A major controversy has erupted after a CPI(M) member accused Malayalam superstar Mammootty of being a “Jihadi.” Mohammed Sharshad Baniyandy, a Chennai-based businessman and CPI(M) member, recently alleged that his estranged wife, Ratheena PT, and the scriptwriter Harshad conspired to make an anti-Hindu and anti-upper-caste movie starring Mammootty. According to a report by The Pioneer, Ratheena PT was “forced” by Mammootty to direct a movie that projected Hindus in a negative light.
The movie at the centre of the controversy is the 2022 Malayalam release titled “Puzhu,” in which Mammootty played an upper-caste IPS officer who hates his sister for eloping with a Dalit man.
Sharshad claimed that Ratheena initially planned to make a light-hearted entertainer with Mammootty but was coerced into directing “Puzhu” instead. He alleged that the film’s writer, Harshad, is an “Islamic extremist” and that outside influences had manipulated his wife into working on this project. Reports indicate that Sharshad took issue with the film’s portrayal of upper-caste characters and accused his estranged wife of being influenced by external sources.
In a domestic violence case, Ratheena PT secured a restraining order against Mohammed Sharshad.
Mammootty has long-standing ties with the ruling CPI(M) and has been the chairman of Kairali TV, a CPI(M)-backed news channel, since 2000. His close relationship with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is well-known.
In 2007, Mammootty made headlines when he attended a DYFI (CPI(M)’s youth wing) conference and stated that the Gujarat riots of 2002 might have been prevented if DYFI had been active there. This statement caused an uproar, leading to protests by BJP and Congress members, but Pinarayi Vijayan defended Mammootty, asserting his right to free speech.
Following Sharshad’s accusations, CPI(M) and Congress leaders rallied in Mammootty’s defence. CPI(M) MLA KT Jaleel, former minister and ex-president of the banned Islamist group SIMI, criticised the RSS-BJP over the allegations. Kerala ministers V Sivankutty and K Rajan, along with Congress leader KC Venugopal, also supported Mammootty, denouncing the accusations as a politically motivated attack by the Sangh Parivar.
The controversy has shocked many in Kerala, with CPI(M), CPI, and Congress leaders condemning the portrayal of Mammootty as a Jihadi. They argue that the allegations are part of a broader agenda to undermine the actor and the secular fabric of Kerala. The CPI(M) leaders emphasised Mammootty’s contributions to the state’s cultural and political landscape, dismissing the allegations as baseless.
This incident is part of a larger pattern where leaders who challenge the organised influence of the Muslim community in Kerala face severe backlash. Historical examples include EMS Namboodirippadu, A K Antony, and V S Achuthanandan, who encountered resistance from Muslim political and spiritual leaders. The controversy surrounding Mammootty is seen as another instance of the ongoing tension between secularism and communalism in Kerala politics.
