In a notable addition to the four-year BA Honours History syllabus at Maharaja’s College in Kochi, veteran Malayalam actor and distinguished alumnus Mammootty has now been formally incorporated under a new elective titled History of Malayalam Cinema. Second-year students will begin studying his decades-long career from this academic year, following the suggestion of the college’s board of studies.
Mammootty has appeared in more than 400 films across five decades in his illustrious career and earned three National Film Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of India, in 1998. The actor has also secured numerous state and Filmfare awards, received honorary doctorates in 2010, and was awarded the Kerala Prabha by the state government in 2022.
The elective will prompt students to analyse Mammootty’s evolution from supporting actor to leading man, examining his portrayal of historical and literary figures, the significance of his award-winning roles, and his foray into other languages. This marks a rare instance of a living actor being studied within an academic history programme. The syllabus revision also touches on other distinguished Maharaja’s alumni, including Dakshayani Velayudhan, Kerala’s first scheduled-caste woman graduate and member of India’s Constituent Assembly, along with thinkers and reformers such as Arnos Pathiri and Tapaswini Amma.
While the move to include Mammootty may raise eyebrows, faculty argue that his body of work, range of roles and cultural impact make him relevant for historical study rather than mere honours. As Zakharia Thangal, head of the History Department, notes, the course will enable scholarly appraisal rather than celebratory fandom.
Mammootty's upcoming slate includes debutant Jithin K Jose's Kalamkaval, alongside Vinayakan, and Mahesh Narayanan's multistarrer Patriot, alongside Mohanlal and Fahadh Faasil.
(This story was originally published in Cinema Express)