Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as
Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n
actorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
,
producerA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, singer and
writerA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in
Indian cinemaThe cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
& hence widely known as the Universal Star. He made his acting debut in the unreleased movie
ThiranottamThiranottam is a 1978 Malayalam film produced by Ashok Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan starring Mohanlal, Manianpilla Raju and Ravi Kumar. It was Mohanlal's first film. He played Kuttappan, a mentally disabled servant in the movie...
(1978), which was followed by a role as the lead antagonist in his first release
Manjil Virinja PookkalManjil Virinja Pookkal is a 1980 Malayalam film produced by Navodaya Appachan and directed by Fazil, starring Shankar, Poornima Jayaram, and Mohanlal in the main roles. This film was one of the biggest hits of the year and was a major landmark in the career of director Fazil. The songs were...
in 1980.
Antagonistic parts in several movies followed before Mohanlal established himself as a lead actor playing a wide variety of character types in comedy and action films amongst others. He was labelled a superstar of Malayalam cinema in 1986 after the success of
Rajavinte MakanRajavinte Makan is a 1986 Malayalam film directed by Thampi Kannanthanam and starring Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Ambika, and Ratheesh. The film was scripted by Dennis Joseph....
, in which he played an underworld don. Mohanlal became a film producer with the 1990 musical hit
His Highness AbdullahHis Highness Abdullah is a musical Malayalam film released in 1990, written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil; featuring Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Gauthami, Sreenivasan and Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair. It was produced by Mohanlal under the banner of Pranavam Arts...
and has also acted in a number of Tamil and
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films. Of these, his notable roles were in
IruvarIruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
, directed by
Mani RatnamMani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
, and
CompanyCompany is a 2002 Indian film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Jaideep Sahni, starring Ajay Devgan, Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Vivek Oberoi,and Antara Mali. It is a fictional exposé of the Mumbai underworld, loosely based on the Indian mafia organization D-Company, known to be run by...
, directed by
Ram Gopal VarmaRam Gopal Varma is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer...
. As well as being an actor and producer, Mohanlal also owns businesses involved in film distribution, restaurants and packaged spices.
Mohanlal is regarded as one of the finest actors in
Indian cinemaThe cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
and is a cultural icon in the Indian state of
Keralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, where he was elected its most popular individual in a 2006 online poll conducted by CNN-IBN on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Kerala's formation. In 2001, the Government of India honoured him with the
Padma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
, India's fourth highest civilian honour, for his contributions to Indian cinema. He has won four
Indian National Film AwardThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
s — two
Best Actor AwardsThe National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
, one
Special Jury AwardThe National Film Award of India - Special Jury Award / Special Mention - Feature Film winners are:...
for acting, and one
Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
as producer along with six
Kerala State Film Awards for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
. In 2009, he became the first actor to be given the honorary rank of
Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Territorial Army of India and in 2010 received an honorary doctorate from
Sree Sankaracharya University of SanskritSree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit is a Ph.D. granting government university located at Kalady in Kerala. The university is named after the sage and philosopher Adi Sankaracharya and was established in the year 1993...
, Kerala.
Early life
Mohanlal was born in
Pathanamthitta districtPathanamthitta district is the youngest district located in the southern part of the state of Kerala, India. The district headquarters is in Pathanamthitta town. The district is surrounded by Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha and Kollam districts. It has a border with the state of Tamil Nadu in the east...
of
Keralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, to a Hindu
NairNair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
family on 21 May 1960. His mother is Shanthakumari and father is Vishwanathan Nair. He had an elder brother, Pyarelal while his father was a legal secretary in the Kerala government. His family was "close-knit with traditional values" and laid emphasis on education. He was raised in his father's house at Mudavanmugal in
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
(Trivandrum). Mohanlal studied at the Model School, Thiruvananthapuram, and graduated with a B. Com. from
Mahatma Gandhi CollegeMahatma Gandhi College is situated in Thiruvananthapuram city in the state of Kerala, India. It owes its origin to Mannathu Padmanabhan, the founder of Nair Service Society...
in
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
.
As a student, he acted in plays at school and college and in 1972, was selected as the best actor in his school competing against students from the tenth grade while he was still a sixth grader. While attending college Mohanlal's made his film debut in the comedy
ThiranottamThiranottam is a 1978 Malayalam film produced by Ashok Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan starring Mohanlal, Manianpilla Raju and Ravi Kumar. It was Mohanlal's first film. He played Kuttappan, a mentally disabled servant in the movie...
. By his own account, while at college he was part of a group passionate about filmmaking and he acted in
ThiranottamThiranottam is a 1978 Malayalam film produced by Ashok Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan starring Mohanlal, Manianpilla Raju and Ravi Kumar. It was Mohanlal's first film. He played Kuttappan, a mentally disabled servant in the movie...
at their suggestion and would have become a chef if his movie career had not taken off. The film's production company, Bharath CineGroup was owned by his friends who included Maniyan Pilla Raju and
PriyadarshanPriyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
. He started working in the filmfield from September 4, 1978. The film was completed and censored, but was not released. Later it was released in a
KollamKollam , often anglicized as ', is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram...
theatre with the permission of the
President of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
. It took more than 25 years to release the movie. By that time, Mohanlal had become a superstar in the Malayalam film industry.
Early years (1980-1990)
In 1980, Mohanlal was cast in the lead antagonist role in
Manjil Virinja PookkalManjil Virinja Pookkal is a 1980 Malayalam film produced by Navodaya Appachan and directed by Fazil, starring Shankar, Poornima Jayaram, and Mohanlal in the main roles. This film was one of the biggest hits of the year and was a major landmark in the career of director Fazil. The songs were...
- the directorial debut of
FazilA. M. Fazil is an Indian filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter of Malayalam cinema.His father wanted him to be a doctor, but in school and college, extra curricular activities engulfed him. He wrote plays, enacted them with his friends A. M. Fazil (born 1953, in Alleppey, Kerala) is an Indian...
- produced by
Navodaya AppachanMaliampurackal Chacko Punnoose, known as Navodaya Appachan is an Indian film producer, director, and entrepreneur. He is mainly involved in Malayalam cinema....
. The movie, in which debutants
ShankarShankar Panikkar, popularly known as Shankar is an Indian film actor and director. He was one of the prominent lead actors of Malayalam cinema during the 1980s.- As an Actor :...
and
Poornima JayaramPoornima Jayaram is an Indian film actress of Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. She was a mainstream actress of the 80's. Her pairing with Shankar in Malayalam was a hit. She is married to Tamil director, actor, producer and script-writer Bhagyaraj and has a son Shantanu Bhagyaraj, who is...
played the lead roles, became a major hit and for Mohanlal, "there was no looking back". Mohanlal's friends had sent his application in response to an advertisement by Navodaya Studios. He was auditioned for the role in front of a panel that included well-known directors; two of them gave him poor marks but
FazilA. M. Fazil is an Indian filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter of Malayalam cinema.His father wanted him to be a doctor, but in school and college, extra curricular activities engulfed him. He wrote plays, enacted them with his friends A. M. Fazil (born 1953, in Alleppey, Kerala) is an Indian...
and Jijo Appachan liked him. In an interview with
Reader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
in 2004, Mohanlal said that his looks as a young man might have fit the
villainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
's image. By 1983, Mohanlal was credited in more than 25 feature films most of which had him play negative roles. Mohanlal played his first lead role in an
ensemble castAn ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
, as a young man in love with a girl whom he mistakenly believes to be rich, in the 1984 comedy
Poochakkoru MookkuthiPoochakkoru Mookkuthi is a 1984 screwball comedy Malayalam film written and directed by Priyadarshan, with the story adapted from Charles Dickens's play The Strange Gentleman. The film features an ensemble cast featuring Mohanlal, Shankar, Menaka, M G Soman, Nedumudi Venu, C.I...
