With over 300 films in his kitty, Mohanlal is one of the most recognizable actors in Indian cinema. The versatile star has done it all-from comedy to drama and has won countless awards along the way.
He has starred in several blockbuster movies that defined the golden era of Malayalam filmmaking. From action-packed dramas to heart-wrenching tragedies, these are some of his best performances.
Iruvar
Mohanlal is considered one of the kings of Malayalam cinema and has a remarkable filmography that spans more than four decades. The actor has received a host of accolades and awards for his contributions to the Indian film industry.
Iruvar, directed by Mani Ratnam, was a blockbuster film that dealt with a very sensitive subject. It was based on the relationship between two friends and the parallel events that happened in their lives.
The film has a great script and an outstanding performance from Mohanlal and Prakash Raj. It also has a fine music score by AR Rahman and excellent visuals.
It is considered one of the best Indian films of all time. It was praised by critics and won several awards including the Best Film award at the Belgrade International Film Festival.
It is a very heart-wrenching story that highlights the power of love and compassion. It is a must-watch for all the fans of Malayalam cinema.
Lucifer
A crime procedural with a side of supernatural intrigue, Lucifer is a quirky spin on the Supernatural genre that borrows a lot from comic books and TV cop shows. It's a show about an angel rebelling against God and being sent to hell, paired with a mortal detective who's immune to his devilish charms.
It's also a show about fate that's so malleable, it can upend what God originally intended for these characters. In season 5 and 6, Lucifer fought to change that, but in the end, his responsibilities, like ruling hell, were unavoidable.
While Lucifer and Chloe's relationship is a major part of the show, there are several other important relationships to watch out for. The first is between Lucifer and Dan (Kevin Alejandro), the ex-detective who's in love with Chloe.
Other relationships include Linda (Rachael Harris), who has a secret liaison with Lucifer. She's even got a counseling-for-sex deal with him. There's also faithful minion Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who's jealous of Lucifer's time with Chloe and tries to get him back to hell for implied reasons.
Bharatham
Mohanlal is one of the most bankable stars in the Malayalam film industry and has received several accolades for his exceptional acting performances. He is a versatile actor who has worked in varied genres and portrayed a variety of characters.
He has a diversified career spanning over four decades and has received several awards for his work. His acting skills have earned him the title The Complete Actor’.
Released in March 1991, Bharatham is a story of a singer who turns alcoholic. It also narrates the efforts of the family members to get him sober.
This movie is a must watch for all Malayalam movie fans. It is a heart-wrenching and a very inspiring film.
It is a powerful movie and portrays how people can get influenced by the wrong things that happen around them. It also shows how people can learn from the mistakes they make.
Mohanlal won his first National Award for this movie. It is one of the best films of his career and has stood the test of time.
Vanaprastham
In Vanaprastham, Mohanlal takes on a role that many actors have not mastered. He portrays Kunhikuttan, a renowned Kathakali dancer who is trapped in an unhappy marriage. He is also the illegitimate offspring of a high-caste Namboothiri and a low-caste woman, which has made him a victim of discrimination and hatred.
But when he becomes popular, it also attracts the attention of Subhadra (Suhasini), a member of an aristocratic family who falls in love with his performance. Their affair leads to the birth of a son, whom Subhadra hides away from Kunhikuttan for almost a lifetime.
A 1999 Indian-French-German co-production, it is directed by Shaji N. Karun and features Mohanlal, Suhasini, Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Kalamandalam Gopi and Venmani Haridas. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival in 1999.
Dasharatham
Dasharatham is one of the cult classic films of Mohanlal. It was released in 1989 and dealt with the topic of surrogacy.
In the film, Mohanlal plays Rajiv Menon, a rich reckless young man who is alcoholic and has no aim in life. He gets attached to his friend’s children during their stay at his house and decides to rent a womb to get a child through artificial insemination.
The movie has received universal critical acclaim and was a commercial success. It won three National Film Awards, including Best Actor for Mohanlal and the Special Jury Award for Raveendran's music.
As a film, it is full of great performances from all the actors. In particular, Mohanlal's performance as Rajiv Menon is a master piece.
Even if you don't know the movie, it will be worth watching just to see how Mohanlal handles the role. He is awe-inspiring in his portrayal of this crazy character.
Spadikam
Spadikam was one of the most kick-ass movies that Mohanlal starred in and remains one of his best performances. It was also one of their most successful movies of Mohanlal and won him a lot of accolades for his work in it.
The film is a heart-wrenching tale about how society typecasts people and forces them to play a part that they don’t want to be a part of. It also deals with the subject of ill parenting and how it affects children.
In the movie, a mathematician's father attempts to force his son to live his life according to his wishes, which leads to emotional trauma for his son. The movie explores this concept in a very effective way.
It was an important film for the time and it made a huge impact in Indian cinema. It was as controversial as it was popular because it challenged cultural norms of the parent-child equation and condemned paternal authoritarianism. It was one of the first films to do that and it paved the way for other such films to come in the future.
Udayananu Tharam
Mohanlal has delivered one of his best performances in Udayanu Tharam. He underplays himself to bring out an outstanding performance as a struggling assistant director, Udayanu.
The film lampoons the Malayalam film industry mercilessly laced with dark humour and frankness. It also bares all the dark secrets associated with the industry.
It stars Mohanlal as a struggling assistant director who dreams of directing his own film. He is thwarted by his crooked friend Rajappan Thengummoodu (Sreenivasan).
In a complicated move, Rajappan steals a script written by Udayan and becomes superstar Saroj Kumar overnight. Eventually, Udayan gets to direct his own movie but faces a career and personal crisis.
The film made a big impact at the box office and received positive reviews. The cast also includes Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar and Meena.
Janatha Garage
Koratala Siva's Janatha Garage is one of the best movies of the year. The film stars Mohanlal, Jr NTR and Samantha in lead roles. The story revolves around Satyam (Mohanlal), who runs a car service center that helps the needy and Anand (NTR) an environmental activist.
NTR has again stepped out of his comfort zone, this time to play an environmentalist in the movie. The actor's performances are superb and he has also shown maturity in his acting in the movie.
The movie is filled with high technical values. The artwork is top-notch, the cinematography is dazzling and the music by Devi Sri Prasad is good.
However, the movie is not as good as 'Srimanthudu' or 'Mirchi'. The story is not that unique and there are plenty of cliched scenes. But the film is worth watching due to the stunning performances of NTR and Mohanlal.
