Kochi, Sept 7 (IANS): Described by many as an ‘ageless wonder’, Malayalam superstar Mammootty celebrated his 72nd birthday on Thursday.

Even after five decades of donning the grease paint, Mammootty -- who has now settled in his home district of Ernakulam -- is busy as ever before.

An impressive acting resume of the Malayalam film industry’s first superstar, Mammootty has received three national awards, eight Kerala state awards, a Padma award and numerous others. He has acted in more than 450 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telegu, Hindi and English.

Starting his career in 1971, he rose slowly and steadily to the top and continues to remain there even after several decades and on an average does four to five movies a year.

Hence he is always a director’s delight, as in the present day, when films bomb at the box office, it’s a rarity, when Mammootty is on the centre stage.

With the passing of time, Mammootty’s behaviour has been known to all and is an accepted fact that he is a bit impulsive and if this was his disadvantage in the past, it has now become his advantage.

But a source close to him who has known the actor for several decades, said that in the post-Covid era, Mammootty is one of the the most likeable persons in the film industry and all the airs that he carried in the past have disappeared and that’s probably because he is the most popular Keralite and will continue to do so.