, also the debut of friend and noted film-maker
PriyadarshanPriyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
. It also marked the beginning of Mohanlal-Priyadarshan duo which later made several successful movies; they have worked together in 29 movies till 2011. In 1985, he recorded a song for the film
Onnanam Kunnil.
UyarangalilUyarangalil is a 1984 Malayalam thriller film directed by I. V. Sasi, written by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and produced by S. Pavamani; starring Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Rahman, Kajal Kiran, Swapna, and Ratheesh in the lead roles.-Plot:...
,
Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu,
Boeing BoeingBoeing Boeing is a 1985 Malayalam film directed by Priyadarshan, a film adaptation based on the 1960 French play Boeing-Boeing. The story follows Shyam who tries dating more than one air hostess with the help of his friend Anilkumar...
and
Aram + Aram KinnaramAram + Aram = Kinnaram is a Malayalam slapstick comedy film released in 1985. Directed by Priyadarshan, with Mohanlal, Shankar, Sreenivasan, Lizy and Puja Saxena in leading roles, this film was a huge hit at the box office.-Plot:...
were some of his successful movies in this period.
Golden period (1986-2000)
The late 1980s and early 1990s are widely regarded as the golden age of Malayalam cinema, with films characterised by detailed screenplays, lucid narration and fresh ideas narrowing the gap between art and commercial films. Mohanlal and
MammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
(who was also an upcoming actor at the time) were very lucky to play very different roles in films "made by the great masters" like
G. AravindanGovindan Aravindan who was popularly known as G. Aravindan was a national award winning film director, screenwriter, musician and cartoonist from Kerala, India. He was known for his unorthodox way of film-making; he changed his cinematic forms consistently and experimented in story telling without...
,
HariharanHariharan is a Malayali film director. His movies mainly revolved around the cultural and relational aspects of a typical Kerala society. His notable works include Pazhassi Raja, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Sargam, Parinayam, Amrutham Gamaya and Nakhakshathangal, which won him national...
,
M. T. Vasudevan NairMadathil Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair , popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He was born in Kudallur, a small village in the present day Palakkad District, which was under the Malabar District in the Madras Presidency of the British Raj...
,
PadmarajanP. Padmarajan was an Indian author, screenwriter, and film director who contributed in Malayalam language. Padmarajan was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam, along with Bharathan, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed...
,
BharathanBharathan was an Indian film director, artist, lyricist, music director, sculptor, poster designer, editor and art director. Bharathan is noted for being the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Padmarajan, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely...
and
LohithadasAmbazhathil Karunakaran Lohithadas was an Indian screenwriter, director, and producer known for his extensive work in Malayalam cinema....
. Mohanlal, along with the actor and scriptwriter Sreenivasan who played his sidekick in several movies, showcased the angst of unemployed, educated Malayali youth forced to adapt to hostile environments in many realistic social
satireSatire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
s, some of which were written by Sreenivasan himself.
1986 was a significant year in Mohanlal's career. He starred in
T. P. Balagopalan M.A.T.P. Balagopalan M.A. is a 1986 Malayalam film directed by Sathyan Anthikkad and written by Sreenivasan, starring Mohanlal, Shobana, Balan K. Nair, Kuthiravattam Pappu, Maniyanpilla Raju, Sreenivasan, Sukumari, and K. P. A. C. Lalitha....
, directed by Sathyan Anthikad, for which he received his first
Kerala State Film Award for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
. He portrayed an unemployed young man who shoulders the responsibility of his family. His performance in
Sanmanassullavarkku SamadhanamSanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam is a 1986 Malayalam movie directed by Sathyan Anthikkad. It is about a house owner, Gopalakrishna Panikkar, who struggled debt for his two married sisters soon forced tenants leave to his house until he fall in love with enemy. It stars Mohanlal, Karthika and...
as a harassed house-owner won him the
Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam)Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
also. Mohanlal was touted as the new Malayalam
superstarA superstar is a widely acclaimed celebrity.Superstar or superstars may also refer to:-People:* Warhol Superstar, associates of Andy Warhol* WWE Superstar, the term used to refer to entertainers from the WWE...
after the box-office success of
Rajavinte MakanRajavinte Makan is a 1986 Malayalam film directed by Thampi Kannanthanam and starring Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Ambika, and Ratheesh. The film was scripted by Dennis Joseph....
in which he played an underworld don He also starred in the
tragedyTragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
Thalavattom, an uncredited adaptation of
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American drama film directed by Miloš Forman and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey....
, playing Vinod, a young man who becomes mentally ill upon witnessing his girlfriend's death. Mohanlal appeared in 36 movies in 1986.
The following year, Mohanlal starred with Sreenivasan and Shobana in the Sathyan Anthikad
black comedyA black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
NadodikkattuNadodikattu is a 1987 Malayalam comedy film directed by Sathyan Anthikkad and written by Sreenivasan. The story revolves around two impecunious young Malayali men, Ramdas aka Dasan and Vijayan who not being able to find any job in Kerala, plan to go to Dubai to make their fortunes, but get...
, which became a box-office success. Mohanlal and Sreenivasan reprised their roles as the detectives
Dasan and
Vijayan respectively in the sequels,
PattanapraveshamPattanapravesham is a 1988 Malayalam comedy film directed by Sathyan Anthikkad and written by Sreenivasan. It is the sequel to Nadodikkattu and follows the story of Dasan and Vijayan who are now CIDs and are investigating a homicide case...
(1988) and
Akkare Akkare AkkareAkkare Akkare Akkare is a 1990 Malayalam comedy film directed by Priyadarshan and written by Sreenivasan. This is the sequel to Pattanapravesham and this time the story follows CID Dasan and CID Vijayan on an investigation for a stolen gold crown in the United States. Others in the cast include...
(1990).
ThoovanathumbikalThoovanathumbikal is a widely acclaimed melodramatic 1987 Malayalam film written and directed by P. Padmarajan, which is based on his own novel Udakappola. The film revolves around Jayakrishnan who falls in love with two women, Radha a woman in his village and Clara a sex worker in town...
, directed by
PadmarajanP. Padmarajan was an Indian author, screenwriter, and film director who contributed in Malayalam language. Padmarajan was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam, along with Bharathan, in the 1980s, which created films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed...
, in which he portrayed a person torn between his twin love interests, broke many stereotypes in Indian films, such as the leading man falling in love with a second woman immediately after he is rejected by the first. The
romantic comedyRomantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
,
ChithramChithram is a 1988 Malayalam screwball comedy film written and directed by Priyadarshan, based on a story by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mohanlal, Ranjini, Nedumudi Venu, Poornam Vishwanathan, Sreenivasan, Soman, Sukumari, Innocent, and Maniyanpilla Raju in the main roles. The film was a...
