Parunthu (2008)

Parunthu is a 2008 Malayalam drama directed by M. Padmakumar. Mammootty plays Purushothaman, a ruthless moneylender whose nickname, Parunthu ("kite", the bird of prey), reflects how he hovers over those who owe him money. The film looks at the man behind the harsh reputation and at the people caught in his web of loans, with Lakshmi Rai, Jagathy Sreekumar and Jayasurya in supporting roles. It gave Mammootty a chance to play a grey, unsympathetic character in a mainstream film. It is less widely remembered than his bigger hits of the period.