While nepotism continues to plague most film industries across the country, offering star kids with little to no talent one substantial project after another, there have also been moments, though few and far between, when nepotism gifted Indian cinema with genuine talent. Among the finest examples are the power couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. Malayalam cinema, at the same time, has rarely accepted nepo babies without them proving their artistic ability. Those who did make it through, after enduring multiple rounds of rigorous competition, became valuable additions to the industry’s rich tapestry. Among such rare examples are the sibling duo Indrajith and Prithviraj, sons of the late Malayalam superstar Sukumaran and actor Mallika Sukumaran.
Although it has been 28 years since Sukumaran passed away, Mallika still fondly remembers him at every opportunity, thus keeping his memory alive. In one interview, she candidly stated that her life would have been completely ruined had he not come into it. For the unversed, Mallika was initially married to actor Jagathy Sreekumar, but the marriage ended soon, after which she tied the knot with Sukumaran. “It would have been a mess,” she said during a 2022 interview with Manorama News, when asked how her life would have turned out had she not met Sukumaran. “For Mallika to have an identity again, my father and my family would have had to call me back,” she said, recalling her marriage to Jagathy against her family’s wishes.
‘Sukumaran looked after me like a princess’
“Afterwards, I might have gotten remarried and gone on a different path. But for sure, I couldn’t have thought of staying in the film industry. Besides, that mental anguish from the first marriage would have always been with me in life. Without making me feel any of that, Sukumaran looked after me like a princess.” Describing him as a gem of a person, Mallika admitted that, at first, she thought he was a bit of a brawler. While he was short-tempered, she said, there was so much goodness in his heart, which the film industry never truly got to see. She also noted that the one thing Sukumaran hated most was lying, particularly since he didn’t know how to flatter people.
Sukumaran (Photo by N Vijayamohan)
Recalling facing accusations that she married Sukumaran for his money, Mallika said it was he who gave the more fitting reply, backed by proof. “He married me when he had only Rs 4,695 in his Canara Bank account in Vadapalani. At the time, he lived in a rented house shared with director IV Sasi, Murali Movies Ramachandran and actor Kuthiravattam Pappu,” she said. She also recalled how Sukumaran played a key role in re-establishing her career by helping her land the opportunity to dub for actor Seema in Avalude Ravukal (1978), a landmark film in Malayalam cinema. It was shortly after this that the two got married, and she eventually retired from acting.
Malayalam cinema 6-month report card | Disappointment of most hyped movie, tables turning between superstars and more
Sukumaran passed away in 1997 at the age of 49 following a sudden heart attack. After his death, it was Mallika who raised Indrajith and Prithviraj. Speaking about his mother, Prithviraj once said, “I believe my mother’s life story is remarkable. It’s natural for children to see it that way, isn’t it? She faced numerous challenges. Her first marriage failed. And yet, she faced difficulties in returning home… Difficulties in presenting this matter to the family. During that time, like a fairy tale, Malayalam cinema’s biggest star (Sukumaran) fell in love with Amma. Thus, she navigated through a new life, remarried, settled down, and enjoyed 23 years of marital bliss.”
He added, “But my father’s sudden passing caught us all off guard. None of us expected that he would leave so soon. One day he was there, and the next day he wasn’t. Overnight, I saw a woman, who had spent 23 years as a devoted mother and wife, taking control of everything. I was just starting Class 10, and my brother was about to enter engineering college. If my mother had faltered, perhaps my brother and I wouldn’t be where we are today.”
