In the early 2000s, snagging an interview with a Malayalam movie star was no easy feat. Promotions as we know them today barely existed, and any correspondence typically happened over a terse SMS. Even then, actors reserved their time for the big, established media houses. Then came the deluge—YouTube channels, social media, and a whole new ecosystem of promotion. The floodgates swung open, and suddenly the industry felt startlingly accessible and intimate. Actors began letting their hair down with anchors who had just stepped out of college; an offhand quip could instantly become clickbait for Instagram reels. They sat for long chats with influencers and non-media hosts, many of which veered into the territory of unpaid therapy sessions. I usually watch these interviews with one hope—that I’ll find a nugget of insight for my next feature. This time, though, I’m trying to understand something deeper: what do these modern-day promotional interviews really reveal about our actors' off-screen personas and the image they choose to project?

It’s remarkable how a 70-plus superstar like Mammootty, who was once famously selective about interviews, has embraced today’s new-age promotional format. For decades, he guarded his off-screen presence with a seriousness that matched his larger-than-life image. The few interviews he granted were often sharp, insightful, and tinged with gravitas, and watching him in those rare moments of reflection, mining lessons from his craft and life, was as rewarding as watching him on screen. He carried the aura of someone who didn’t need validation or overexposure to prove his stardom. But post-2021, though, there’s been a shift. Mammootty now sits alongside co-stars half his age, matching their vibe, cracking self-deprecating jokes, and even indulging star-struck hosts—moments that often go viral. This lighter, more........

© Mathrubhumi English