ROHIT SHARMA GETTING MARRIED..
Sunday, 3 May 2015
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
MOHANLAL..THE COMPLETE ACTOR..
MOHANLAL ….THE COMPLETE ACTOR
Mohanlal Viswanathan
Nair (born
21 May 1960)[2] better known as Mohanlal is an
Indian actor, film producer, singer and writer best known for his work in Malayalam films. Film critics, contemporaries,
and other experts consider him as one of the greatest living actors in Indian cinema and apart,[3][4] for his versatile and natural
acting.[5][6][7] Widely regarded as a cultural icon,[8] he also holds amatinee idol status
in the popular culture of Kerala.[9]
Mohanlal made his acting debut in Thiranottam (1978), but the film got released only
after 25 years due to censorship issues.[10] His first film to be released
was Manjil Virinja
Pookkal (1980) in
which he acted as the antagonist. He became a superstar with
the commercial success of Rajavinte Makan (1986) which is widely considered as a
cult classic in action movie genre. In a career spanning over three decades,
Mohanlal has acted in over 300 Malayalam films in various genres. Mohanlal has
also acted inBollywood, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. Of these, his notable roles
were in Iruvar (1997),
directed by Mani Ratnam, andCompany (2002),
directed by Ram Gopal Varma.[11][12]
Mohanlal was elected as the most popular Keralite in an online
poll conducted by CNN-IBN in
2006 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Kerala's formation.[13] In 2001, the Government of
India honoured him with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian
honour, for his contributions towards Indian cinema. He has won four Indian
National Film Awards – two Best
Actor Awards, one Special Jury Award, and one Award
for Best Film as
producer; along with six Kerala
State Film Awards for Best Actor and
eightFilmfare
Awards for Best Actor. In 2009, he became the first and the only
actor to be given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army
of India[14] and in 2010 received an honorary doctorate from Sree
Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala.[15]
Early
life
Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair was born on 21 May 1960 in the Elanthoor village
of Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, as the youngest child of Viswanathan Nair, a former
bureaucrat and law secretary with the Kerala Government, and Santhakumari. He
grew up at Mudavanmugal, Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram.
Mohanlal studied at Model
School, Thiruvananthapuram, and graduated with aB.Com. from Mahatma Gandhi
College in Thiruvananthapuram.[16][17] Mohanlal received his first
Best Actor Award when he was in sixth grade for a stage play called Computer Boy in which he enacted as a ninety year
old person.[18]
Film career
Early years (1978–1985)
Mohanlal made his acting debut in 1978 with the film Thiranottam which was created by Mohanlal and his
friends: Maniyan Pilla Raju,
Suresh Kumar, Unni, Priyadarshan, Ravi Kumar and others. Mohanlal
played Kuttappan, a mentally disabled servant in the movie. The film was completed
but it took 25 years to release the movie.[10]
In 1980, Mohanlal was cast in the lead antagonist role in Manjil Virinja
Pookkal– the directorial debut of Fazil. The movie became a major hit.[20] Mohanlal's friends had sent his
application in response to an advertisement by Navodaya Studio.[21] He was auditioned for the role
in front of a panel that included professional directors; two of them gave him
poor marks but Fazil and Jijo Appachan liked him.[22] In an interview with Reader's Digest in 2004, Mohanlal said that his looks
as a young man might have fit the villain's image.[23]By 1983, Mohanlal was credited in more than 25 feature films
most of which had him play negative roles.[23] Films like Ente Mohangal
poovaniju, Iniyengilum, Visa, Attakalasham, Kaliyil Alppam Kariyam, Ente
mamattikutiiyammakku, Engane Nee marakkum,Unaroo, & Sreekrishnaparunthu
changed his villain image[vague]. In Sasikumar's Ivide thudangunnu he became a successful hero. Mohanlal
played his first comic lead role in an ensemble cast, as a young man in love with a
girl whom he mistakenly believes to be rich, in the 1984 comedy Poochakkoru Mookkuthi.[24] It also marked the beginning of
Mohanlal-Priyadarshan duo who As of 2011 have
worked together in 29 movies.[25] In 1985, he recorded a song for
the film Onnanam Kunnil.[24] Uyarangalil, Nokketha
Doorathu Kannum Nattu, Boeing Boeing and Aram + Aram Kinnaram were some of his movies in this
period.