, released in 1988, played for 365 days in a theatre, becoming the longest running Malayalam movie still which plays full shows daily. Mohanlal won a
Kerala State Special Jury AwardWinners of Kerala State Film Award :-References:**...
in 1988 for his acting in the movies
Padamudra,
AryanAryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
,
Vellanakalude NaduVellanakalude Nadu is a 1988 Malayalam drama film directed by Priyadarshan, and produced by Maniyanpilla Raju.This film was a critical and commercial success...
,
UlsavapittennuUlsavapittennu is a 1989 Malayalam Indian film by Bharath Gopi and featuring Mohanlal, Parvathy and Sukumaran. The film was one of the few directorial ventures of Bharath Gopi and featured a strong performance from Mohanlal in the lead role.- Plot :...
and
ChithramChithram is a 1988 Malayalam screwball comedy film written and directed by Priyadarshan, based on a story by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mohanlal, Ranjini, Nedumudi Venu, Poornam Vishwanathan, Sreenivasan, Soman, Sukumari, Innocent, and Maniyanpilla Raju in the main roles. The film was a...
.
In 1989, The combination of writer Lohitha Das and director
Sibi MalayilSibi Malayil is an Indian film director of Malayalam cinema best known for his melodramas of the 80s and 90s. Since the mid-1980s he has directed some 40 movies. Movies like Kireedam, Dasharatham, Thaniyavarthanam, His Highness Abdullah, Bharatham, and Akashadoothu defined the way Malayalam movies...
is considered to have produced some of his most haunting roles, his role of Sethu Madhavan, who dreams of becoming a police officer but ends up as a criminal, in the tragedy
Kireedam, earned him a National Film Special Jury Award. Mohanlal later recalled that his portrayal of Sethumadhavan's mental agony, commended as a natural performance, was spontaneous and that he "did what Sethumadhavan, my character, would have done in such a situation", adding that acting was "akin to entering another person’s body."
In 1989, he acted in a movie which became a hit in the year,
VaravelpuVaravelpu is a 1989 Malayalam black comedy film directed by Sathyan Anthikkad and written by Sreenivasan, starring Mohanlal, Revathi, Sreenivasan, Thilakan, Murali, Innocent, and Jagadish. The film has been produced by K. Rajagopal under the banner of K. R. G. Movie International and has been...
, which tells the story of a man who earned money in overseas and came back to his native to enjoy his life with family. He bought a bus, which changed his life fully. The former Prime Minister of India,
Atal Bihari VajpayeeAtal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
, mentioned the movie as an example for ignorance by Kerala towards global economic changes during the inauguration of Global Investor Meet held at
Kochi-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
on 18 January 2003. of
In the early 1990s, Mohanlal acted in a number of notable commercial movies, such as
His Highness AbdullahHis Highness Abdullah is a musical Malayalam film released in 1990, written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil; featuring Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Gauthami, Sreenivasan and Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair. It was produced by Mohanlal under the banner of Pranavam Arts...
,
MidhunamMithunam is a 1993 Malayalam satirical film directed by Priyadarshan, written by Sreenivasan, and starring Mohanlal and Urvashi in the lead roles. The film was produced by Mohanlal under the banner of Pranavam Arts and was distributed by Pranamam Pictures. And the music was composed by M. G...
and
No.20 Madras MailNo.20 Madras Mail is a Malayalam movie released in 1990 directed by Joshy and featuring Mohanlal, M. G. Soman, Jagadeesh, Manianpilla Raju, and Mammooty as himself. This film was remade in Hindi as Teesra Kaun by Partho Ghosh.- Plot :...
.
His Highness AbdullahHis Highness Abdullah is a musical Malayalam film released in 1990, written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil; featuring Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Gauthami, Sreenivasan and Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair. It was produced by Mohanlal under the banner of Pranavam Arts...
was the first movie produced by Mohanlal, under the banner of
Pranavam ArtsPranavam Arts is a film production company founded in Thiruvananthapuram by Indian film actor Mohanlal. Pranavam Arts' first production was the 1990 film His Highness Abdullah, which became one of the biggest hits in Malayalam cinema...
. His romantic comedy
KilukkamKilukkam is a 1991 Malayalam musical comedy film directed by Priyadarshan and written by Venu Nagavalli...
(1991) with Revathy is regarded as one of the most popular Malayalam films ever. His role in
BharathamBharatham is a 1991 musical/drama Malayalam film directed by Sibi Malayil, produced by Mohanlal under the banner of Pranavam Arts and starring Mohanlal, Urvashi, Nedumudi Venu and Lakshmi. The film is especially known for its music that is largely Carnatic Classical and Semi Classical...
as a
Carnatic singerCarnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
who is burdened by a jealous brother, earned him the
National Award for Best ActorThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
in 1991. Although not trained in classical dance, he portrayed a
BharatanatyamBharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
dancer in
KamaladalamKamaladalam is a Malayalam film released in 1992, written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil; featuring Mohanlal, Murali, Vineeth, Nedumudi Venu, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Monisha, Parvathy and Sukumari...
(1992). He took help from his choreographer and his co-actors
VineethVineeth is an Indian film actor and classical dancer who has acted in several well received films in his native Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. He studied in Good Shepherd Public School, Ooty, and at St. Joseph's Boys' High School, Thalassery.Vineeth is nephew of the famous Travancore...
and
MonishaMonisha was an Indian film actress, primarily of Malayalam cinema, who made her presence known with her very first film. She was only 15 years old when she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her debut film, Nakhakshathangal . This made her the youngest recipient of the National Film...
for enacting the dance scenes.
Rajashilpi,
SadayamSadayam is a Malayalam film released in 1992 directed by Sibi Malayil, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and featuring Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Thilakan, Mathu and Nedumudi Venu in the main roles. The movie was produced and distributed by G. P. Vijayakumar under the banner of Seven Arts Films.M. T...
,
Yoddha and
Vietnam ColonyVietnam Colony is a 1992 Malayalam film written and directed by Siddique-Lal . With Mohanlal, Innocent, Kanaka and K. P. A. C. Lalitha appearing in lead roles, this film was a huge hit in theatres.-Plot:...
were the other successful movies of Mohanlal in the same year. The 1993 drama
Devaasuram, written by Ranjith and directed by
I. V. SasiIrruppam Veedu Sasidaran, better known as I. V. Sasi, is a Malayali Indian film director who is known for his films of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s. He has directed about 150 films in various South Indian languages and Hindi. He is known as the "veteran" or the "guru" filmmaker in Malayalam...
, was one of Mohanlal's most successful films and is regarded as a
cult classicCult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
. In 1994, Mohanlal starred along with Shobana and
Suresh GopiSuresh Gopinathan Nair , often credited as Suresh Gopi , is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Malayalam cinema; he is famous for his roles in police dramas. He is noted for his leading roles as much as his character roles...
in
FazilA. M. Fazil is an Indian filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter of Malayalam cinema.His father wanted him to be a doctor, but in school and college, extra curricular activities engulfed him. He wrote plays, enacted them with his friends A. M. Fazil (born 1953, in Alleppey, Kerala) is an Indian...
's
ManichitrathazhuManichitrathazhu is a 1993 Malayalam psychological thriller-horror-musical film written by Madhu Muttam, directed by Fazil, and produced by Appachan. The film was an unusual theme in Malayalam cinema but proceeded to become a high grosser at the box-office...
in the lead role as a psychiatrist. The film was a critical and commercial success, and became one of the highest grossing Malayalam films.
