Shabana Azmi lauds Mammootty’s ‘Kaathal’; asks if mainstream Hindi cinema would ‘dare to act in such a film'

Shabana Azmi is all praise for Mammootty’s film ‘Kaathal - The Core’ directed by Jeo Baby. She expressed that she has long been interested in Malayalam films, and the Mammootty starrer, in which the superstar plays a gay man, blew her mind. The veteran actress also added that it is a film that mainstream Hindi cinema stars won’t dare to make.Shabana Azmi recalled watching ‘Kaathal - The Core’ and applauded Mammootty for shouldering the film. “I saw a film which was produced by Mammootty sir, and I could not believe that he had produced this film because it was so much out of the box. It was with Jyotika. When I saw the film, I really marveled. I wondered if anybody in the Hindi film industry mainstream, having the same position as Mammootty sir, would even dare to act in such a film, let alone produce it. That requires guts and also a confidence that this audience is willing to see me in a completely different kind of character. It blew my mind,” the veteran actress told Mathrubhumi News. Shabana Azmi also shared her views on the increasing popularity of South Indian films in recent times. She revealed that Malayalam films have always been her favorite. “The South Indian film industry is big, and out of the very many important and good films that are coming out of the South, my favorite would be the Malayalam films, and has always been. I'm not talking about mainstream Malayalam cinema. So it has been something that I have valued very greatly,” the ‘Dabba Cartel’ actress said. She also added that many of her colleagues from Mumbai ‘just love’ the Malayalam films. “I think the subjects are so bold.”The actress also observed that the translations and subtitles have pushed the content from Malayalam cinema across the nation.'Kaathal - The Core' is directed by Jeo Baby, who has previously helmed the critically acclaimed film 'The Great Indian Kitchen'. Starring Mammooty and Jyothika in lead roles, the film follows a married couple from rural Kerala, who head for divorce, despite seemingly having a perfect marriage. The film explores themes of homosexuality, societal pressure, and personal choices. The film won four Kerala State Film Awards, including the best film.