KOCHI: Shedding away his trademark humour, the late actor Mamukkoya was passionately working as the “high-energy” lead in a film titled Malabar, when death took him away last month.
Directed and scripted by debutant Dheeraj Bala, the film, which started rolling in 2022 at Elambachi situated on the Kasaragod-Kannur border, talks about the life of a septuagenarian football coach of a local club named Malabar.
Mamukkoya essayed the role of coach Karunan, whose passion lifts the underdog team to victory. With a heavy heart, Dheeraj, who had conceived Malabar eight years ago, shares details of the offbeat project. “We completed more than 90 per cent of the shooting. Just some unfinished dialogues are left,” he says.
The young director is bewildered about completing the film without the lead actor. However, he is determined to get a theatre release. “It was Mamukkoya’s dream to watch his first full-length lead role on the screen,” he says.
Dheeraj, who hails from Kannur, is not new in the industry. He has been active for 12 years, working as associate director with many bigwigs, including, V K Prakash, and making documentaries for NatGeo channel.
“Growing up in the Malabar region ignited my passion for football, especially the local games. Thus, I wanted to tell a fictional story of a passionate Malabar footballer in his 70s who didn’t give up the game even in old age,” he elaborates on the project.
“With his unique style and slang, Mamukkoya was a registered Malabarian in Malayali minds. And yes, the veteran was also a hardcore football fan.”
Dheeraj recalls that it was initially difficult to find a producer for a commercial film with Mamukkoya as the lead. “It’s ironic. After his demise, I heard many voices in the industry say that the late actor was not explored enough,” he adds.
“I finally got a green signal as the concept of strong character roles became popular, especially through the film Home.”
A fitting tribute
According to the director, though Mamukkoya suffered health issues, he was adamant to portray coach Karunan in the film, which involved many theatre and senior artists too. There were some coincidental similarities between Karunan and the late actor, adds Dheeraj.
“Mamukkoya loved football. I remember him gushing about his son-in-law, a former Santosh Trophy player,” says Dheeraj.
“I got to understand him over the past eight years. I observed his love for the game. For playing Karunan, I did not have to direct him much. He entered the skin, bringing in minute mannerisms of a veteran coach from his own long-term observations and interactions.”
Dheeraj recalls one “high-energy coaching scene” from the film. “He had health issues, so I asked him not to push himself, take so much strain,” he says.
“He corrected me, saying the coach was a sports person and energy levels cannot dip.” Karunan would have opened a glorious new chapter in Mamukoya’s career, believes Dheeraj.
“His acting approach was different. He might have received more visibility in character roles. But we lost him to time,” he says.
The director adds he has tweaked the script, and the remaining shoot will be completed in June.
“The film is a tribute to the fictional Karunan, who represents many such passionate football coaches in the Malabar region. Now it becomes our tribute to our hero, Mamukkoya,” says Dheeraj.
“We had shot a pre-climax already with him and had plans to release the teaser with Mamukkoya in a grand event this month. Unfortunately, his first film in a full-length lead role turned out to be his final act.”