Malayalam film retro: Why Mammootty's G.K. in 'New Delhi' was all swag

Three months - that’s how long it’s been since the last Mammootty film, Bazooka, was released. And it’s been three months of waiting in hope for Malayalam cinema’s eternal star to overcome health issues - and for his next film to release.

The waiting continues until such time word is out that the actor is back on the sets.

For now, all avid Mammootty watchers can do is revisit those movies, from the near and distant past. I’ve already gone through a third re-watch of that 2022 thriller Rorschach, which looks even better each time one sees it. (A special shoutout to Grace Antony and Sharafudheen for the way they handled their extended cameos.)

Sure, I have done the repeat viewings of his 2024 hit Bramayugam - that’s a performance that can’t be matched - and another of Mammootty’s 2022 releases, Bheeshma Parvam. (OK, I confess to seeing Bazooka again, it’s rubbish. But I just had to see that move once more.)

Now, there are more than 400 movies that he’s acted in, of which 100 or so have seen Mammootty essay characters that stay on in memory. But there’s one that stands out at this particular moment - it was July 24, 1987 that New Delhi released, with the Joshiy directed film rescuing singlehandedly rescuing Mammootty from a succession of flops.

The expectations ahead of New Delhi’s release were actually downbeat, and it was as if whatever interest it got before July 24, 1987 had more to do with this being a Joshiy project and with a script by Dennis Joseph - who at that point in his career could only deliver hit and super-hits.

A section of the Malayalee film-going audience had even written off Mammootty, contrasting his choice of films with Mohanlal’s succession of defining roles in Padmarajan’s Namukkuparkkan Munthiri Thoppukal and Thoovanathumbikal as well as Satyhan Anthikad's Nadodikkattu.

And then, New Delhi happened. Yes, it was ‘inspired’ by the Irving Wallace novel ‘The Almighty’, but there is no taking away from this tale of revenge against those in absolute power as visualised by Joshiy and Dennis.

Above everything, there was Mammootty as G.K., who starts off being a strident voice against corruption and then getting imprisoned on trumped up charges. Of course, he has to emerge out of jail - and which sets up the intricate plot to go hard on those who had put him in there.

The best part?

Mammootty’s GK ‘setting’ the news in advance and then following through with the act of disposing off his foes - one at a time. G.K. will go down as one of Mammootty’s memorable characters - and it certainly was a career reviving one.

So much so, it can be said that he never had to confront such a crisis in his professional standing since then.

New Delhi also marked the moment when Mammootty for the best part of the next 18 years staying well away from out-and-out comedy until Rajamanikyam. Also of him getting rid of the tag of ‘Mammootty, Kutty, Petty’ for good.

The tag came from the line up of early to mid-1980s family-oriented films he was associated with. Which started off being successful but by 1985-1986 was becoming repetitive, and at a time when Mohanlal was coming up with his share of memorable portrayals.

So, let's wait for Mammotty's return to multiplex screens at the earliest. In the meantime, relish in that 28-year film that led him to be the force he is in Malayalam - and Indian - cinema.