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Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Mohanlal's stylist was worried his viral jewellery ad would get trolled, actor was confident it would work
Mollywood star Mohanlal left everyone pleasantly surprised when he featured in a jewellery ad recently that challenged gender norms in a subtle manner. The ad for Vinsmera Jewels soon went viral, with people loving how graceful the usually macho star looked. Talking to TOI, his stylist Shanti Krishna candidly spoke about the apprehensions while shooting for the ad she thought would be trolled. Mohanlal in a still from the viral jewellery ad by his Thudarum co-star Prakash Varma. Mohanlal's stylist thought viral ad would be trolled Shanti told the publication that while shooting for the ad she was 'extremely tense' as it's easy to attract trolls these days. 'We're living in a time where anything and everything is trolled, and I was really nervous. When I shared my worries with Mohanlal sir, he simply told me to treat it as a piece of art and give it my best. Those words truly lifted my spirits.' Saying that watching Mohanlal perform was like 'pure magic', the stylist says that Mohanlal was game to do the ad despite her apprehension. 'To witness Mohanlal sir perform is always a joy, but this time it was pure magic. I'm sure only he has the mettle to pull off something like this. He was incredibly attentive to every detail, from his nails to his eye movements; he was simply magical in every frame,' she said. Shanti also mentioned that it was a 'challenge' to style Mohanlal in the Prakash Varma ad, the filmmaker who was Mohanlal's co-star in Thudarum. She mentioned how they chose an outfit that wasn't 'overtly feminine' yet would highlight the jewellery. Recent work After a disappointing 2024 with Malaikottai Vaaliban and Barroz 3D, Mohanlal delivered two back-to-back hits with L2 Empuraan and Thudarum. L2 and Thudarum have even broken records, becoming the highest-grossers in Malayalam cinema. He has numerous films lined up, including Hridayapoorvam, Drishyam 3, Patriot and Vrrushabha.
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Fans can now live like Mohanlal at his luxe Ooty villa with personal chef for ₹37,000 per night. See pics
Actor Mohanlal opened up his Ooty home for tourists and fans to experience a day living like him. Listed on Luxunlock is a 3-bedroom villa with numerous amenities, including a personal chef. Named Hideaway, the villa was Mohanlal's family retreat for more than a decade. (Also Read: Mohanlal, Kunchacko Boban resume Sri Lanka schedule of Mammootty, Nayanthara-starrer) The website describes Mohanlal's vacation villa as: 'Built more than a decade ago, Hideaway was a family retreat while the children were studying in Ooty; a place to reunite and bond during weekends, surrounded by nature. With time, it has grown into a house that reflects their passions. Fitting for its name, Hideaway now stands as a celebrity's sanctuary, where he can keep his privacy and enjoy time with his friends and family.' Situated in Lovedale, Ooty, Hideaway is a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom villa that was a private retreat for Mohanlal, his wife, Suchitra, and their children, Pranav and Vismaya. It's listed on the website for ₹37,000 per night. Fans can choose to either stay in 'Lal's bedroom' or his children's rooms at the villa. A chef who has been with the family for over 25 years whips up Mohanlal's family's traditional Kerala recipes, while a concierge service ensures a good stay. Hideaway has a garden with seasonal flowers where guests can have a BBQ, a family room with 300 Mohanlal caricatures and a gun house with replica guns he used for Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea and Barroz 3D. What's more, the website even shares that leopards are often found in the woods near the villa! This year, Mohanlal bounced back from a disappointing 2024 with L2 Empuraan and Thudarum. Both films were not only received well but also set new records for Malayalam cinema. He will soon star in a yet-to-be-titled film with Mammootty and Fahadh Faasil, apart from Hridayapoorvam and Vrusshabha. He will also play a cameo in Vishnu Manchu's Kannappa.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Antony Perumbavoor says it's ‘half true, half false' that he interferes with Mohanlal's script selection
Actor Mohanlal had a redeeming 2025, thanks to L2 Empuraan and Thudarum, after a disappointing 2024 with Malaikottai Vaaliban and Barroz 3D. There has often been chatter that it's filmmaker Antony Perumbavoor of Ashirvad Cinemas who has a huge role in the scripts the actor approves or rejects. In an interview with Matrubhumi, Antony clarifies if it's true. (Also Read: Thudarum director Tharun Moorthy reveals film took 12 years to be made after Mohanlal signed) Antony heads his own production company, Aashirvad Cinemas, founded in 1999. Since then, he has produced or distributed numerous films with the actor. When asked whether he interferes with Mohanlal's script selection, Antony acknowledges that there's some truth to these claims. However, he clarifies that he only does it in projects funded by his production house. He said, 'It's half true and half false