Mammootty

“Hard work and only hard work has paid off for me. Being a very small industry, hard work is a must. It has worked wonders for me most of the time.”

“I am a professional actor, and I am very careful about being sincere to the characters I play.”

“I did 'Ponthan Mada' with Laboni Sarkar, which had won many awards.”

“I am very emotional, and I get really upset when any of my films flop. I also get hurt over silly things. That is the way I am; I can't help it.”

“Mustard oil is not popular in Kerala at all. We have coconut oil and refined oil. I've tried some sweets and, of course, the famous fish, hilsa! I have a cook here with me, so he made it in our style.”

“Emotions are the same to all human beings. But there is some difference in the way people react to situations.”

“I don't consider any film of mine bad. I give all my films the importance they deserve. I look at all my roles with the same kind of seriousness.”

“I have played many cop roles in my career, and my effort is to make each role different.”

“I have done great characters in Malayalam, too. In that sense, there was nothing special about my acting as Ambedkar. But I am sure that this is a great venture, and I will get a lot of exposure in India and abroad. I have tried my best to do maximum justice to the character.”

“More meaningful cinema is being made, and that is the reason why you see a rejuvenated Malayalam film industry. But more films aimed at youth are needed.”

“The success of a film is always a combination of many people's efforts.”

“There were no clippings of Ambedkar. The only thing I had was a two-and-a-half minute film which I saw countless times. Nobody knows how he walked, how he spoke, or how he behaved. I had to conceive all those things in my mind. I had to work a lot on the make-up, too.”

“Culturally, I remember listening to Salil Chowdhury's music for Malayalam films. Many Bengali actors have worked in our films, too.”

“I am an Indian, and I know what India is. I know Indian culture. I know Indian constitution and democracy.”

“Yes, it is true that I wanted to direct Rajinikanth in 'Bhoothakkannadi,' and I even narrated the story to him. But the project never materialised.”

“There are times when you get several great, exciting roles; there are times when you don't.”

“Tell me one industry where there are no problems. Whatever problems are there are similar to the problems faced elsewhere.”

“Our people work more, earn more, spend more. Here they work less, gain less, and spend less, but they are happy! That's what I think. Also, I haven't seen people here drink much, unlike Kerala, where it's almost like bread and coffee for them!”

“I believe in the theory that one cannot make a good film; it just happens.”

“A product can turn bad, not the production. When you start a film, you feel it will be great. But sometimes, as it progresses, it fails somewhere. You can't blame anyone for that. You can blame only your own intelligence!”