1986–2000
Mohanlal played very different roles in films "made by the
great masters" like G. Aravindan, Hariharan, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Padmarajan, Bharathan and Lohithadas.[26]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 satires,[27] some of which were written by
Sreenivasan himself.[28]
In 1986 he starred in T. P. Balagopalan
M.A., directed by Sathyan Anthikad, for which he received his
first Kerala
State Film Award for Best Actor.[29] He portrayed an unemployed
young man who shoulders the responsibility of his family. His performance in Sanmanassullavarkku
Samadhanam as a
harassed house-owner won him the Filmfare Award for
Best Actor (Malayalam) also.
Mohanlal was touted as the new Malayalam superstar after
the box-office success of Rajavinte Makan in which he played underworld don
Vincent Gomas. He also starred in the tragedy Thalavattom, playing Vinod, a young man
who becomes mentally ill upon witnessing his girlfriend's death. In 1986, he
played the role of Solomon in Padmarajan's Namukku Parkkan Munthirithopukal.
Mohanlal's association with Padmarajan was very well noted because their films
told stories which were well and truly ahead of their times and broke many
conventional stereotypes prevailing during that time. Mohanlal appeared in 36
movies in 1986.[26]
The following year, Mohanlal starred with Sreenivasan and Shobana in
the Sathyan Anthikad comedy Nadodikkattu, which became a box-office
success. Mohanlal and Sreenivasan reprised their roles as the detectives Dasan
and Vijayan respectively in the sequels, Pattanapravesham (1988) and Akkare Akkare Akkare (1990).Thoovanathumbikal, directed by Padmarajan, in which he portrayed a person
torn between his twin love interests, broke many stereotypes in Indian films,[27][30] such as the leading man falling
in love with a second woman immediately after he is rejected by the first. The romantic comedy, Chithram, released in 1988, played for 365
days in a theatre, becoming the longest running Malayalam movie still which
plays full shows daily.[31] Mohanlal won a Kerala
State Special Jury Award in
1988 for his acting in the moviesPadamudra, Aryan, Vellanakalude Nadu, Ulsavapittennu and Chithram.[29]
In 1989, the combination of writer Lohitha Das and
director Sibi Malayil included
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.[24] 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."[26] In the same year, he acted in a
movie which became a hit in the year, Varavelpu, 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 Vajpayee,
mentioned the movie as an example for ignorance by Kerala towards global
economic changes during the inauguration of Global Investor Meet held at Kochi on 18 January 2003.[32][33] In 1989, he starred in another
one of Padmarajan's movies, Season.
In the early 1990s, Mohanlal acted in a number of commercial
movies, such as His Highness Abdullah, Midhunam and No.20 Madras Mail. His Highness Abdullah was the first movie produced by
Mohanlal, under the banner of Pranavam Arts. Mohanlal appeared n Bharathan's
Thazhvaram in 1990. His romantic comedy Kilukkam (1991).
His role inBharatham as a Carnatic singer who is burdened by a jealous brother,
earned him the National Award
for Best Actor in 1991.[34] He portrayed a Bharatanatyam dancer inKamaladalam(1992). He took help from his
choreographer and his co-actors Vineeth and Monisha for
enacting the dance scenes.[26] Rajashilpi, Sadayam, Yoddha and Vietnam Colony were the other movies. The 1993 drama Devaasuram, written by Ranjith and directed by I. V. Sasi, was one of Mohanlal's most
successful films and is regarded as a cult classic.[34]
In 1994, Mohanlal starred in Fazil's cult classic Manichitrathazhu in the lead role as Sunny Joseph, a
psychiatrist. Spadikam was
a 1995 work. Mohanlal won his third Kerala
State Film Award for Best Actor and
fifth Filmfare
Award for Best Actor (Malayalam) for
his portrayal of Aadu Thoma, a young man who becomes a thug,
estranged from his father, upon failing to meet the latter's high expectations.
Priyadarshan's Kaalapani,
an epic film about the prisoners in Cellular Jail of Port Blair and Lohithadas's Kanmadam (1998).
In 1997, he played the lead role in Guru directed
by Rajiv Anchal. The film was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best
Foreign Language Film category
for 1997.