SphadikamSpadikam is a 1995 Malayalam film written and directed by Bhadran, starring Mohanlal in the role of a real life rowdy Thomas Chacko aka Aadu Thoma. The film was critically acclaimed, and was also a blockbuster and received cult-fan following. The film's name "Spadikam" means prism, which is a...
was his major commercial success in 1995. Mohanlal won his third
Kerala State Film Award for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
and fifth
Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam)The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam film lead actors. The award was first given in 1972 with Madhu being the first recipient....
for his portrayal as a young man who becomes a
thugCrime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, estranged from his father, upon failing to meet the latter's high expectations.
PriyadarshanPriyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
's
KaalapaniKaalapani is a 1996 Indian epic film directed by Priyadarshan, starring Mohanlal, Prabhu Ganesan, Tabu, Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Tinnu Anand, Annu Kapoor, Alex Draper, Amrish Puri, and Vineeth...
, an epic film about the prisoners in
Cellular JailThe Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
of
Port BlairPort Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
and
LohithadasAmbazhathil Karunakaran Lohithadas was an Indian screenwriter, director, and producer known for his extensive work in Malayalam cinema....
's
KanmadamKanmadam is a 1998 Malayalam film written and directed by A. K. Lohithadas, starring Mohan Lal, Manju Warrier, Lal, Krishna Prasad and Mala Aravindan. Considered as one of the best films of Lohithadas, the film has its music composed by Raveendran as well...
(1998) are among the notable commercial successes in the second half of the decade. Mohanlal's first non-Malayalam movie was the
TamilTamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
biopic
IruvarIruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
directed by
Mani RatnamMani Ratnam is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi starring Anil Kapoor in 1983...
in which he starred opposite debutant
Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
. The controversial film, in which Mohanlal depicted an actor who turns politician (based on
M. G. RamachandranMaruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
), was a critical success and won many awards including Best Film award at the
Belgrade International Film FestivalFEST is annual film festival held in Belgrade, Serbia since 1971. The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year.It was the only film festival in socialist countries that attracted big Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Robert De Niro and directors like Miloš...
and two
National Film AwardsThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
.
In 1997, he acted in a movie
GuruGuru is a Malayalam-language film directed by Rajiv Anchal. Mohanlal played the lead role in the film. Nedumudi Venu, Srinivasan, Suresh Gopi, Sithara, Kaveri and Sreelakshmi star in supporting roles....
, which became the only film in Mollywood which is selected in the List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Here he plays the role as Raghuraman, who wanted to kill all the people because he lost his relatives, love and parents during a bombblast. But he got deviate during a dream which took him to a world without eyes, there he found the reason behind it and gave the solutions too.
In 1998, he produced and starred in
HarikrishnansHarikrishnans is a 1998 Malayalam film directed by Fazil and starring Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Juhi Chawla in the lead roles...
alongside
MammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
and
Juhi ChawlaJuhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career...
. The film was a commercial success but was not received well by critics. The movie had two versions of
climaxThe Climax is the point in the story where the main character's point of view changes, or the most exciting/action filled part of the story. It also known has the main turning point in the story...
es which were screened in different regions based on whether Mammootty or Mohanlal was more popular there. This, however, became controversial when lawsuits were filed claiming that prints exhibited in
HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-dominated areas showed Mohanlal marrying the heroine, whereas the ones in
MuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
-dominated areas showed Mammootty marrying her.
Mohanlal depicted a
KathakaliKathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
artist whose personal life is a tragedy in the 1999 Indo-French period drama
Vanaprastham directed by
Shaji N. KarunShaji Neelakantan Karun is a National Award-winning Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film Piravi won the Caméra d'Or - Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival...
. Since Mohanlal was not trained in Kathakali - a dance-drama form indigenous to Kerala, he took tips from reputed Kathakali dancers to essay the role, for which he received his second
National Film Award for Best ActorThe National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
, fourth
Kerala State Film Award for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
and sixth
Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam)The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam film lead actors. The award was first given in 1972 with Madhu being the first recipient....
. It was also adjudged the best feature film of the year and won the best editing award at
National Film AwardsThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
. The film was also selected for the competitive section at the
Cannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and several other
international film festivals and won six Kerala State Film Awards.
Later years (2000-2009)
Many movies made in this period built on Mohanlal's image as an invincible, larger-than-life hero. In 2000, Mohanlal starred in
NarasimhamNarasimham is a 2000 Malayalam action film written by Ranjith and directed by Shaji Kailas. It stars Mohanlal, Thilakan, N. F. Varghese, Aishwarya, and Kanaka, and features Mammootty in a cameo appearance....
playing a rogue with a good heart. It became one of the highest grossing movies in the history of
Malayalam cinemaThe Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...
. In the next two years, Mohanlal was typecasted in similar larger-than-life
action heroAn action hero is a character, usually a protagonist, in an action-adventure novel, film, television show, or game.-Further reading:*Osgerby, Bill, Anna Gough-Yates, and Marianne Wells. Action TV : Tough-Guys, Smooth Operators and Foxy Chicks. London: Routledge, 2001.*Tasker, Yvonne. Action and...
roles in movies like
RavanaprabhuRaavanaprabhu is a 2001 Malayalam musical action-drama film written and directed by Ranjith. It is a sequel to the 1993 film Devaasuram which was scripted by Ranjith. The film is the directorial debut of Ranjith, who had previously worked as a screenwriter...
,
ThandavamThandavam is a Malayalam action film released in 2002. Directed by Shaji Kailas, this film had a huge star cast including Mohanlal, Kiran Rathod, Nedumudi Venu, Captain Raju, Saikumar, Manoj K. Jayan and Jagadish...
,
PrajaPraja is a 2001 Malayalam film by Joshiy starring Mohanlal, N. F. Varghese, Cochin Haneefa and Aishwarya. The film was produced by Joshiy and Renji Panicker under the banner of Mukhyadhara Films...
,
OnnamanOnnaman is a 2002 Malayalam film by Thampi Kannanthanam starring Mohanlal and Ramya Krishnan.-Plot:Onnaman movie is all about Ravishanker who is a street-urchin comes under the patronage of Salim Bhai, a self-styled messiah of the masses and a don too. When Ravishankar grows up, he becomes an...
and
ChathurangamChathurangam is a Malayalam movie released in 2002 directed by K. Madhu and featuring Mohanlal, Lalu Alex and Nagma.- Plot :The story is set in Kottayam. Atiprackal Jimmy Jacob is everyone's favourite. Something turns around his life.- Cast :...
. These movies were widely criticised for their repetitive plots, lewd dialogues, punch lines and male chauvinistic outlook. "The Narasimham hangover is terrifically strong and it has, at least for the moment, killed the prospects of good films. I don't see any other reason for the failure of well made female-oriented films like
MazhaMazha is a 2000 Malayalam film directed by Lenin Rajendran starring Biju Menon, Samyuktha Varma and Lal. The film is based on the novel Nashtappetta Neelambari by Malayalam novelist Madhavikkutty.-Plot:...
and
MadhuranombarakkattuMadhuranombarakattu is a 2000 Malayalam language film directed by Kamal, starring Biju Menon and Samyuktha Varma in the lead roles. It won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film.-Cast:* Biju Menon* Samyuktha Varma* Ashwin Thampi* Manjima...
