At National Film Awards ceremony, Mammootty opens up about creating Kodumon Potti in ‘Bramayugam’

After winning his fourth National Award for Best Actor for his performance as Kodumon Potti in 'Bramayugam', Mammootty has opened up about his approach to acting and how the character evolved during the making of the film.

At the national awards ceremony, the veteran actor said national recognition is a major source of motivation for any artiste, but added that he does not rely on extensive preparation before stepping onto a film set. According to Mammootty, the real "magic" happens during the first moments in front of the camera, when an unexpected energy takes over and the character begins to come alive.

"When choosing a film, I first look at the screenplay, followed by the depth of the character. I don't have a habit of doing extensive preparation beforehand. But when I stand in front of the camera on the first day of filming, some kind of energy fills me. I still don't know what that magic is," Mammootty said.

He added that he does not consciously try to create that effect. "Somehow, by chance, a certain charm takes hold of me and the character becomes real," he said.
Mammootty also recalled how Kodumon Potti evolved into the character seen on screen. He said the final version was very different from the initial character outline presented to him when he joined 'Bramayugam'.

"When I entered 'Bramayugam', what eventually happened was not the character outline that was initially presented to me. After spending about half an hour with my makeup artist and costume designer, I was able to transform into the character of Kodumon Potti," he said.

The actor credited the film's director, makeup artist, costume designer and cinematographer for helping shape the character. He particularly acknowledged the cinematographer for creating the film's distinctive visual language.
"I am deeply indebted to my director, makeup artist and costume designer, and especially the cinematographer who created the visual language for the character," Mammootty said.

'Bramayugam' was shot entirely in black and white, which Mammootty described as perhaps the first full-fledged black-and-white experiment of his career. He noted that, apart from a small guest appearance in a black-and-white film in the past, he had not previously undertaken a film entirely in the format.
Mammootty also described his fourth National Award as a deeply meaningful honour and dedicated the recognition to the many people who have been part of his long career.

"This great honour from my motherland is a tremendous source of inspiration for any artiste to reach the heights of creativity. As the National Award for Best Actor comes to me for the fourth time, I embrace it as a blessing with humility," he said.

Calling the award more than just an individual achievement, Mammootty thanked the directors, writers, co-stars, producers and audiences who have supported him throughout his career.
"My greatest happiness lies in having been able to entertain them for all these years. I hope I can continue doing so with even greater grace," he added.