India, Aug. 21 -- Malayalam star Mammootty battled an unspecified illness earlier this year and revealed earlier this week that he was fully recovered. While the actor and his family have remained mum on what really happened to him, his friend, actor VK Sreeraman, spoke to Manorama News about what happened. Here's what he said. (Also Read: Mammootty's brother Ebrahimkutty moved by 'whole world' praying for star's recovery: 'Crossed vast sea of turmoil')

Sreeraman told the publication that Mammootty received treatment for something and has lost his ability to taste and smell. He said, "In the initial stages, when he called me, he said that food didn't taste good and he had difficulty walking. But he didn't talk of any of that as if it was...