Kochi, Oct 8 It has been a week of contrasting headlines for Malayalam cinema’s towering figures -- Mohanlal and Mammootty.
Even as Mohanlal basks in national glory, honoured with the country’s highest film honour -- the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, his long-time screen rival finds himself under intense scrutiny.
On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided Mammootty’s Elamkulam residence in Kochi, as well as the homes of his son, actor Dulquer Salmaan, in Kochi and Chennai, in connection with the alleged Bhutan luxury car import racket.
The operation follows earlier raids by Indian Customs, which seized Dulquer’s Land Rover Defender under “Operation Numkhoru.”
ED officials say the crackdown is linked to violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) involving the illegal import and registration of high-end vehicles through Bhutan and Nepal routes using forged documents.
Over 150 such vehicles are believed to be in Kerala.
For Mammootty, the timing couldn’t be tougher.
The 74-year-old actor only recently returned to public appearances after an eight-month hiatus owing to ill health.
Once celebrated for his disciplined off-screen image, the veteran now finds his name figuring in a high-profile investigation, even though he is not an accused in the case.
In sharp contrast, Mohanlal stood in the spotlight just days ago at a grand felicitation ceremony hosted by the Kerala government, marking a rare moment of collective pride for the Malayalam film industry.
The star, known for his understated public persona, has remained silent amid the storm swirling around his contemporary.
Moreover, on Tuesday, he was honoured by the Indian Army in Delhi by the Chief of the Army for winning the highest film honour in the country.
Incidentally, for the past several years, the actor has been a Lt Col in the Territorial Army.
The two actors, arch screen rivals for nearly four decades, now find themselves at dramatically different points in public perception, one honoured at the pinnacle of his career, the other grappling with unwelcome headlines.
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