that I listen to stories and take part in script selections. Lal sir and I hear all the stories of the films being considered by Aashirvad. I actively participate in discussions of those projects. On the other hand, Lal sir alone listens to stories of films by other producers; I don't participate in those discussions. It's so if those films get shelved or face setbacks, let it not be said that it's because I didn't like it.' Antony also added that they turn down numerous requests despite wanting to appease everyone, 'Many people want to do a film with Mohanlal sir, and their wishes are not bluntly turned down. We want to give everybody a chance. But we only have one Mohanlal sir, right? What can we do when so many people come looking for this one person? Not everyone ends up getting the chance to work with him.' Antony worked with Mohanlal as his chauffeur before putting up his production house. His first production was the 2000 film Narasimham with Mohanlal. He has since backed numerous films starring Mohanlal, including the famous Drishyam films, Lucifer franchise, and more. Hridayapoorvam and Drishyam 3 are in the works. Mohanlal will play a cameo in Vishnu Manchu's Kannappa. He will soon star in Hridayapoorvam, a yet-to-be-titled film by Mahesh Narayanan, which also stars Mammootty, apart from the delayed projects Ram and Vrushabha.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Thudarum movie review: A top-form Mohanlal shines in fan boy Tharun Moorthy's gripping directorial
It has been a while since we were treated to a Mohanlal film that was an ode to the actor rather than the star. The recent films that were released like L2: Empuraan, Malaikottai Vaaliban and Barroz 3D, showcased Mohanlal, the star, and saw the Malayalam star in larger-than-life roles. Along comes director Tharun Moorthy, who is known for his realistic films. He features Mohanlal in a role that has a good character arc with emotional depth and is highly relatable. The end result is Thudarum which gives Mohanlal the room to display the actor in him which we all so love. Benz aka Shanmugam (Mohanlal), a former stuntman in cinema who used to work in Chennai, lives happily in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, with his wife Lalitha (Shobana) and two teenage kids. He drives a taxi - his beloved Mark 1 black Ambassador car – which was gifted to him by his Master (Bharathiraaja) when he arrived in Kerala, to make a living, while his wife runs a mill at home. Benz is devoted to his family and his Ambassador, and his world revolves around only these aspects. Unfortunately, one of his son's college friends decide to take the Ambassador for a joyride and end up in an accident. It goes to the workshop for repairs and ends up getting seized by the police who discover weed being transported in it by a workshop boy. A frantic and emotional Benz tries to retrieve his car from the police and finds himself caught up in a series of events that also affect his family in the process. What happens to Shanumugam? What does he get caught up in? Before the release of the film, director Tharun Moorthy, who's known for Operation Java and Saudi Vellakka, had stated that Thudarum was his effort to present Mohanlal aka Lalettan, the actor, and how he wanted to see Mohanlal on screen. Moorthy gives us Lalettan in the highly relatable character of a middle-aged neighbourhood taxi driver who loves his family and presents this in a simple small-town story. Yes, there are strong vibes of Drishyam as you watch the film – in Shanmugam and his family, and the way there is a shift in the narration from the family angle to an unforeseen terrible incident. The script by KR Sunil and Tharun Moorthy is well-written and tight, giving every character its due importance and also cleverly tying in the varying incidents and information they reveal in the first half of the film. While the first half of the movie is slower, the second half picks up pace with its twists and turns, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The added pop culture references and self-trolling in the dialogues add flavour to the film as do the references to some of Lalettan's earlier movies. And Mohanlal has mass dialogues, too, to cater to his fans. The Malayalam actor as Shanmugam goes through a range of emotions from happiness to sorrow to anger and heartbreak and full props to the writers for ensuring that Lalettan had a truly meaty role to bite into in Thudarum. Mohanlal is in top-form in Thudarum and every scene he is in showcases the great actor that he is. His performance is flawless and the way he undergoes the character transformation on screen from the first half to the second is gripping to watch. Casting Shobana with Mohanlal after nearly 15 years is a coup, as the chemistry, especially in the emotional sequences, enhance the film tremendously. The others in the film including Binu Pappu and Prakash Varma have delivered strong performances as well. Thudarum is Mohanlal's 360th film and the technical crew has made sure it is a memorable one. The music by Jakes Bejoy, especially the BGM is outstanding, as is the cinematography by Shaji Kumar. Director Tharun Moorthy's Thudarum is a wonderful treat not just for vintage Mohanlal fans but for all audiences.
