Mammootty is widely regarded as a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), not just for the phenomenal performances he has delivered over the years, but also for the unconventional and pathbreaking choices he has made throughout his five-decade career. While he has done numerous formulaic commercial entertainers, Mammootty’s repertoire also radiates a versatility that few can claim. Among the many atypical movies he has done is veteran director Joshiy’s Nirakkoottu (1985). Although the crime drama might now feel like just another mainstream movie, a closer look and analysis, against the backdrop of the cinema of its era, would prove that Nirakkoottu was a risky project, especially for Mammootty. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO At a time when mainstream cinema had clear, proper definitions of heroes and villains and how they should be presented on screen, Nirakkoottu broke conventions and adopted a different narrative style. For most of its first half, Ravi Varma (Mammootty) is portrayed as a ruthless criminal, awaiting a death sentence for the brutal murder of his wife, Mercy (Sumalatha). Even in the flashback scenes …