Mohanlal's first non-Malayalam movie was the Tamil biographical
film Iruvar directed
by Mani Ratnam.[35] The controversial film,[36][37] in which Mohanlal depicted an
actor who turns politician (based on M. G. Ramachandran),
was a critical success and won many awards including Best Film award at the Belgrade International Film Festival and twoNational Film
Awards.[38]
In 1998, he produced and starred in Harikrishnans alongside Mammootty and Juhi Chawla. The film was a commercial success
but was not received well by critics.[39] The movie had two versions of climaxes which were screened in different
regions based on whether Mohanlal or Mammootty was more popular there.[40] This, however, became
controversial when lawsuits were filed claiming that prints exhibited in Hindu-dominated
areas showed Mohanlal marrying the heroine, whereas the ones in Muslim-dominated areas showed Mammootty marrying her.[41]
Mohanlal depicted a Kathakali artist
whose personal life is a tragedy in the 1999 Indo-French period drama Vanaprastham directed by Shaji N. Karun won him the second National Award for
Best Actor and was the first film that got him international recognition. The
film was selected for the competitive section at the Cannes Film Festival and his performance was critically
acclaimed. It also earned him his fourth Kerala
State Film Award for Best Actor and
sixth Filmfare
Award for Best Actor.[23][42][43]
2000–2009
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In 2000, Mohanlal starredM in Narasimham playing a rogue with a good heart.[44] It became the highest grossing
movie of all time.[45] In the next two years, Mohanlal
was typecast in similar larger-than-life action hero roles
in movies like Ravanaprabhu, Praja, Onnaman,Thandavam and Chathurangam.
These movies (except for Ravanaprabhu)
were widely criticised for their repetitive plots, lewd dialogues, punch lines
and male chauvinistic outlook.[45][46][47][48][49] "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 Mazha andMadhuranombarakkattu,"
wrote The New Indian
Express.[45]
In 2002, Mohanlal played the role of Sreenivasan IPS, a Mumbai police
officer,[23] in his first Bollywood movie, Company, which introduced him to the Hindi-speaking
audience in India and for which he won the IIFA Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor.[50][51] The movie dealt with the real
life story of two underworld dons who ruled Mumbai played by Ajay Devgn and Vivek Oberoi. Mohanlal's performance was well
received. The Hindu 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".[52] In a 2010 online poll by
Hindifilmnews.com, Mohanal's performance in Company was chosen "The Finest
Performance of a Bollywood Actor in the Last Decade (2001–2010)". He was
No. 1 in the audiences' list and maintained No. 6 in the critics' list.[53]
The following year, Mohanlal, trying to change his action hero
image,[54] returned to humour roles with Kilichundan Mampazham, Balettan, Hariharan
Pillai Happy Aanu and Mr. Brahmachari. Kilichundan Mampazham,
promoted as a comeback vehicle for the actor, received good reviews and
box-office collection.[55][56][57] Balettan, directed by V. M. Vinu, was also a commercial success.[58] 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.[59]
Mohanlal appeared in the 2005 black comedy Udayananu Tharam 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 Vadodara, Rajkot, Pune and Ahmedabad.[28] In the same year, he appeared
in director Blessy's second film Thanmathra, a film that tells the story of an
individual suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
The film received positive reviews and Mohanlal's performance was highly
praised.[61] Mohanlal won his fifth Kerala
State Film Award for Best Actor and
seventh Filmfare
Award for Best Actor (Malayalam) for
his performance in a difficult role; his character does not speak in the
second-half of the movie.[61][62][63]
In 2006, he worked with the director Sathyan Anthikkad in the movie Rasathanthram. Mohanlal also acted in Kirtichakra by director Major Ravi, in which he plays the role of anIndian Army officer Major Mahadevan. The movie was shot in Kashmir.[64] and was a huge blockbuster.[65] A dubbed version of the movie was released in
Tamil as Aran, 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."[66] Mohanlal also acted in the
sequelsKurukshetra (2008) and Kandahar (2010)
in Major Mahadevan series. In 2009 the Indian government conferred him with the
honorary title of Lieutenant colonel from Indian Territorial Army[citation
needed]
In 2007, Mohanlal won the Kerala
State Film Award for Best Actor for
his performance in the movie Paradesi directed by P.T. Kunju Muhammed. Sify.com stated
that "Mohanlal is mesmerising and reinvents the idiom of acting once more
with feeling." His July release Hallo became
one of the biggest Malayalam hits in 2007.[67][68] In August that year, he
appeared in his second Bollywood movie, Ram Gopal Varma Ki
Aag, a remake of the Bollywood film Sholay. Mohanlal played the role played by Sanjeev
Kumar in the original.[69]
In 2008 Mohanlal did the lead role in multi-star movie Twenty:20 and
in 2009 Mohanlal appeared with Kamal Haasan in
the Tamil movie Unnaipol Oruvan.
His last film in 2009 wasIvidam Swargamanu was directed by Roshan Andrews.
