Mammootty Once Humiliated P Sreekumar, Then Helped Him Escape Debt: ‘Like Jesus Christ’

Malayalam actor-director P Sreekumar has recalled how Mammootty first left him deeply hurt after a heated argument, only to later become the person who helped him recover from severe financial troubles. Speaking about their complicated history, Sreekumar described the superstar’s intervention as a turning point that allowed him to rebuild his career and life.

Before becoming a director, Sreekumar had worked as an actor. When he was preparing his directorial debut Kaiyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu in 1985, the producer suggested casting Mammootty instead of Devan and offered an additional Rs 5 lakh. Sreekumar travelled to Madras, now Chennai, to secure Mammootty’s dates.

Mammootty and P Sreekumar’s heated clash

During their meeting at a film studio, Sreekumar said he asked Mammootty for six days in September. When the actor said he was unavailable, the director asked whether the dates could be adjusted. According to Sreekumar, Mammootty lost his temper and asked, “Who are you to me that I should ‘adjust’ for you? Are you my relative? Did we study together? Do we have any other connection?”

Sreekumar said he felt publicly humiliated. When Mammootty later offered to give him dates for the following September, the director responded by repeating the actor’s own words. The two eventually parted ways on bad terms.

How Mammootty helped P Sreekumar recover

Sreekumar subsequently faced major financial losses after producing his first two films. He was living in a rented house and said he needed a commercial success to survive. Mammootty reportedly learnt about his situation through filmmaker Venu Nagavally and later approached him with an offer to help.

As Sreekumar recalled in an interview with Can Channel Media, Mammootty told him, “I will give you my dates; make a film.” Sreekumar said the actor organised the project with the intention of helping him earn enough to clear his debts and build a house.

The resulting film, Vishnu (1994), scripted by Venu Nagavally, became a hit. Sreekumar said its earnings allowed him to return to acting, recover lost assets and fund his son’s engineering education. Mammootty also helped his son travel abroad after graduation.

Calling the actor “like Jesus Christ”, Sreekumar said Mammootty had always helped him when necessary and had never done him any harm.

Sreekumar’s recollections were shared during interviews with Safari TV’s Charithram Enniloode and Can Channel Media.