Basil Joseph thanks Mammootty for a cherished evening with his family

Chennai: Malayalam actor and director Basil Joseph has expressed heartfelt gratitude to superstar Mammootty for spending an evening with him and his family, calling it an unforgettable experience filled with warmth and humility.

Sharing pictures on Instagram of Mammootty with his family, Basil wrote: “Had the rare privilege of spending an evening with a legend. It was overwhelming in the most gentle, heavenly way, a moment our family will cherish forever.”

The ‘Ponman’ actor recalled a touching moment when his young daughter asked Mammootty his name. The legend simply smiled and said, ‘Mammootty.’ “That humble reply etched itself into our hearts as a core memory for a lifetime,” he wrote, adding that the veteran actor even clicked pictures on his own camera, including several selfies with Basil’s daughter Hoppey.

“For a couple of hours, he somehow made us forget who he is to the world, and made us feel as if we were just sitting with a close friend. That kind of grace and warmth is beyond words,” Basil said, ending his note with: “Thank you, Mammookka, from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, warmth, and for giving us an evening we will treasure forever.”

The post drew responses from several actors and directors, including ‘I’m Game’ filmmaker Nahas Hidayath and actresses Amala Paul, Sanchana Natarajan and Nikhila Vimal.

Meanwhile, Mammootty has returned to work after an eight-month break due to health concerns. The 74-year-old actor is currently filming director Mahesh Narayanan’s action thriller ‘Patriot’, which also stars his close friend Mohanlal.

Narayanan recently confirmed that about 60 per cent of the film has been completed, though production was delayed during Mammootty’s treatment in Chennai. The release, originally planned for this month, is now likely to be postponed.