2010–present
Mohanlal with Amitabh Bachan
In 2010, he acted in five films, first film being Janakan a
crime thriller which he co-starred with Suresh Gopi directed
by Sanjeev N.R and written by S. N Swamy, he played Adv. Surya Narayanan who
encounters some run away suspected criminals came for justice. Alexander
the Great directed
by Murali Nagavally was a comical racy entertainer released in May. Oru Naal Varum directed by T. K Rajeev Kumarscripted
by Sreenivasan and produced by Maniyanpilla Raju, was a social satire about
the corruption in India.
It reunited the much adored classic combo of Mohanlal-Sreenivasan onscreen, and scripted by himself, it
was the debut film of Sameera Reddy in Malayalam. His next film was Shikkar a
dark revenge thriller directed by M. Padmakumar, in which he played a lorry
driver who is hunted by his past. The film became no.1 at the Ramzan boxoffice.[70][71] Followed up in the end was Kandahar directed by Major Ravi, a war film based
on the flight hijacking incident of Indian Airlines
Flight 814 in 1999,
Mohanlal reprised the role of Major Mahadevan and it was the third installment in
theMajor Mahadevan film series.
It is the debut Mollywood film of Amitabh Bachan.
His first release of 2011 was the much awaited multi-starrer Christian
Brothers an action drama film directed by Joshiy and
scripted byUdayakrishna-Siby
K. Thomas duo released
on 18 March worldwide on 300 screens simultaneously in all releasing centres
which was the highest release for a Malayalam film at that time,[72] in which he co-starred with Suresh Gopi, Dileep and Sarath Kumar. This racy entertainer was a
commercial success and one of the top grosser of the year.[73][74] It followed the success formula
of 2008 film Twenty:20, the cast and crew behind the scenes
re-appeared in the film, the theme and occasions were almost similar.[75][76] His Vishurelease
was China Town another multi-starrer co-starred with Jayaram and Dileep, was a comedy entertainer directed by Rafi Mecartin, portrayed the story of love and
friendship, despite of mixed reviews, the film ran over 100 days and became one
of the highest grosser of the year.[77][78] His next film was the off-beat romantic drama Pranayam, directed byBlessy which
was released on 31 August was a love story between three characters, he shared
screen space with Anupam Kher and Jayapradha. The film was highly acclaimed by
the critics and Mohanlal's performance as Mathews was well appreciated.[79][80] His next film, Snehaveedu, was directed by Sathyan Anthikkadu,[81] which was a family movie in the
background of a village in Palakkad. For the first time, yesterday's
actress Sheela shared
screen space with Mohanlal, she played the role of his mother. It is credited
as Mohanlal's 300th film.[82] The film became a decent hit.[83][84] His last film of the year was Oru Marubhoomikkadha,
directed by Priyadarshan, which was an action-comedy thriller entirely plotted in middle
east. It marked the return of Priyadarshan-Mohanlal-Mukesh magical
combo of the late 80s and 90s.[85] While shooting in the Al
Kateena deserts in Abu Dhabi, Canadian director James Cameron visited the sets for almost three
hours and was very impressed with Mohanlal's acting skills and Priyan's use of
limited crew.[86] The film was a superhit at the
Christmas-New year box office.[87][88]
In 2012, he was seen in six films, his first release was the
much awaited big budget romantic thriller film Casanovva directed by Rosshan Andrrews and written by Bobby-Sanjay, he enacted the role of Casanova
a serial womaniser and the owner of Casanova's Eternal Spring, an international
chain of flower boutiques. He appeared in a cameo role in the Bollywood movie Tezz released on 27 April directed by Priyadarshan. His next film was B. Unnikrishnan's directorial Grandmaster was a Neo-noir crime thriller, story of a cop who is forced to
investigate a series of murders. It created a new cinematic grammar for crime
thrillers in Malayalam, the film was very much acclaimed by critics, remarked
as a well crafted thriller, and was described as one of the best investigation
thrillers in Malayalam.[89] Mohanlal's well tempered, calm
and subdued acting was well appreciated by critics.[90][91] It is the first Malayalam film
to be released through Netflix online
video streaming by UTV in the U.S. and Canada.[92] Followed up was Spirit directed by Ranjith which centered on the increasing
habits of alcoholism in Kerala, the film was exempted from entertainment tax
for creating an awareness on social issues faced by the society.[93] It completed 125 days
theatrical run in Kerala and became a mega hit.[94][95] While the Onam festival,
released Run Baby Run a comedy thriller film directed by master directorJoshiy, featured news media as the background, the film was
heavily appreciated by the critics as well as audience, was marked as the
example for a well crafted gripping thriller,[96][97][98] it became one among the highest
grosser of the year.[99][100][101] The year ended with Christmas
release Karmayodha directed by Major Ravi, an action packed thriller, Mad
Maddy an encounter specialist who makes decisions on the spot is assigned to
investigate the missing of a teenage school girl in Mumbai. The film dealt with thediscrimination
against women.
