Mammootty's rare autograph from 1972 college days

KOCHI: “ Sasheendra..farewell is the lubricant of solace to my larynx that is stuttering to say good-bye”, these words were jotted in the book of advocate M K Sasheendran by none other than Malayalam megastar Mammootty. The writing was made during the farewell day of the BA batch of Ernakulam Maharaja's College, almost 50 years back.

The days of autograph are numbered. Students of the current generation have little to no idea about the glitter-smeared cards or autograph books that encapsulated a whole childhood and that could still evoke feelings of lost time. Whatever be it, these autographs from 1972 are still a treasure for Ponnurunni native M.K. Sasheendran. Never did Sasheedran know that his classmate Muhammadkutty from Chempu, Vaikom would rise to become one of the most popular celebrities in India.

Mammootty was a year younger than Sasheendran while studying BA at Maharaja's College. Later, Mammootty went on to pursue law after finishing his course while Sasheendran joined him at law college after pursuing a postgraduate degree.

Now practising in the Kerala High Court, Sasheendran is more focused on the field of literature. The novels Inishantham and Nurumeni, Kasaragod Diaries, and Vytilla Dairies are a few in the repertoire of the writer cum advocate.