Is Mammootty Moothon In The 'Lokah' Universe? Dulquer Salmaan Drops A Hint

At first, it seemed like just another birthday wish. But once the social media post was out, fans were up with excitement that Mammootty will play a part in Malayalam cinema's newest universe.

Dulquer Salmaan, the producer of Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, put out a social media post on September 7, wishing his superstar father on his birthday. What raised eyebrows was the fact that he referred to his father as Moothon, or the elder one (in Malayalam).

The poster features the shadow of a person in a hood holding a weapon with a crescent-shaped tip. "Happy birthday Moothon. You have our eternal love," the post on Instagram was captioned.

For many fans, this was confirmation that Mammootty is Moothon.

But why is the name Moothon significant?

The character's name is teased in the recently released movie headlined by Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen Gafoor, and directed by Dominic Arun. Lokah, which released alongside Mohanlal's dramedy Hridayapoorvam, went on to become a big hit - a stellar achievement in itself. According to box office tracker Sacnilk, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra grossed Rs 1,560 million (Dh65 million approximately) at the global box office.

The movie's makers were till now tight-lipped about Mammootty's involvement in the next instalment of the franchise. Moviegoers were left guessing as to who the character would be, or whether Mammootty would be the new antagonist.

Mammootty, one of the biggest superstars of Malayalam - and Indian - cinema, turned 74. The Indian actor, with an acting career spanning more than four decades, received wishes from the film fraternity, fans and politicians, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The actor was said to be battling cancer and was away on a hiatus for chemotherapy. Indian media reports said the star of Bramayugam, Rajamanikyam, Thalapathi and Yavanika was recuperating in Chennai.

Mammootty will also be seen in Kalamkaval, a crime drama also starring Vinayakan, widely expected to be his first movie after recovery. Directed by debutant Jithin K Jose, who previously worked as a writer on Dulquer Salmaan's gritty crime drama Kurup, the movie makers released a gritty teaser.

The film also stars Meera Jasmine, Gibin Gopinath, Gayatri Arun, and Rajisha Vijayan in supporting roles. Kalamkaval's screenplay is co-written by Jithin Jose and Jishnu Sreekumar.

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