2013 was a remarkable year for Mohanlal, it was the year in
which the all time blockbuster of Malayalam film Drishyam released.
Although the first quarter was dull, it ended with a bang. His first film of
the year was Lokpal, a
vigilante thriller in which he played a vigilante nicknamed "Lokpal".
It was directed by Joshiy and
written by S. N. Swamy. Red Winedirected by Salam Bappu, was a non-linear investigation
thriller based on a political murder. Ladies and Gentleman directed by Siddique was a romantic comedy film on the
backdrop of IT companies. Geethaanjali, a horror thriller directed by Priyadarsan was
a spin-off of Malayalam evergreen classic film Manichitrathazhu, he reprised the role of Dr.
Sunny from the original. His last release of 2013 was Drishyam directed
by Jeethu Joseph.
In 2014, he starred in Tamil action-drama Jilla with Vijay and
directed by R. T. Neason and
produced by R. B. Choudary under Super Good Films. It received a
record broadcasting right of 
160 million (US$2.5 million) brought
by Sun TV.[102] The film released over 1150
screens worldwide[103] and 207 screens in Kerala
alone, which is the highest release for a single film in Kerala in any language.[104] And earned a 27.3 million (US$430,000) gross in its first
day of release in Kerala, which is the highest single day earnings for any film
across all languages in the state.[105] Upon release, the film got
overwhelming theatrical response[106] and is already entered into the
Kollywood's 1 billion club,[102][107] and completed 100 days
thearical run in few theatres in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.[108] Mohanlal's first Malayalam
release of 2014 was Mr. Fraud, a heist film directed
byB. Unnikrishnan. In the next project, he
appeared in an extended cameo role in Koothara, a coming-of-age adventurous mystery film set
in an untold period, the film focuses on three engineering students and their
adventures. Mohanlal played a mysterious character, who at the end revealed as
a merman. It was an experimental film directed by Srinath Rajendran and produced by Marikar Films. The films stunning posters,
strange name and Mohanlal's unseen different getup made the movie a much
awaited films of 2014. Its first look poster has been shortlisted for the
International Movie Poster Award.[109] His next venture was a comical political satire film Peruchazhi written and directed by Indian-American film director Arun Vaidyanathan, produced under the banner
of Friday Film House, came with a fresh and unfamiliar story telling in
Malayalam film industry, film discuss the politics of India and the US, the largest democracies of
the world. It's about a young political kingmaker who is assigned to make a
governor candidate win the California state gubernatorial elections, there he
uses the Indian standard political gimmicks to win the election. The film goes
in a logicless narrating style which is foreign to Keralites, even though pictured with an
onscreen starting tagline to "keep logic away", the film got
undigested among Malayali audience who likes to watch classic political satire
films likeSandesham.[110]
160 million (US$2.5 million) brought
by Sun TV.[102] The film released over 1150
screens worldwide[103] and 207 screens in Kerala
alone, which is the highest release for a single film in Kerala in any language.[104] And earned a 27.3 million (US$430,000) gross in its first
day of release in Kerala, which is the highest single day earnings for any film
across all languages in the state.[105] Upon release, the film got
overwhelming theatrical response[106] and is already entered into the
Kollywood's 1 billion club,[102][107] and completed 100 days
thearical run in few theatres in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.[108] Mohanlal's first Malayalam
release of 2014 was Mr. Fraud, a heist film directed
byB. Unnikrishnan. In the next project, he
appeared in an extended cameo role in Koothara, a coming-of-age adventurous mystery film set
in an untold period, the film focuses on three engineering students and their
adventures. Mohanlal played a mysterious character, who at the end revealed as
a merman. It was an experimental film directed by Srinath Rajendran and produced by Marikar Films. The films stunning posters,
strange name and Mohanlal's unseen different getup made the movie a much
awaited films of 2014. Its first look poster has been shortlisted for the
International Movie Poster Award.[109] His next venture was a comical political satire film Peruchazhi written and directed by Indian-American film director Arun Vaidyanathan, produced under the banner
of Friday Film House, came with a fresh and unfamiliar story telling in
Malayalam film industry, film discuss the politics of India and the US, the largest democracies of
the world. It's about a young political kingmaker who is assigned to make a
governor candidate win the California state gubernatorial elections, there he
uses the Indian standard political gimmicks to win the election. The film goes
in a logicless narrating style which is foreign to Keralites, even though pictured with an
onscreen starting tagline to "keep logic away", the film got
undigested among Malayali audience who likes to watch classic political satire
films likeSandesham.[110]
He started off 2015 with a Kannada film, Mythri,
where his performance as the revenge seeking DRDO scientist, Mahadev was hugely
appreciated by the critics and audiece alike.
