Malayalam superstar Mammootty is at the centre of a social media controversy after visiting the residence of BJP Kerala state Vice President B. Gopalakrishnan in Cheroor, Thrissur, on Sunday, 9 November 2026, to personally bless his newly-wed daughter and son-in-law. Gopalakrishnan has firmly defended the actor, saying the visit had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with friendship.

Why Mammootty Made the Visit

The actor had originally promised to attend the wedding of Gopalakrishnan's daughter Anagha and groom Anjith at Guruvayur on 1 November, but could not make it after getting caught in heavy traffic on the Aluva bridge while en route from Ernakulam. Rather than let the matter rest, Mammootty chose to visit the family in person to offer his blessings to the newlyweds.

He arrived at the Cheroor residence at 5.25 pm and stayed for nearly an hour, leaving at 6.20 pm. Film producer Anto Joseph accompanied him. During the visit, the actor had coffee and sweet potato and spent time interacting with members of the family.

Gopalakrishnan's Rebuttal to Critics

Gopalakrishnan, who shared photographs and videos of the visit on social media, pushed back sharply against those targeting the actor online. 'Love and friendship are much bigger than politics. That is why Mammootty came. Several senior political leaders also attended my daughter's wedding. Some divisive forces do not want Kerala to remain united and are trying to destroy such friendships. This should be taken as an example,' he said.

He also noted that former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, and Congress leader and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had all personally attended the wedding after receiving his invitation. Former minister R. Bindu, who could not attend, had also paid a separate visit to his home later.

A Pointed Defence of Cross-Party Bonds

'I am a BJP worker, but politics is different from personal relationships. They are all my friends. There are no boundaries to love and friendship,' Gopalakrishnan said. He questioned why Mammootty's visit was being singled out for controversy when several senior politicians from rival parties had attended the wedding without similar backlash.

Gopalakrishnan claimed that those driving the social media campaign against the actor were not genuine Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers, and characterised the attacks as reflecting 'pettiness'. He urged people to stop politicising what was, in his words, a purely personal family occasion.

Broader Significance: Kerala's Cross-Political Social Fabric

The episode highlights a distinctive feature of Kerala's political culture, where personal friendships across ideological divides have historically coexisted alongside fierce electoral competition. Gopalakrishnan's public stance — that Kerala needs more such cross-party friendships, not fewer — signals discomfort within at least one section of the BJP with the kind of polarising social media politics that has targeted the actor. The controversy is unlikely to escalate further given the unanimous tone of Gopalakrishnan's defence, but it underscores the growing pressure public figures face over personal associations in an era of heightened online scrutiny.