Malayalam superstar Mammootty received the prestigious Padma Bhushan from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, 23 June, and promptly turned the spotlight back on his audience, saying their love, trust, and support had kept him going 'every single day' across a career spanning over five decades.

The Acceptance Message

Following the investiture ceremony, Mammootty Kampany — the actor's production house — shared a video of the moment on its Instagram timeline, describing it as 'a moment of immense pride for Indian cinema.' The production house also posted a formal acceptance message from the actor himself.

In that message, Mammootty said he was 'deeply humbled and honoured' to receive the Padma Bhushan, extending 'sincere gratitude to the Government of India for this prestigious recognition.' He added: 'An honour like this is a reflection of a five-decade-long journey that wouldn't exist without you, my incredible audience. Thank you for the endless love, trust, and support that keeps me going every single day. I dedicate this to the beautiful world of cinema and all of you.'

Kamal Haasan's Heartfelt Tribute

When the Padma awards were first announced in January 2026, several film personalities from across the country sent their congratulations. Among the most notable was actor Kamal Haasan, who penned a lengthy post in Tamil, drawing on the classical Tamil literary tradition to describe their bond.

Kamal Haasan invoked the legendary friendship between Chola King Kopperun Cholan and the Pandya poet Pisiranthaiyar — two figures from rival kingdoms who, despite never having met, shared a bond of absolute trust. In that ancient tale, the Chola king chose to die and reserved a seat for his poet-friend from the enemy kingdom, confident the poet would arrive. Despite widespread scepticism, Pisiranthaiyar did come — though the king had already passed by then. Kamal Haasan used this reference to describe his own admiration-from-a-distance relationship with Mammootty.

'However, we have been admiring each other from afar. We critique each other when we meet in person. We have been nurturing a "Kopperuncholar Pisiranthaiyar" kind of friendship akin for several years,' Kamal Haasan wrote. He noted that the two had not shared screen space and reflected that they perhaps could have met in person more often. He signed off: 'My friend Mammootty has now become Padma Bhushan Mammootty. Congratulations to my friend.'

Mammootty's Reply on X

Mammootty responded to Kamal Haasan's tribute directly on X (formerly Twitter), writing: 'Thank you, dear Kamal, for those truly humbling words. You're being too kind. And yes, let's catch up soon and make up for the time we've lost.' The exchange drew widespread attention online, with fans of both actors celebrating the rare public display of cross-industry camaraderie.

Five Decades in Indian Cinema

The Padma Bhushan is India's third-highest civilian honour and is awarded for distinguished service of a high order to the nation. Mammootty's recognition acknowledges a career that has produced landmark performances across Malayalam cinema and beyond, earning him multiple National Film Awards and a place among the most respected actors in the country. This is the latest in a string of lifetime-achievement-level recognitions for the actor, underlining his enduring influence on Indian cinema.

With the honour now officially conferred, attention turns to Mammootty's upcoming projects under Mammootty Kampany, as the actor shows no signs of slowing down.