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Mohanlal, an unstoppable thespian and living legend; a look at the prime of 64-year-old GOAT
Mohanlal, an actor who has mesmerized the audience with over 400 films, is a legend, and a spectrum of acting. Here’s Pinkvilla celebrating the 64th birthday of a magician unlike any other.
Once in a blue moon, miracles occur in the most inexplanible way possible to mankind. Up until the moment we experience it, we may never understand what was life like before that precise time and how it changes everything up ahead. Such a miracle in the realm of acting and films was the living legend we all see and love today, the subtle, stylish, and ever-so-graceful, Mohanlal.
The actor who is celebrating his 64th birthday today has offered a millennium’s worth of emotions and memories to many till now and to be forever remembered as well. Let’s take a look into the cinematic journey of this unapologetic acting genius.
Mohanlal - A masterclass of acting and cinema
Mohanlal was born on May 21, 1960, to Viswanathan Nair and Santhakumari in the village of Pathanamthitta and was brought up in Thiruvananthapuram where he completed his schooling and college studies. Not only starting off his acting skills from class 6, the now celebrated superstar was also a Kerala state wrestling champion during 1977-78.
His cinematic journey in feature films started as that of a villain with the movie Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980), directed by Fazil. Even though many filmmakers discredited him for not having the looks it takes to be an actor, he was catapulted into various roles in his formative years, many being negative-shaded roles. In 3 years since his first theatrical venture, the actor had made his appearance in more than 25 movies by that time.
However, with many films like Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku, Engane Nee Marakkum, Unaroo, Ivide Thudangunnu, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, and many more the actor changed his image in films. The latter even marked the first Mohanlal-Priyadarshan movie which as of now stands at a 44-film collaboration record.
By the late 1980s, Mohanlal had become a director's favorite actor and even collaborated with some of the classic filmmakers of Malayalam cinema including G. Aravindan, Hariharan, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Padmarajan, Bharathan, and Lohithadas.
But, the legend transformed into the superstar of Malayalam cinema with his much-celebrated blockbuster movie Rajavinte Makan, playing an underworld don known as Vincent Gomez.
Rajavinte Makan poster:
Although, unlike many other superstars in Indian cinema, Mohanlal did not limit his acting capabilities to just churning out action roles or commercially viable movies. The actor broke the stereotype of a superstar image by acting in various movies including Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal and Thoovanathumbikal which would be considered taboo by many heroes even today.
The 1990s of Mohanlal’s filmography not only saw the rise of a superstar in commercial cinema but also how someone who is passionate about acting, balances genres like drama, comedy, action, and even tragedy to its very core. The actor may play a murderous widower in a film like Thazhvaram and then go on to play a goofy comedy role in a movie like Kilukkam.
Poster from Thoovanathumbikal:
Still from Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal:
Moreover, if anyone truly wants to know the capabilities of Mohanlal as an actor and truly learn the range that an actor can have, they simply just need to watch Sadayam, Yoddha, and Vietnam Colony which were all released in the same year.
From playing one after another cult classic films like Devaasuram, Manichitrathazhu, Spadikam, and more, the actor even ventured off into Tamil with Iruvar and even the Indo-French movie Vanaprastham.
Song from Mohanlal starrer Manichitrathazhu:
Song from Yoddha:
Song from Iruvar:
Mohanlal and the superstardom
Once, it was Kamal Haasan who said in an interview that if you see Mohanlal smiling…it was like watching a lighthouse. A man who was once disheartened by his appearance became the heartthrob of many and even the big brother of others, earning him the nickname, Lalettan.
Often dubbed as the pillar of Malayalam cinema along with his contemporary superstar Mammootty, the actor has offered uncountable good memories to the audience of Malayalam cinema. Any pop culture references the Malayalis have today would undoubtedly have some sort of influence by Mohanlal.
A great actor, dancer, singer, producer, and now even a director, this living legend is irreplaceable in Indian cinema. With L2: Empuraan and more, the superstar is set to win hearts again and stand true to the tagline words in Lucifer, “More than a king..less than a God!”
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