Filmography
Main
article: Mohanlal filmography
Mohanlal has acted in over 320 Malayalam films and produced or co-produced over 35
films. His acting credits also include some Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada films. He has acted in 4 professional
plays. He has sung over 30 songs, most of them for the films he acted in.
Other projects
Theatre
and television
Mohanlal has acted in a few plays. He debuted on the stage as Karna (a character in the Indian epic Mahabharata) in Karnabharam, a Sanskrit play
that was premiered in New Delhi as part of the National Theatre
Festival directed by Kavalam Narayana
Panicker. The play depicts Karna's
mental agony a day before the Kurukshetra War, as he thinks about his past
and his faith.[111]
Kadhayattam was a presentation enacted by
Mohanlal, depicting 10 characters and situations selected from Malayalam literature.[23] The play was staged at Kottayam on
1 November 2003.[112] Chayamukhi written and directed by
Prasanth Narayanan was presented under the banner of Kalidasa Visual Magic, a
production house promoted jointly by Mohanlal and Malayalam actor Mukesh.[113] Mohanlal performed the role of Bheeman and Mukesh performed the role of Keechakan. The play was first staged at
Thrissur on 12 March 2008.[114] Mohanlal has also appeared in
several television commercials and advertisemens including Malabar Gold ad with Hema Malini and Sania Mirza, MCR ad withSarath Kumar, Oceanus ad, Manappuram Gold Loan
ad with Akshay Kumar, etc.[115]
Musical
band
Main
article: Lalisom - The Lal
Effect
In 2014 Mohanlal and music director Ratheesh Vegha formed the band 'Lalisom - The Lal
Effect.'[116] The band's maiden show was at
the 2015 National
Games of India. The band drew flak from the social media for
charging an amount of 1.60 crore for its first
show, later the show was also criticised for poor performance which included
lip-syncing to a previously recorded audio tape.[117][118][119] Following the criticism,
Mohanlal announced that he would be returning the cost of Rs 1.60 crore to
Government of Kerala.[120] But the government rejected
Mohanlal's offer saying that the heat generated by the event was quite
regrettable and the Government’s morality would not allow it to take back the
money. The government also said, Mohanlal had not personally benefitted from
the amount (Rs 1.63 crore) which he received since it was meant to meet the
stage expenses and remuneration for the artistes. But Mohanlal didn't take back
the money he dispatched.[121] Many eminent personalities from
film industry and apart came to support Mohanlal.[122][123][124] The band's next performance
will involve nearly 40 hit songs of Mohanlal movies using hologram technology.[125]
1.60 crore for its first
show, later the show was also criticised for poor performance which included
lip-syncing to a previously recorded audio tape.[117][118][119] Following the criticism,
Mohanlal announced that he would be returning the cost of Rs 1.60 crore to
Government of Kerala.[120] But the government rejected
Mohanlal's offer saying that the heat generated by the event was quite
regrettable and the Government’s morality would not allow it to take back the
money. The government also said, Mohanlal had not personally benefitted from
the amount (Rs 1.63 crore) which he received since it was meant to meet the
stage expenses and remuneration for the artistes. But Mohanlal didn't take back
the money he dispatched.[121] Many eminent personalities from
film industry and apart came to support Mohanlal.[122][123][124] The band's next performance
will involve nearly 40 hit songs of Mohanlal movies using hologram technology.[125]
Goodwil and brand ambassador
Mohanlal was selected as the Goodwill Ambassador of Kerala State Athletics by the
Kerala State Athletics Association.[126] He is also the Goodwill
Ambassador of AIDS awareness campaign by Kerala AIDS Control Society for which
he acted in short films,[127] and of Handloom textiles
in Kerala.[128] Other commercials, designed for
Kerala markets, includeLG,[129] Tata Sky.[130]
Business and other 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 Entertainments, a Malayalam film distribution company
and Vismayas Max, a film post-production studio
and college for dubbing artists at Kinfra Film
and Video Park, Trivandrum. He has produced films under the
banner Pranavam Arts. He owns many restaurants
including a chain in Dubai called Mohanlal's Tastebuds,[131] Travancore Court in Kochi and The Harbour Market in Bangalore.[132] He is also a partner in
Mohanlal's Tastebuds, a pickle and curry powder company.[133] His other business ventures
include Uni Royal Marine Exports – a Kozhikode-based seafood export company and Jose
Thomas Performing Arts Centre Kochi.[134] He is an independent director of Clenergen India Private Limited[135] In 2009, Mohanlal, along with Priyadarshan, tried to bid for an Indian Premier League cricket team
based in Kochi;[136] they withdrew the bid on
failing to source enough funds after a change in rules was introduced.[137]
Mohanlal was the captain of the Kerala Strikers team in the Celebrity Cricket
League (CCL) held in
2012 & 2013.