," wrote
The New Indian ExpressThe New Indian Express is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as the Indian Express, under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naidu. In 1991, following the death of the then owner Ramnath Goenka, the Goenka...
. The director Priyadarshan commented, "Mohanlal is the complete actor who can excel in both action and comedy. But it is a pity that the actor fell into an image trap after "Narasimham", when he became the one-man entertainer who could dance, fight, and sing!" Mohanlal has defended the poor performance of his movies saying that a "movie is a joint effort" where the actor "is just a vehicle to convey what comes as a thought to the writer" and the number of "great story tellers.. have dwindled" in Malayalam cinema.
In 2002, Mohanlal played the role of Sreenivasan IPS, a
MumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
police officer, in his first
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movie,
CompanyCompany is a 2002 Indian film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Jaideep Sahni, starring Ajay Devgan, Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Vivek Oberoi,and Antara Mali. It is a fictional exposé of the Mumbai underworld, loosely based on the Indian mafia organization D-Company, known to be run by...
, which introduced him to the
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
-speaking audience in India and for which he won the IIFA Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor. The movie dealt with the real life story of two underworld dons who ruled Mumbai played by
Ajay DevganAjay Devgan , born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969, is an Indian film actor, director, and producer.He made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance in the film and for which he won a Filmfare Best Debut Award...
and
Vivek OberoiVivek Oberoi is an Indian actor. He is the son of Bollywood actor Suresh Oberoi and Yashodhara Oberoi.- Early life :Vivek attended Mayo college in Ajmer. At an actors' workshop in London he was spotted by the director of New York University who took Vivek off to New York, where he completed his...
. Mohanlal's performance was well-received.
The HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
noted that the actor is "at his natural best" and "does not look stifled or anxious as other South Indian stars do when they appear in a Hindi movie for the first time".
The following year, Mohanlal, trying to change his action hero image, returned to
humourHumour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
roles with
Kilichundan MampazhamKilichundan Mampazham is a Family Entertainer. The film was directed by Priyadarshan. It features Mohanlal, Soundarya, Sreenivasan, Salim Kumar. The story is written by Sreenivasan and the screenplay and the dialogues was written by Priyadarshan. The songs in this movie was a Hit.-Story:Moidukutty...
,
BalettanBalettan is a 2003 Malayalam film directed by V. M. Vinu and starring Mohanlal, Devayani, Harisree Ashokan, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu and Jagathy Sreekumar. It won the Kaveri Film Critics' Award for the most popular Malayalam film of 2003.- Plot :...
,
Hariharan Pilla Happiyanu and
Mr. BrahmachariMr. Brahmachari is an Indian film in malayalam language by Thulasidas starring Mohanlal and Meena Durairaj.-Cast:-Plot:Ananthan Thampy is a middle aged man who has decided never to marry in his life. He thinks he will lose all his youthfulness and manly looks by marriage. His main hobby is body...
.
Kilichundan MampazhamKilichundan Mampazham is a Family Entertainer. The film was directed by Priyadarshan. It features Mohanlal, Soundarya, Sreenivasan, Salim Kumar. The story is written by Sreenivasan and the screenplay and the dialogues was written by Priyadarshan. The songs in this movie was a Hit.-Story:Moidukutty...
, promoted as a comeback vehicle for the actor, received good reviews and box-office collection.
BalettanBalettan is a 2003 Malayalam film directed by V. M. Vinu and starring Mohanlal, Devayani, Harisree Ashokan, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu and Jagathy Sreekumar. It won the Kaveri Film Critics' Award for the most popular Malayalam film of 2003.- Plot :...
, directed by V. M. Vinu, was an "average story" which had "nothing new to offer", but was a commercial success. Mohanlal plays the role of Athanipparambil Balachandran, a bank employee always willing to lend a helping hand, who is forced to hide many secrets after his father's death leading to his family's mistrust. In 2004,
NatturajavuNatturajavu is a 2004 release Malayalam film directed by Shaji Kailas. It stars Mohanlal, Meena, Nayantara, Kalabhavan Mani, Cochin Haneefa, K.P.A.C Lalitha, and Siddique in supporting roles.-Plot:...
and
MambazhakkalamMambazhakalam is a 2004 Malayalam family drama film directed by Joshi and starring Mohanlal and Shobhana.-Plot:Puthenpurackal Chandran is an unmarried, middle-aged Keralite who has returned to his hometown after working in Middle East for 20 years. He supports a big family that consists of mother...
were his notable commercial successes.
Still fighting the larger-than-life image, Mohanlal appeared in the 2005
black comedyA black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
Udayananu TharamUdayananu Tharam is a 2005 Malayalam comedy film that presents the southern Indian film industry through a satirical viewpoint. It was written by Sreenivasan and directed by debutant Rosshan Andrrews. The film stars Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Meena, Jagathy Sreekumar, and Mukesh in the lead roles...
as an aspiring film director. Well-received by the audience and the critics, the movie did well even in places where Malayalam films do not run in regular shows like
VadodaraVadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
,
Rajkot,
PunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
and
AhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
. In the same year, he appeared in director
BlessyBlessy is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has made several critically acclaimed films in Malayalam. As a film director, he is influenced by Padmarajan and Bharathan.- Career :...
's second film
ThanmathraThanmathra is a 2005 Malayalam film directed by Blessy, based on Padmarajan's short story Orma, which portrays the effects of Alzheimer's disease on the life of an individual and his family...
, a film that tells the story of an individual suffering from
Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. The film received positive reviews and Mohanlal's performance was praised. Mohanlal won his fifth
Kerala State Film Award for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
and seventh
Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam)The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam film lead actors. The award was first given in 1972 with Madhu being the first recipient....
for his performance in a difficult role; his character does not speak in the second-half of the movie. An "aesthetically shot" scene in which the husband, a dark shot of Mohanlal in nude, is distracted by a lizard on the wall while having sex with his wife was deleted after it became controversial in the conservative Kerala society.
In 2006, he worked with the director
Sathyan AnthikkadSathyan Anthikad is an Indian film director and screenwriter known primarily for his family based Malayalam films.He has created many critical and commercially successful films, especially when working with Sreenivasan as the scriptwriter...
, after nearly a decade, in the movie
RasathanthramRasathanthram is a 2006 Malayalam drama movie directed by Sathyan Anthikkad, starring Mohanlal and Meera Jasmine in lead roles. Other actors include Bharath Gopi, KPAC Lalitha, Innocent, Oduvil Unnikrishnan and Mamukkoya. Director Sathyan Anthikkad got the Mathrubhumi Best Director award for this...
. Although a commercial success, the movie received mixed reviews. Rediff.com enjoyed the movie, though it used "different elements that are tried and tested over the ages" and commented that "Mohanlal, though repeating himself for the umpteenth time, pleases." Mohanlal also acted in
Kirtichakra by director
Major RaviMajor A.K. Ravindran, better known by his screen name Major Ravi is a former Indian Army Officer and a Malayali Indian filmmaker.He is a recipient of the President's medal, joined the Indian army as a jawan in 1975 and graduated from the Army Cadet College to become a commando in the year 1988...
