Mammootty faces criticism over wearing a tilak

Malayalam actor Mammootty has faced social media criticism after a video surfaced showing him wearing a tilak on his forehead. The footage, recorded during the National Film Awards in Gujarat where he received the Best Actor award for ‘Bramayugam’, shows a woman applying the traditional mark as part of his welcome.

Some social media users questioned the actor’s decision to accept the tilak, citing his Muslim faith. In response to the backlash, filmmaker and actor Harishree Yusuf defended Mammootty, criticizing those focusing on the religious implications of the gesture. Yusuf suggested that cultural traditions and symbols in India are often shared across communities and should not be viewed solely through the lens of religious identity.