Mammootty conjured a charming surprise in the most cinematic manner imaginable at the inauguration of the second edition of Manorama Hortus on Thursday by revealing and introducing his college friend, who gave him the name, which is now the pride of Indian cinema. By doing so, he celebrated the very theme of Hortus – the power of we, the timeless sheen of friendship.
It was a moment straight out of his film ‘Katha Parayumbol’. Just as his character Superstar Ashok Raj once surprised a crowd by acknowledging his forgotten friend Balan, Mammootty recreated that emotional beat in real life, by finally disclosing the person behind the name that turned Mohammed Kutty into Mammootty.
 At the inauguration of the session, Mammootty was at his eloquent best; thanking everyone for the prayers for his good health, recounting his college days, before delivering Hortus’ golden moment.Â
Sashidaran standing among the audience. Photo: Manorama.
The actor had told everyone in his college that his name was Omar Sharif (a famous Egyptian actor). One day, he accidentally dropped his ID card, and the secret was revealed. “One of my friends immediately asked me. ‘You are not Sharif, your name is Mammootty’.” The crowd was rapt with attention. There was more to come.
He raised his left arm and, almost with a mischievous glint in his eyes, pointed at the crowd. “The friend who named me Mammootty is right here. His name is Sasidharan”. All eyes were on a lean man with a tucked-in shirt and trousers. The crowd erupted in chants, ‘Sasi chetan ki jai’. Mammootty went on. “Many people have claimed credit for my name, even written about that in papers. But it was this man,” he said.Â
“I have guarded him like a secret, held him back all these years like a surprise”. Mammotty concluded with a fitting climax.