, in which he plays the role of an
Indian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
officer Major Mahadevan. The movie was shot in
KashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. and was a commercial success. A
dubbedDubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
version of the movie was released in Tamil as
AranAran is a 2006 Tamil language feature film dubbed from Malayalam. The Malayalam original was titled Keerthichakra. The film stars Mohanlal, Jeeva, Gopika, and Prakash Raj in lead roles. The film was produced by Jeeva's father, R. B. Choudhry of Super Good Films Ltd...
, but Mohanlal disassociated himself with the movie since his voice was not used, stating that "I prefer to speak for my role in the film." Mohanlal also acted in the sequels
KurukshetraKurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
(2008) and
KandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
(2010).
In 2007, Mohanlal won the
Kerala State Film Award for Best ActorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
for his performance in the movie
ParadesiParadesi is a 2007 Indian Malayalam film written and directed by P. T. Kunju Muhammed and starring Mohanlal.The film talks the issue of Indian citizens who left the country before independence in search of job, mostly to Arabia, and happened to reach Pakistan, and then when returned to the...
directed by P.T. Kunju Muhammed. The movie garnered positive reviews, with Sify.com noting that "Mohanlal is mesmerising and reinvents the idiom of acting once more with feeling." The same year, he appeared in his second
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movie,
Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, and in
Hallo, which became one of the biggest Malayalam hits in 2007. In
Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, a remake of
SholaySholay is a 1975 Indian action-adventure film produced by G.P. Sippy and directed by his son Ramesh Sippy. It is considered among the greatest films in the history of Indian cinema. Released on 15 August 1975, it stars Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and...
, Mohanlal played the role of the protagonist Narasimha, a cop with a vendetta against the criminal Babban Singh played by
Amitabh BachchanAmitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
. The movie received extremely poor reviews and Mohanlal's performance was also criticized.
Rediff.comRediff.com India is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 as "Rediff On The NeT" and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York City, USA....
commented that the actor, forced to speak "farcical, formulaic tripe", "gave up the chase for greatness halfway through".
In 2009, Mohanlal appeared with
Kamal HaasanKamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
in the
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
movie
Unnaipol Oruvan. His last film in 2009 was
Evidam SwargamanuEvidam Swargamanu is a 2009 Malayalam film written by James Albert, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, and starring Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Lalu Alex, and Lakshmi Rai in the lead roles...
, directed by Roshan Andrews.
2010-present
His 2010 releases,
Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great is a Malayalam film released in May 2010. The film is directed by Murali Nagavalli, scripted by C. Balu, and stars Mohanlal, Bala, Kirron Kher and Aswathy. It is different from most films in that the main character, played by Mohanlal, has no heroine counterpart for his role...
, and
Kandahar, did not fare well at the box office. Shikkar is the only movie he has in 2010 as a commercial success film and also it is the only solo mega hit of a Malayalam actor in 2010.
Malayala ManoramaMalayala Manorama is a daily news paper, in Malayalam language, published in the state of Kerala, India. It was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1890, and currently has a readership of over 16 million . The Malayalam word "manorama" roughly translates to "entertainer"...
criticized his choice of roles commenting that Malayalees did not want to see another "The “I Am Still Superman” Mohanlal Movie" in 2011 and that the actor should "either shape up for the roles he is trying to play or stick to roles that suit him". His first release of 2011 was the multi-starrer
Christian BrothersChristian Brothers is a 2011 Malayalam family action drama film directed by Joshiy. The major highlight of the film is its ensemble cast which includes Mohanlal, Dileep, Suresh Gopi and Sarath Kumar in lead roles...
is the highest grossing malayalam film ever collecting more than 38 crores, released on 18 March 2011 in which he acted alongside
Suresh GopiSuresh Gopinathan Nair , often credited as Suresh Gopi , is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Malayalam cinema; he is famous for his roles in police dramas. He is noted for his leading roles as much as his character roles...
,
DileepDileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
and
Sarath KumarSarathkumar Ramanathan is an Indian journalist, film actor, politician, body builder and the current president of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association. He started his career in Tamil cinema playing negative roles, and later played minor roles in other movies. He was first chosen for the...
. His another release was
PranayamPranayam is a 2011 Malayalam romantic drama film written and directed by Blessy. The film revolves around the love bound between the characters of Mathews , Grace and Achutha Menon ....
, a multi-starrer featuring
Jaya PradaJaya Prada is an Indian film actress and politician. She has starred in hundreds of Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Marathi films.-Early life:...
and
Anupam KherAnupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in nearly 400 films and 100 plays. Though mainly appearing in Bollywood films, he has had roles in some films from other nations as well...
, which released on 31 August 2011. His performance in
PranayamPranayam is a 2011 Malayalam romantic drama film written and directed by Blessy. The film revolves around the love bound between the characters of Mathews , Grace and Achutha Menon ....
has been applauded by the critics and the viewers. Snehaveedu is the latest superhit of Mohanlal. This movie is a family subject directed by Sathyan Anthikkadu.
Filmography
Mohanlal has acted in over 300 Malayalam films and produced or co-produced over 25 films. His acting credits include some
TamilTamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
,
HindiBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
, Telugu, Kannada films. He has acted in 4 professional
playsA play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
. He has sung over 25 songs, most of them for the films he acted in.
Theatre and television
Like most other Indian stars, Mohanlal does not have a theatre background. However, he has acted in a few plays. He debuted on the stage as
KarnaKarna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
(a character in the Indian epic
MahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
) in
Karnabharam, a
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
play that was premiered in
New DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
as part of the
National Theatre FestivalNandikar's National Theatre Festival was started in 1984. It is arranged annually in Kolkata, India, between 16 and 25 December. Initiated and organized, as the name suggest, by the theatre group Nandikar...
directed by
Kavalam Narayana PanickerKavalam Narayana Panicker is an Indian dramatist, theatre director and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Madhyamavyayogam...
. The play depicts
KarnaKarna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
's mental agony a day before the
Kurukshetra WarAccording to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
, as he thinks about his past and his faith. He received a standing ovation each time the play was staged.
Kadhayattam was a presentation enacted by Mohanlal, depicting 10 unforgettable characters and situations selected from Malayalam literature. He has said that it is his offering to his mother tongue. The play was staged at
KottayamKottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
on 1 November 2003. The presentation was a fusion of stage acting, movie expression, sound and lighting techniques and music, conceived by film director
T. K. Rajeev KumarT. K. Rajeev Kumar is an award winning director of Malayalam films.He is settled in Trivandrum, Kerala. Rajeev Kumar served as the Chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy from 2003 to 2006...
.
Chayamukhi is Mohanlal's latest play, presented under the banner of Kalidasa Visual Magic, a production house promoted jointly by Mohanlal and Malayalam actor
MukeshMukesh , born Mukesh Babu, is an Indian film actor and producer known for his work in Malayalam cinema.- Personal Life :...
. Mohanlal performed the role of Bheeman and Mukesh performed the role of Keechakan. The play was first staged at Thrichur on 12 March 2008.
Mohanlal has also appeared in several television commercials and advertisemens including Malabar Gold ad with
Hema MaliniHema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar , she went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra. She was initially promoted as...
and
Sania MirzaSania Mirza is a professional Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003 and is well known for her powerful forehand ground strokes. She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings...
