Veteran Malayalam actor Mamukkoya passes away

Kozhikode: Veteran actor Mamukkoya passed away on Wednesday at a private hospital in Kozhikode. He was 76.

Mamukkoya was hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Vandoor after suffering a heart attack on April 24 while attending the opening of a football tournament in Malappuram. He was later transferred to another private hospital in Kozhikode for more advanced care and was on ventilator support.

Mamukkoya's distinctive use of the Malabar language and dialect established his presence in the field. He is the first recipient of the State Award for Best Comedian in Malayalam Cinema and has appeared in more than 450 Malayalam films.

Mamukkoya began his professional acting career in theatre. Anyarude Bhoomi (1979) provided him with the opportunity to work in the film industry. His second introduction to Malayalam cinema was Surumaitta Kannukal by S. Konnanatt. After this movie, he met Sathyan Anthikkad because of actor and screenwriter Sreenivasan. In Gandhinagar Second Street, he was cast in a role. He carved out a niche for himself in Malayalam cinema with his depiction of Gafoor in Sathyan Anthikkad's Mohanlal-Sreenivasan-starrer Nadodikkattu (1987). In Kerala, the figure of Gafoor has developed a cult following. Later, a cartoon series based on this character was made available.

His critically acclaimed performance in Perumazhakkalam (2004) showed that he is equally adept at playing roles that aren't comedic. In Byari, which received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, he played a similar part once more. He played the lead part in the 2001 movie Korappan, the Great, which portrayed him as a forest bandit similar to Veerappan. For the film Perumazhakkalam, he won a Special Mention at the Kerala State Film Award in 2004.

He is also best known for his roles in ‘Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam’, ‘Vadakkunokkiyantram’, His Highness Abdulla', ‘Kireedam’, ‘Oppam’, ‘Ustad Hotel’, ‘Sandesham’, ‘Chenkol’, ‘Sharjah To Sharjah’, ‘Vettam’, 'Mazhavilkavadi', 'Ramji Rao Speaking', ‘Sreedharante Onnam Thirumurivu’, ‘Currency’, ‘Oru Marubhoomi Kadha,’ ‘Indian Rupee,’ ‘Minnal Murali’, ‘Kuruthi’, ‘Theerppu’, and ‘Pyali’ among many others.

The actor is survived by his wife Suhara and children Muhammed Nisar, Shahitha, Nadiya, and Abdul Rasheed.