Free Salalah trip for 74 lucky passengers on September 4

Dubai:  A travel company in the UAE is going all out to celebrate Malayalam superstar Mammootty’s 74th birthday. A UAE-based travel agency, Smart Travels, announced a special initiative on Monday, offering 74 fans of the Kerala movie star trips to Salalah, Oman. The 4-day trip is scheduled for September 4, with the winners being selected on August 31.

Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail - best known by his stage name Mammootty – will turn 74 on September 7.

According to Smart Travel Chairman, Afi Ahmed, this is a genuine gesture of love and respect for 'Mammookka,' and a surefire way to make this Onam festival an unforgettable one.

It is not the first time Smart Travels has shown its devotion; on the superstar’s 70th birthday, the company gifted 70 free travel visas in his honour.

‘A Mammooty experience’

This isn't just a bus trip; it is a full-on "Mammootty experience." Participants will be treated to a steady stream of his iconic films and songs throughout the journey. Upon arrival, the celebration will continue with a massive Onam gathering attended by over 300 guests, featuring traditional games such as tug of war and uri adi, which promise to test their mettle. \

The grand finale is a legendary 30-dish Onam Sadhya, a culinary feat that will surely require a hero’s appetite.

With the stars aligning for a long weekend thanks to Onam and Eid Milad-un-Nabi, this is being positioned as the ultimate escape for UAE residents.

For those not among the chosen few, don’t despair, said Ahmed. Smart Travels has confirmed they are offering the lowest fares to Salalah during this Khareef season. Their trips, which started in July, run every Thursday evening and return on Sunday, with four buses running each week until the end of September.

Over the course of a career spanning four decades, Mammootty has acted in over 400 films, primarily in Malayalam, with several also in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English. In 2020-21, he was awarded the UAE Golden Visa along with Kerala’s beloved superstar Mohanlal.

Mammootty’s recent career trajectory has been widely touted as a major comeback, with the veteran actor taking on a series of bold, experimental, and unusual roles that defy conventional superstar expectations.

Films like Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, where he plays a man who assumes another’s identity, have earned him critical acclaim and solidified his reputation for taking artistic risks. This phase of his career also includes powerful performances in films like Bheeshma Parvam and Bramayugam.