, MCR ad with
Sarath KumarSarathkumar Ramanathan is an Indian journalist, film actor, politician, body builder and the current president of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association. He started his career in Tamil cinema playing negative roles, and later played minor roles in other movies. He was first chosen for the...
, Oceanus ad, Manappuram Gold Loan ad with
Akshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
, etc.
As Ambassador
Mohanlal was selected as the
Goodwill AmbassadorGoodwill Ambassador is a collective term sometimes used as a substitute honorific title or a title of honor for an Ambassador of Goodwill; but, most appropriately for a generic recognition, it is a job position or description that is usually indicated following the name of the individual recognized...
of Kerala State
AthleticsTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
by the Kerala State Athletics Association. He is also the Goodwill Ambassador of
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
awareness campaign by Kerala AIDS Control Society for which he acted in short films, and of Handloom textiles in Kerala. Other commercials, designed for Kerala markets, include
LGLG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
, Nerolac, Malabar Gold, Original Choice Rum, Manappuram Finance, MCR textiles, Oceanus constructions, Mohanlal's Tastebuds, Vismayas Max animation academy, Hedge Equities and Pankaja Kasthuri
Business ventures
Mohanlal has also started several business ventures related to film production and distribution, restaurants and packaged spices among others. He owns
Maxlab Cinemas and EntertainmentsMaxlab Cinemas and Entertainments Ltd. is a film distribution company located in Ernakulam, Kerala. The company is run by actor Mohanlal, film producer Antony Perumbavoor, industrialist K. C. Babu and Asianet chairman K. Madhavan.-Distributions:...
, a Malayalam film distribution company and
Vismayas MaxVismayas Max Post-production Studio is Kerala’s first DTS studio which is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Padmashri Lt. Col. Mohanlal, is presently heading the organization...
, a film post-production studio and college for dubbing artists at
KinfraKerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation is a government agency under the government of the Indian state of Kerala. It's headquarter was in Thiruvananthapuram. It undertakes development of industrial estates, to nurture industrialization in the state. Dr...
Film and Video Park, Trivandrum. He has produced films under the banner
Pranavam ArtsPranavam Arts is a film production company founded in Thiruvananthapuram by Indian film actor Mohanlal. Pranavam Arts' first production was the 1990 film His Highness Abdullah, which became one of the biggest hits in Malayalam cinema...
. He owns many restaurants including a chain in
DubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
called Mohanlal's Tastebuds, Travancore Court in
Kochi-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
and The Harbour Market in
BangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. He is also a partner in Mohanlal's Tastebuds, a pickle and curry powder company. His other business ventures include Uni Royal Marine Exports - a
KozhikodeKozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
-based seafood export company and
Jose Thomas Performing Arts CentreThe Jose Thomas Performing Arts Centre , is located in Thrippunithura, near The Choice School, Kochi. The centre was launched by Malayalam Film actor Padmashri Lt. Col. Mohanlal & Choice Group Chairman Mr. Jose Thomas...
Kochi.
He is an independent director of Clenergen India Private Limited In 2009, Mohanlal, along with
PriyadarshanPriyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
, tried to bid for an
Indian Premier LeagueThe Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team based in
Kochi-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
; they withdrew the bid on failing to source enough funds after a change in rules was introduced.
In the media
Mohanlal has been described in Indian media as one of the versatile actors and has been lauded for his natural acting style.
Reader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
India described him in 2004 as "cinema's jack of all trades and master of many". He was also listed 80th in India's Most Trusted Survey conducted by Reader's Digest in 2010. Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma has described Mohanlal as "one of the finest actors in the country who can slip into any role easily".
In 2003 on the 25th anniversary of Mohanlal's film career, a week-long celebration and a stage show was held in
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
by his fans and friends. The proceeds from the stage show was donated to charity. Malayalam television channels,
AsianetAsianet Communications Limited is an Indian media conglomerate jointly owned by STAR TV and Jupiter Entertainment. Formed in 1991 and headquartered in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in the south Indian state of Kerala, the company owns several television channels including Asianet, the first...
Television and
Surya TVSurya TV is a Malayalam television channel in India. Established in 1998 October 7, Surya TV is the first digital channel of India and now the channel is telecasted in MPEG4 format. The channel is in the second position among Malayalam channels. The channel is part of Sun Network and telecast...
also held separate stage shows to celebrate the anniversary.
Mohanlal along with
MammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
,
DileepDileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
and
Suresh GopiSuresh Gopinathan Nair , often credited as Suresh Gopi , is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Malayalam cinema; he is famous for his roles in police dramas. He is noted for his leading roles as much as his character roles...
have been accused in the media for causing a crisis in Malayalam cinema due to the "superstar" effect. In 2005 Mohanlal, Mammootty and
DileepDileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
controlled 95% of the box-office revenue of Malayalam cinema. The "superstars" have been criticized for their high remunerations, preference for formulaic content and larger-than-life male-oriented roles. Mohanlal
fan clubA fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
s are present throughout Kerala; they help in creating a buzz around new releases and ensure a good opening in movie screens, a crucial factor in the success of the film. In 2007,
prohibitionProhibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
activists in Kerala protested against Mohanlal for appearing in a surreptitious whiskey advertisement. Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation,a
KottayamKottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
-based NGO, accused the actor of violating laws that ban direct liquor advertisements. However, Mohanlal stated that it was unfair to single him out when so many other Indian actors were doing similar endorsements on television.
In 2010 Mohanlal was part of a public spat involving Malayalam writer and social-critic
Sukumar Azhikode Sukumar Azhikode is a writer, critic and orator, acknowledged for his contributions to Malayalam and insights on Indian philosophy. He is a bachelor and lives in Eravimangalam near Thrissur....
, actor
ThilakanSurendranatha Thilakan , known mononymously as Thilakan, is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam cinema and theatre. He was awarded Padma Shri on 25 January 2009.- Theatre:...
and Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). The controversy erupted after Azhikode supported Thilakan's accusations that AMMA had imposed an 'undeclared ban' on him, suggesting that the leading stars of Malayalam should step aside since they are old, out-of-shape and charged exorbitant remunerations resulting in mounting losses for the industry. He added that Mohanlal was "a hypocrite who hid his advancing age to act with younger heroines". Mohanlal responded that Azhikode was having "hallucinations" and his remarks were "an aged-uncle's joke". This led to further personal remarks by Azhikode against Mohanlal. Other actors like
MammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
and Innocent defended Mohanlal and the media was, in general, critical of the comments by Azhikode. Azhikode filed a defamation suit against Mohanlal in August 2010.
Personal life
Mohanlal lives with his family in
ThevaraThevara is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Geographically, Thevara is part of the mainland Kochi , and marks its south-west boundary. It is connected to the water-bound West Kochi via bridges.Thevara is noted especially for being home for the Cochin Shipyard...