As an
escape artist
In 2008, Mohanlal underwent 18 months of escape artist training under famous magician Gopinath Muthukad. He had planned to perform a
stunt called 'Burning Illusion' inThiruvananthapuram.
However, due to pressure from various quarters including his fans, the act was
cancelled later on criticisms and allegations that it is extremely dangerous.
The event was jointly organised by the Kerala Police, State
Tourism Department and
the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board. The open-air "fire escape"
stunt, which should have held at the Chandrasekharan
Nair Stadium, was a curtain raiser for the four-day 'Vismayam 2008',
an international convention in which nearly 1,000 magicians from across the
world would take part. The meet started on 1 May. In the stunt he will be
handcuffed and whole body wrapped in chains with the keys in the hands of
dignitaries watching the show. The actor would then be put inside a box, which
will be thrown into a ball of fire from where he has to escape.[138]
The news shocked and split the magician community in Kerala.
Before the commencement of the act, internationally acclaimed magician Samraj
advised Mohanlal against performing the daredevil stunt. Samraj approached the Association
of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA)
with a memorandum signed by 300 magicians, requesting it to urge Mohanlal to
withdraw.[139] AMMA president Innocent
requested Mohanlal to withdraw from stunt and endangering himself: Mohanlal is
a pillar of the Malayalam film industry; he has no right to go and do such a
risky show.[140] The stunt was also to inspire
the youth to overcome debacles in life with sheer determination. Briefing about
the act in the press conference organised in Trivandrum, Mohanlal said "The risk
factor is fifty-fifty for the escape act. I hope that I can make it with the
blessings of all."[141] About the objective of the act,
the Merlin Award winning
magician Gopinath Muthukad said "Counted as one of the most
dangerous acts, the 'Burning Illusion' will find Mohanlal inspiring the youth
to overcome debacles in life with sheer determination. He has been practising
for a while to perfect it."[142]
In 2014, the actor who is immensely passionate about the art
form, decided to perform a risk-free item for the inaugural function of Magic
Planet, a magic themed complex at Kinfra Film and
Video Park Kazhakoottam, Trivandrum. It is the first Magic Mansion of
the world. It is a project of the Academy of Magical Sciences, founded by his
teacher the internationally acclaimed magician Gopinath Muthukad. The function was
inaugurated by chief minister along with other supreme leaders and
the first magic performance was done by Mohanlal. In the trick he lifted a girl
on air. Chief minister Oommen Chandy, opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan and other prominent personals with the
presence of high-profile international magicians were present at the function.[143]
In the media
Mohanlal at a book unveiling
ceremony, October 2006
Mohanlal has been described in Indian media as one of the most
versatile actors and has been lauded for his natural acting style.[34][62][144][145][146] Reader's Digest India described him in 2004 as
"cinema's jack of all trades and master of many".[23] He was also listed 80th in
India's Most Trusted Survey conducted by Reader's Digest in 2010.[147] Bollywood director Ram Gopal
Varma has described Mohanlal as "one of the finest actors in the country
who can slip into any role easily".[148]
In 2003 on the 25th anniversary of Mohanlal's film career, a
week-long celebration and a stage show was held in Thiruvananthapuram by his fans and friends. The proceeds
from the stage show was donated to charity.[149] Malayalam television channels, Asianet Television
and Surya TV also
held separate stage shows to celebrate the anniversary.[150]
Mohanlal along with Mammootty, Dileep and Suresh Gopi have
been accused in the media for causing a crisis in Malayalam cinema due to the
"superstar" effect. In 2005 Mohanlal, Mammootty and Dileep controlled
95% of the box-office revenue of Malayalam cinema. These 3 artists have been
criticized for their high remunerations, preference for formulaic content and
larger-than-life male-oriented roles.[151][152] Mohanlalfan clubs 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.[153] In 2007, prohibition activists
in Kerala protested against Mohanlal for appearing in a surreptitious whiskey
advertisement. Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation,a Kottayam-based NGO, accused the actor of
violating laws that ban direct liquor advertisements.[154] 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, actor Thilakan 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,[155] suggesting that the leading
stars of Malayalam should step aside since they are old, out-of-shape[156] 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".[115] Mohanlal responded that
Azhikode was having "hallucinations" and his remarks were "an
aged-uncle's joke". This led to further personal remarks[157] by Azhikode against Mohanlal.
