Prithviraj Sukumaran Turns Emotional As He Recalls The Day His Dad Died

Mallika Sukumaran, a veteran Malayalam actor, has been in the film industry for five decades. On Sunday, an event called Mallika Vasantham @ 50 was held at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram to commemorate her 50th year in cinema. Among those in attendance were her sons, actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Indrajith Sukumaran, as well as her daughter-in-law, actress Poornima Indrajith.

Prithviraj Sukumaran gets emotional while talking about his mother

During the event, a visibly moved Prithviraj Sukumaran described his mother Mallika as the "strongest woman I have ever seen".

"To survive in cinema for 50 years is nothing short of a wonder. Though she took a break in between for almost 25 years and confined herself to the role of a housewife, she managed to provide her career a seamless restart once she returned to the industry. It’s an absolute tribute to the artiste that she is," said an emotional Prithviraj.

He also boasted that he might be the only person in the world to have had the opportunity to act alongside his mother while also producing and directing the films in which she appeared.

"I am very proud that I received such opportunities. Every time I act with her or direct her, I come to the realisation that she’s the most talented actor and artiste in our family. She has a lot more to offer to cinema," Prithviraj added.

Prithviraj Sukumaran recalls his father's death

Prithviraj Sukumaran also recalled the time his father, actor Sukumaran, died. Prithviraj said, "We were going to Thiruvananthapuram from Ernakulam with our father’s mortal remains. My mother was alone in another vehicle, while my brother and I were with dad in an ambulance. At that moment, I had only one question on my mind: ‘What will my mother do now?’ The answer to that question is right in front of you in the form of my brother and me,” he added with a lump in his throat."

Mallika Sukumaran made her film debut in 1974 with KS Sethumadhavan's Kanyakumari, which starred Kamal Haasan and Rita Bhaduri. She received the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress for her role in legendary director KG George's Swapnadanam (1974).