‘Azhakiya Ravanan’ is surely one of director Kamal’s best works and features a memorable performance by superstar Mammootty as the character Shankar Das.Director Kamal’s remarks about Mammootty’s role in the 1996 Malayalam film ‘Azhakiya Ravanan’ have drawn attention on social media. The filmmaker discussed why he felt Mammootty brought something distinctive to the character of Shankar Das. He also recalled how the film’s producer initially suggested Mohanlal for the role, as people found it difficult to imagine Mammootty playing such a character.Speaking in an interview with The Show Scape Journal, Kamal opened up on the public perception of Mammootty at the time. He said the actor’s real personality was different from the image people had created around him. The director also explained why he believed the character worked differently when portrayed by Mammootty.
Kamal on Mammootty’s portrayal of Shankar Das
Shankar Das, the central character in ‘Azhakiya Ravanan’, is remembered as one of Mammootty’s distinctive performances. The character is a wealthy man whose outward confidence and behavior conceal his emotional struggles. Kamal believes Mammootty’s portrayal gave the role a sense of freshness that another actor might not have brought in the same way.The director compared the possibilities of Mammootty and Mohanlal playing the character. He said, “There is nothing new when Mohanlal plays it; it feels fresh when Mammootty does it.” His observation highlighted the specific quality he associated with Mammootty’s performance.
Director recalls the image surrounding Mammootty
Kamal also spoke about the public image associated with Mammootty during that period. According to the filmmaker, people viewed the actor as someone who was boastful and believed he was superior to others. However, Kamal did not consider that perception an accurate reflection of Mammootty’s personality.“He was a character who was boastful and believed that he was superior to everyone else. During that period, people had created an image of Mammootty as someone like that. I felt that was nothing more than gossip. In reality, he is not like that at all.”
Producer initially suggested Mohanlal
Kamal recalled that the team first narrated the story to the producer. During that discussion, the producer questioned whether Mohanlal would be a better fit for the role. Kamal said the idea of Mammootty playing Shankar Das was difficult for people to accept at the time.“He is a very genuine person. He was acting as a troubled millionaire. When we developed the story, we first narrated it to the producer. He asked whether Mohanlal would be a better choice for the character. Nobody could accept Mammootty in that role,” Kamal said.
‘Azhakiya Ravanan’ remains memorable
Released in 1996, ‘Azhakiya Ravanan’ was directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film brought together a cast that included Mammootty, Bhanupriya, Cochin Haneefa, Sreenivasan, Biju Menon and Rajan P. Dev.Later a spin-off to Sreenivasan’s character Ambujakshan came out as the spoof film ‘Chirakodinja Kinavukal,’ which received good reviews.