India Today
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Thudarum review: Mohanlal's crime drama is good mix of thrills and punches
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has to be one of the busiest actors in India. His latest film, 'Thudarum', is his third theatrical release in the last four months, following 'Barroz 3D' and the Malayalam blockbuster 'L2: Empuraan'. The Thespian of the Malayalam cinema has, for the last few years, been on a bumpy ride, with a few successful ventures but more failed attempts, and no back-to-back hits. Can 'Thudarum' be the stepping stone for Mohanlal to pile up some hits? It certainly has the product to make that happen!advertisementSet in the beautiful hill town of Ranni in Kerala's Pathanamthitta, Shanmugam, who also goes by the name Benz (Mohanlal), lives a happy life with his wife Lalitha (Shobana), two children, and his black Ambassador car, as an unlicensed taxi driver. Benz's heart belongs to his car, which, amidst unfortunate incidents, ends up in the police station while he is away. Benz, who is restless without his car, desperately tries to get it back from the police, but ends up getting mixed up in matters he never dreamed of. What impact will these incidents have on Benz? Will he get his car back? Why are the police so adamant about sticking with Benz's car? What's the bigger story? The answers to these questions and more make up the plot of the withholding information to avoid spoilers about this thriller, rest assured the film has a lot to offer, and the questions mentioned above are just a few among many. The film does a great job at slipping interesting questions into the narrative gradually, only to reveal, with time, that the answers to these questions are a bigger question in themselves. As the layers unravel and answers start flowing in, the film also sheds its crime thriller image and ends on a high note, with Mohanlal riding the Sunil's story presents a very smooth-flowing narrative that gets heavier with the story's progression. The screenplay, written by Sunil and director Tharun Moorthy, efficiently establishes all the characters, their lives and motivations, to make every action that happens at the end of the film believable - something that the audience can back wholeheartedly. While parallels can be drawn between Mohanlal's 'Drishyam' and 'Thudarum', they are certainly not as always, delivers an amazing performance as the central character of the film. From being an endearing and adorable father to being menacing and massy, he does it all and more, earning whistles, claps and cheers from the viewers. While the film does have him play several shades, the happy, cheerful and friendly taxi driver was certainly the best, as it was refreshing to see Mohanlal in that way after quite some time. Too bad that didn't go on for long in the does a good job as Lalitha, Benz's nagging and stern wife. She shows power in her performance; however, her role wasn't as impactful in the film as expected. It was nice to see the pair of Mohanlal and Shobana together on-screen, especially during the first 45 minutes. The stand-out performer in the film was Prakash Varma as CI George. The famous ad filmmaker, like the iconic Vodafone commercials featuring ZooZoos, delivers a performance that elevates the film to a level where the audience is just as invested as the characters in the drawback in the film is the run-time being close to two hours and 45 minutes. There were several scenes in the film, especially towards the end, which felt unnecessary. While the first half had a good pace, the second half felt a bit stretched out, with moments that were looping around the same plot point instead of moving forward. Had the edit been crisper in the second half, restricting the run-time to around two hours and 25 minutes, the film would've left a better mark by the Bejoy's music and background score, cinematographer Shaji Kumar's camerawork, and the other technical departments have served their purpose, but none leave an imprint of being outstanding. It was underwhelming to leave the theatre without a musical experience that Jakes Bejoy usually leaves audiences with, especially since the story and screenplay had all the potential to have a background score that would blow the roof off!Overall, this film strikes a good balance between a Mohanlal film and a Mohanlal starrer, catering to fans of both tastes. While the film does have a few drawbacks, the engaging experience it provides might just make up for any drawbacks that have been given the uncertainty regarding the box-office performances of films like these in the Indian markets, it remains to be seen if enough audiences will pick up 'Thudarum', especially considering its lukewarm pre-release buzz.3.5 stars out of 5 to Watch