Other actors like Mammootty and Innocent defended
Mohanlal and the media was, in general, critical of the comments by Azhikode.[158][159] Azhikode filed a defamation
suit against Mohanlal in August 2010.[160] The forest department filed a
case against Mohanlal for keeping an elephant tusk at his home under the
Wildlife Protection Act 1972.[161] The case was first dismissed by
a local Court in Perumbavur and later by the High Court of Kerala in 2012. An individual named Pramod of
Thrissur had filed a petition that the officials had gone out of the way to
favour Mohanlal. It was alleged in the petition that actor and former minister
K B Ganesh Kumar and forest officials were trying to save Mohanlal and
overthrow the case related to discovery of four elephant tusks at the actor's
house during an income tax raid. The petitioner went to Kerala HC but the Court
dismissed the case and observed that "there was nothing to show that the
State government or its officers had acted in favour of the actor. Besides, the
petitioner had not been able to point out any illegality or irregularities in
the investigation." [162][163] "Mohanlal's lawyer senior
advocate M K Damodaran informed the court that police are investigating the
case and the final report has not yet been submitted. When the lawyer of the
plaintiff mentioned that the tusks are still kept in Lal’s house, the
defendant’s lawyer explained that a receipt for the tusks has been obtained and
is kept with Mohanlal".[164] Dismissing the petition, the
court criticized the petitioner for approaching the high court even without
enquiring about the present status of the case. "There is no public
interest in the petition, but it is aimed only at publicity", the court
had held.[163]
Personal life
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Mohanlal lives with his family in Thevara, Kochi.
He married Suchitra, daughter of Tamil film producer K. Balaji[165] on 28 April 1988.[166] Mohanlal later recalled in an
interview that Suchitra used to send him cards because she wanted to marry him.
Their horoscopes did
not match at first, but later it was found that the astrologer erred.
Mohanlal has two children – Pranav and
Vismaya. Pranav has acted in a few movies, debuting in Mohanlal's film Onnaman.[167] 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?"[167] He owns a house at Ooty,[168] a villa in Arabian Ranches and
a flat in Burj Khalifa at Dubai.[169] Mohanlal is a self-described
foodie.[23][170] He also enjoys melodious music.
Mohanlal is a strong believer in destiny and spirituality. He likes to read Osho, J. Krishnamurti, Aurobindo and Ramana Maharshi.[20] He has often stated that the
turn of events in his life, including his film career, was accidental.[62] His elder brother Pyarelal died
in the year 2000, during a military exercise.[166]
Awards and achievements
Main
article: List of awards and nominations received by Mohanlal
Mohanlal has received a number of awards including the Padma Shri by
the Government of India in 2001.[171] He has also received the
National and Kerala state awards for best actor several times.
In 2008, while shooting for the movie Kurukshetra in which he plays the role of an Army officer,
Mohanlal expressed interest to join Territorial Army
of India as an officer.[172] On 9 July 2008, he was formally
inducted to the Territorial Army in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by then Army Chief Deepak Kapoor. Rules had to be amended to
accommodate him as men above the age of 42 are not eligible to join the
volunteer force. He is the first and only Indian actor to get the title[173][174]
Mohanlal was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sree
Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady in
2010. The citation praised Mohanlal as "an excellent performer after actorSathyan in Malayalam film world, who played a rich variety of
roles with equal ease and poise."[175]
In 2012, he was bestowed with the title of Black belt in Korean martial art Taekwondo from Kukkiwon, the world Taekwondo Headquarters, Seoul,
South Korea. He is the first and only South Indian actor to get the title.[19][176]
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