,
Kochi-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
. He married Suchitra, daughter of Tamil film producer
K. BalajiK. Balaji was a South Indian producer and actor whose work included Billa.-Early Life:Balaji was born in a prominent Tamil Brahmin family and was the grandson of a very prominent colonial era advocate T...
on 28 April 1988. Mohanlal later recalled in an interview that Suchitra used to send him cards because she wanted to marry him. Their
horoscopeIn astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
s did not match at first, but later it was found that the
astrologerAn astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
erred. Mohanlal has two children -
PranavPranav Mohanlal is the son of Indian film actor Mohanlal. Pranav made his debut in the film Onnaman, directed by Thampi Kannamthanam. He won the 2002 Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist for his role in the film Punarjani, which was directed by Major Ravi and Rajesh Amanakara...
and Vismaya. Pranav has acted in a few movies, debuting in Mohanlal's film
OnnamanOnnaman is a 2002 Malayalam film by Thampi Kannanthanam starring Mohanlal and Ramya Krishnan.-Plot:Onnaman movie is all about Ravishanker who is a street-urchin comes under the patronage of Salim Bhai, a self-styled messiah of the masses and a don too. When Ravishankar grows up, he becomes an...
. Mohanlal did not object when his son expressed a desire to act as "Kids may have many such ambitions. If we can help them realise something, what is the problem?" He owns a house at Ooty, a villa in
Arabian RanchesArabian Ranches is a residential project located on Emirates Road in Dubai. The project consists of different kinds of villas and townhouses...
and a flat in Burj Khalifa at
DubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.
Mohanlal is a self-described foodie. He also enjoys melodious music. Mohanlal is a strong believer in destiny and spirituality. He likes to read
OshoOsho , born Chandra Mohan Jain , and also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru, and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following.A professor of philosophy, he travelled...
, J. Krishnamurti, Aurobindo and
Ramana MaharshiSri Ramana Maharshi , born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master . He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described as liberation , he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus...
. He has often stated that the turn of events in his life, including his film career, was accidental.
In 2008, while shooting for the movie
KurukshetraKurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
in which he plays the role of an
ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
officer, Mohanlal expressed interest to join Territorial Army of India as an officer. On July 9, 2008, he was formally inducted to the Territorial Army in the rank of
Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
by Army Chief
Deepak KapoorGeneral Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on 30 September 2007 and Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee appointed on 31 August 2009....
. Rules had to be amended to accommodate him as men above the age of 42 are not eligible to join the volunteer force.
Mohanlal was awarded an honorary doctorate by
Sree Sankaracharya University of SanskritSree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit is a Ph.D. granting government university located at Kalady in Kerala. The university is named after the sage and philosopher Adi Sankaracharya and was established in the year 1993...
,
KaladyKalady is a village located east of the Periyar river, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. Notably, it is the birthplace of Sri Adi Shankara, and thus is a popular destination for pilgrims...
in 2010. The citation praised Mohanlal as "an excellent performer after actor
SathyanManuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...
in Malayalam film world, who essayed a rich variety of roles with equal ease and poise."
As Magician
In 2008, Mohanlal underwent 18 months of magician training under
Gopinath MuthukadGopinath Muthukad is a magician, escapologist, and stunt performer from Kerala, India. He employs magic as a medium to convey his messages to society....
. He had planned to perform a stunt called
Burning Illusion in
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, however this was cancelled later on allegations that it is a dangerous act.
Awards and achievements
- Mohanlal was awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
by the Government of India in 2001.
- Mohanlal was granted the rank of honorary Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Indian Territorial Army in 2009, the first instance of an Indian actor being conferred an honorary army rank.
- Mohanlal was awarded Honorary Doctorate by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit is a Ph.D. granting government university located at Kalady in Kerala. The university is named after the sage and philosopher Adi Sankaracharya and was established in the year 1993...
in 2010.
- Mohanlal has won four National Film Awards.
- Mohanlal has won nine Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
.
- Mohanlal has won several other awards such as Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
, IIFA Awards, Star Screen AwardsThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
, Screen-Videocon Awards SouthThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
, Film Express Award (Government of Tamil NaduThe Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
and KarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
), Asianet Film AwardsThe Asianet Film Awards is the most prominent award ceremony for Malayalam films presented annually by Asianet, a Malayalam-language television network from the south-Indian state of Kerala. The awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both artistic and technical excellence in the Malayalam...
, Kerala Film Critics Awards, Vanitha Film AwardsThe Vanitha Film Awards are presented annually by Vanitha, an Indian magazine from the Malayala Manorama group in the south Indian state of Kerala. The awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both artistic and technical excellence in the Malayalam language film industry...
, Asiavision Movie Awards, Mathrubhumi Film AwardsThe Mathrubhumi Film Awards are presented annually by Mathrubhumi & Kalyan Silks, an Indian malayalam newspaper from the Mathrubhumi group in the south Indian state of Kerala. The awards ceremony has been instituted to honour both artistic and technical excellence in the Malayalam language film...
, Kerala Film Audience Council Awards.
- Mohanlal's film Guru
Guru is a Malayalam-language film directed by Rajiv Anchal. Mohanlal played the lead role in the film. Nedumudi Venu, Srinivasan, Suresh Gopi, Sithara, Kaveri and Sreelakshmi star in supporting roles....
was India's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in the year 1997.
- Mohanlal's film Vanaprastham was screened in the "Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
" section at the 1999 Cannes Film FestivalThe 52nd Cannes Film Festival was held on May 12-23, 1999. The Palme d'Or went to the French-Belgian film Rosetta by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.-Jury:* David Cronenberg * André Téchiné * Barbara Hendricks...
and several other International Film Festivals like Hong Kong International Film FestivalThe Hong Kong International Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch and experience new film work. There are seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and parties celebrating the festival community...
, Seattle International Film FestivalThe Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Taipei Golden Horse film festival, Mar del Plata Film FestivalThe Mar del Plata International Film Festival is an international film festival that takes place every November in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina...
, Istanbul International Film FestivalThe Istanbul International Film Festival is the first and oldest international film festival in Turkey, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts , a non-profit organisation. It is held every year in April in movie theaters in Istanbul, Turkey...
, American Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
, American Film MarketThe American Film Market is a film industry event held each year at the beginning of November in Santa Monica, California. About 8,000 people attend the eight day event to network and to sell and acquire films...
, Fukuoka International Film Festival.
- Mohanlal was chosen as the "Most Popular Keralite" by a survey conducted by CNN-IBN in 2006.
- Mohanlal hold place in Limca Book of Records
Limca Book of Records is a record book of Indian origin. First published in 1990, when the Limca Brand was owned by Parle Group. The book continued to be published by Coca-Cola, when they bought the Limca Brand. The 20th edition of this book was released by Amitabh Bachchan in March 2009...
as " People of the Year Award" in 2009.
- Mohanlal was ranked 80th position in Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
's "India's Most Trusted People" in 2010.
- Mohanlal was ranked top 1 in the popular choice section as the "Best Actor of the Decade" (2001–2010), a survey conducted by HindiFilmNews.com.
- Mohanlal was described as "God's own Superstar" by South Scope
Southscope is an Indian based, monthly, English-language film magazine Which focuses on who-what-where-when-why-why not-how of South Indian films,film personalities and the Industry. It is being promoted by Geeta Arts and owned by Allu Sirish, son of Allu Aravind and younger brother of Allu Arjun...
magazine in 2010.
- Mohanlal was chosen as the "Most Popular Keralite" by a survey conducted by Deccan Chronicle in 2011.
- Mohanlal was awarded "IMA Award" by Indian Medical Association
The Indian Medical Association , the national organization of “Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine”, was organized in 1928, and currently IMA has around 1,78,000 members belonging to different branches of medical profession and function through a network of more than 1700 local...
in 2003.
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