Mamukkoya bids adieu

Actor Mamukkoya, who enthralled audience both as comedian and character artiste, died at a private hospital in Kozhikode on Wednesday afternoon. The actor was 76. Mamukkoya, who has acted in more than 450 films, was admitted to hospital on Monday after he fainted during the inauguration of a Sevens football tournament in Kozhikode.

Born at Pallikkandi in Kozhikode, Mamukkoya made his acting debut in 1962 with the film ‘Anyarude Bhoomi’. His first notable character was in the film ‘Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottaam,’ directed by Sibi Malayil. A permanent actor in the films of director Sathyan Anthikad, Mamukkoya made audience laugh and filled their eyes with tears in various roles. His natural acting prowess and Kozhikkodan dialect cemented his place in the Malayalam film industry.

His notable films include ‘Nadodikkattu,’ ‘Mazhavilkkavadi’, ‘Varavelppu’, ‘Perumazhakkalam,’ ‘Korappan The Great,’ ‘Rareeram,’ ‘Gandhinagar Second Street,’ ‘Ramji Rao Speaking,’ ‘Thalayanamanthram,’ ‘Sandesham,’ ‘Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu,’ ‘Dhwani,’ ‘Subhayathra’ and ‘Kuruthi’ etc.

Mamukkoya won the Jury’s Special Mention for his performance in the film ‘Perumazhakkalam’ in 2004. The actor also won the first Best Comedian Award instituted by the state government in 2008 for the film ‘Innathe Chinthavishayam.’

An active presence in the cultural, theatre and literary circles of Kozhikode, Mamukoya had a very close camaraderie with writers Vaikom Muhammed Basheer and SK Pottakkad and musician Baburaj.