Chennai, Oct 6 : Well known Malayalam actor and director Basil Joseph has now penned a note of gratitude to Malayalam superstar Mammootty for spending time with him and his family and for exuding a warmth and grace that could not be described by words.

Taking to his Instagram page to post pictures of Mammootty spending time with him and his family, he 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."

Director Basil Joseph, who is also known for his performance as the lead actor in the superhit Malayalam film 'Ponman', said that when his little daughter looked up at Mammootty and innocently asked his name, the legend simply smiled and said, 'Mammootty.'

"That humble reply etched itself into our hearts as a core memory for a lifetime," Basil wrote and added that Mammootty even took pictures on his own camera including several selfies with his 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," said Basil Joseph and concluded the note saying, "Thank you, Mammookka, from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, warmth, and for giving us an evening we will treasure forever."

Several actors and directors responded to Basil Joseph's post including I'm Game director Nahas Hidayath and actresses Amala Paul, Sanchana Natarajan and Nikhila Vimal.

It may be recalled that Mammootty has returned to work after an eight-month break. The 74-year-old actor, who has been away from public life owing to health concerns, has now resumed work.

The actor is currently shooting for director Mahesh Narayanan's eagerly-awaited action thriller 'Patriot', featuring his close friend Mohanlal along with him.

Director Narayanan has confirmed that around 60 per cent of the film has already been shot, but production was delayed as Mammootty underwent treatment in Chennai.

The makers had originally aimed for a release this month, which is now likely to be rescheduled.

/IANS