Superstar Mohanlal turned 64; take a look at his cinematic journey. (Photo Credit – IMDb)
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There are actors, there are artists, and then there are people who were born cinematic legends. Mohanlal fits in the category of legends, who have transcended the line of every genre with his artistic brilliance, massive and subtle choices, and even the quality of movies. But all of it did not happen overnight. Right after his debut, Mohanlal was known to be playing some of the biggest antagonist roles, but being typecast wasn’t what he wanted. He took a chance and planned the biggest switch in his career. Did you know that Mohanalal did 36 movies in one year, and there was one role that defined the rest of his career? As Mohanlal celebrates his 64th birthday, Take a look at his journey from the biggest villain to the hero of the silver screen.
Years after making his film debut as an antagonist in Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980), directed by Fazil, Mohanlal‘s roles were largely limited to supporting or grey-shaded roles. He seized every chance that presented itself, unafraid to hone his acting abilities and make a lasting impact on both directors and viewers.
Alongside Mammootty, he became a bankable actor and started his rise to fame with his remarkable performances in films such as Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, Sreekrishna Parunthu, Uyarangalil, Adiyozhukkukal, Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu, Aram + Aram = Kinnaram, Anubandham, Koodum Thedi, Boeing Boeing, Karimpinpoovinakkare, and Pathamudayam.
But with all the love coming his way, Mohanlal continued to put his hard work ethic to the test. There was a golden year in Mohanlal’s career when he made 36 films in a year; little did he know that it would change the trajectory of his career.
(Photo Credit – IMDb)
The year 1986 sent him skyrocketing above everyone’s expectations, even his own. It’s no small accomplishment to star in 34 movies in a single year, and Mohanlal, who turns 64 on Tuesday, did it with style, portraying either the protagonist or a key role in each one. He consistently showed off how much his acting had improved since Manjil Virinja Pookkal, exhibiting his versatility by playing a variety of roles and giving superb performances in each movie.
While comedy and drama were some of his best feats that year, it was his role in Rajavinte Makan that set him apart and set the course for his future success. In addition to everything that occurred in his career, 1986 saw the national emergence of Mohanlal as the next big thing, as he played Vincent Gomes in Thambi Kannanthanam’s crime drama Rajavinte Makan. Even at the age of 26, Mohanlal captured the essence of the character with such effortless precision and swagger that he was able to embody the role of a crime boss long before swagger became a thing.
It was then that the Mohanlala we know, and love started his emergence as the deliverable superstar that we know and one who rules the box office and everyone’s hearts!
