratulated him for receiving the National Film Award, some users questioned why Mammootty had permitted the ritual despite being a Muslim.
Following the criticism, filmmaker-actor Harisree Yousuf also joined the debate defending Mammootty.
Harisree Yousuf reacts
Yousuf addressed the controversy through social media, saying, "You draw a cross, apply a tilak, or bow down and pray; it is all directed towards God. It shows love for our Creator. Son, when you go to a big hotel, this is one of the ways they welcome guests. When guests arrive, they give them a bouquet and apply a tilak on their forehead before welcoming them inside."
Yousuf further objected to people bringing religious arguments. "People like you can come to comment sections, abuse someone's father, hurl insults, and then bring God into it and invoke religion. That is all you can do. Religion is necessary, but what is religion for? It is not for human beings to fight with each other. Religion is meant to make human beings better."
The filmmaker-actor also pointed towards Mammootty's achievements, saying, "You abused a person who is respected and admired by Malayalis across the world, a person with so much talent and so many achievements who has brought recognition to our state, and who has won the National Award four times."
“India is a great country. It is people like you who create communal division. Don’t do anything like this again.”
Mammootty's work front
He will next be seen in Om - Chapter 1: Udhiram - The Blood Wood, which stars Dhanush, along with Malayalam projects Padayaatra, Mela and Mattancherry Mafia.
