Veteran lyricist and screenplay writer Javed Akhtar has defended actors Mammootty and Mohanlal’s friendship amid controversy over Mohanlal offering prayers at Sabarimala for Mammootty, saying their bond is beyond the understanding of “small, narrow-minded, petty and negative people.”
“I wish every Mamooty of India had a friend like Mohan Lal and every Mohan Lal had a friend like Mamooty . It is obvious that their great friendship is beyond the understanding of some Small , narrow minded , petty and negative people but who cares,” Javed Akhtar wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
Mohanlal’s recent visit to Sabarimala has sparked a debate after it emerged that he offered prayers for fellow Malayalam star Mammootty.
During the “Usha puja” on March 18, Mohanlal submitted a note to the temple priest mentioning Mammootty’s birth name, Muhammed Kutty, and his birth star, Vishakham. A receipt from the Devaswom office confirming this later went viral.
Devaswom boards are autonomous bodies under the state government, responsible for managing Hindu temples and their assets in Kerala.
Mohan Lal's gesture drew mixed reactions on social media. While some saw it as a symbol of communal harmony, others claimed that offering Hindu prayers on behalf of a Muslim contradicts Islamic beliefs.
Mohanlal downplayed the controversy surrounding Mammootty’s name being included in a puja at Sabarimala. Speaking to NDTV in Mumbai, he said he had also submitted Mammootty’s name and star, along with his own family’s.
Earlier, Mohanlal had said that prayers are a personal matter and there was nothing wrong in offering them for Mammootty. He clarified that the puja was conducted after the actor faced a minor health setback.
Filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran, who was present alongside Mohanlal, said this was not the first time they had done something like this. “This time, it made it to the news,” he added.
Actor Mohanlal on Wednesday expressed gratitude to audiences worldwide for their support ahead of the release of L2: Empuraan, which hit theatres on Thursday.