PM Modi meets Mammootty, his family after Padma Awards ceremony
New Delhi, June 23
After the culmination of the Padma Awards ceremony on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with veteran actor Mammootty and his family members.
PM Modi shared several pictures from his meeting with Mammootty, his wife Sulfath Kutty, son Dulquer Salmaan and his spouse Amal, and daughter Surumi.
"Met the noted actor Mammootty and his family after the Padma ceremony earlier today," PM Modi said in the post.
Earlier in the day, Mammootty was conferred the Padma Bhushan award by President Droupadi Murmu.
The award, one of India's highest civilian honours, recognises his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema, especially the Malayalam film industry.
The 74-year-old 'Mathilukal' star received the award at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other distinguished dignitaries.
Among those in attendance at the ceremony was Dulquer Salmaan, the son of Mammootty and an acclaimed actor himself, who clapped and cheered as the Malayalam cine legend affectionately called "Mammukka" was bestowed the country's third-highest civilian honour.
He had donned a dapper classic badhgala with a crisp white shirt for the ceremony. As he stepped up to recieve the honour, he was seen greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reciprocated with a warm smile.
In January 2026, the actor who has dominated the Malayalam film industry for over five decades, while also starring in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada films and has a repertoire of over 400 films, was named one of the recipients of the Padma Bhushan.
Reacting to the announcement, the veteran actor expressed his gratitude by simply saying "Thanks," as media personnel sought his response. He is widely respected as a goodwill ambassador for numerous social causes and a patron of several charitable initiatives.
Regarded as one of India's most accomplished actors, with a global fan following, Mammotty made his acting debut in a junior role in 'Anubhavangal Paalichakal' in 1971 and has since built a remarkable body of work spanning multiple genres and languages.
Mammootty is also a three-time National Film Award winner. He received his first National Film Award for Best Actor in 1989 for his exceptional performances in the Malayalam films Oru 'Vadakkan Veeragatha' and 'Mathilukal'.
He won the honour for a second time for his acclaimed roles in 'Vidheyan' and 'Ponthan Mada'. In 1999, Mammootty secured his third National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of BR Ambedkar in the bilingual biographical film 'Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.'
Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
'Padma Vibhushan' is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order, and 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in any field.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's heartwarming to see PM Modi taking time to personally meet the awardees and their families. Mammootty has been a pillar of Indian cinema for decades, and this recognition is well-deserved. His work in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was phenomenal! 👏
I have mixed feelings. Mammootty is definitely a legend, but Padma awards seem to have become more about politics than merit recently. Why was he ignored for so many years and suddenly awarded now? Still, happy for Mammukka's fans across India!
As a Malayali living in Bengaluru, this makes me so proud! Mammootty is not just an actor but a philanthropist who has quietly supported so many causes. His humility shown by simply saying "Thanks" to the media - that's the mark of a true legend. PM Modi's gesture of meeting the family adds a personal touch to the ceremony.
I'm not familiar with Malayalam cinema, but reading about his three National Awards and 400+ films is impressive. Nice to see Indian cinema legends getting their due from the government. The PM's personal touch with families adds a nice human element.
"Mammukka" finally gets Padma Bhushan! 🎉 I grew up watching his films. His role as Ambedkar was pathbreaking. And Dulquer must be so proud seeing his father receive this honour. But honestly, the award could have come 10 years earlier. Anyways, better late than never! 🙏
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