Redefining stardom

At an age when many fade into oblivion, Mammootty is casting aside his vanity and superstardom in a quest to portray diverse characters

In a soul-stirring scene from Kaathal —The Core, Malayalam superstar Mammootty leans forward, partially showcasing the contours of his broad, drooping shoulders. He clasps his chachan (father), played by R S Panicker, and finally breaks down inconsolably.

This terrifically unconventional “coming out of the closet” scene is staged with such dexterity by Jeo Baby, the director of path-breaking films like The Great Indian Kitchen and Freedom March, that it leaves audiences gobsmacked.

In Baby’s seventh directorial feature, Mammootty plays Mathew Devassy, a middle-aged man who is a closeted homosexual. It is a role that requires the actor to strip himself