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Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Mohanlal's most iconic roles: Spadikam's Aadu Thoma, Chotta Mumbai's Thala, Thudarum's Benz and more
Mohanlal has been an irreplaceable figure and thespian in Malayalam cinema for many years. The actor's prominence in performing a variety of genres over the years started off with him playing the main antagonist in a movie. Moving forward, the acting side of Mohanlal showcased immense natural talent and everlasting charm that one could not get enough of. Whether playing a chocolate romantic hero, your average Joe, a sadistic villain, a playful guy, or even a gut-wrenching artist, he ensures all eyes are on him, even if it's just a minor glimpse. Having surpassed over 4 decades in the film industry, the superstar has ventured into several languages, making him a well-known face and one of the best actors in India. Here are some of Mohanlal's iconic roles in cinema. Top 12 Most Iconic Roles of Mohanlal 1. Gopalakrishnan - Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1984) Mohanlal and Priyadarshan are widely known to be close friends, starting their college years together in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. As the duo continues to be iconic for fans, this was the first time Mohanlal featured under his friend's direction. The debut project of Priyadarshan, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, is a screwball comedy film known for its witty dialogues, sarcastic moments, and fresh humor. The crazy ride offered by the Oppam director presents the superstar as if someone straight out of a Dickensian drama. The iconic movie, which holds significant effect within the realms of pop culture in Malayalam, was remade in Hindi as Hungama. 2. Shyam - Boeing Boeing (1985) Boeing Boeing, once again, brought together director Priyadarshan and Mohanlal. It presented a wild, fun, and twisted tale, which was based on the French play of the same name. The movie features Shyam, a silver-tongued, smooth talker who, with his charm, manages to woo 3 different flight attendants. However, confusion and sureshot chaos erupt when all of them collide with each other, ending the man's ruse once and for all. The Hindi remake of the film, titled Garam Masala, featured Akshay Kumar in the lead. 3. Vincent Gomez - Rajavinte Makan (1986) Up until 1986, Mohanlal was considered to be a great actor fit for romantic and comedy roles, but was stereotyped. However, breaking all norms, in 1986, the actor became a superstar with a gangster role as Vincent Gomez in Rajavinte Makan. Based on the novel, Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon, the movie features the tale of a crime boss who sets out for revenge against Home Minister N. Krishnadas. The film, directed by Thampi Kannanthanam, rejected by several stars back then, was made on a small budget and completed filming in just a month. The dialogue, 'My phone number is 2255,' is still an iconic pop culture reference for many fans, remembering the actor's calm and menacing portrayal. 4. Dasan - Nadodikkattu (1987) Genre: Satirical Comedy Known for: Cult-classic Why it's iconic Nadodikkattu is an irreplaceable cinematic venture in Malayalam cinema, which withstands the tests of time even after years since its release. The movie focuses on the lives of 2 friends - Dasan and Vijayan, who make a basic livelihood in the struggling economy. In hopes of a brighter future, they decide to illegally make their way into Dubai, but the ferryman tricks them and drops them off at Chennai instead. With several instances that follow, they come across a professional hitman, eventually turning out as detectives in this Sathyan Anthikad directorial. 5. Sathyanadhan - Sadayam (1992) Genre: Psychological Drama Known for: Portrayal of paranoia Why it's iconic Standing apart in his long line of iconic ventures, Sadayam featured the superstar in a conflicting role. The film features the tale of a man convicted of killing multiple women and awaiting his capital punishment. Taking us through a series of flashbacks, the film focuses on how the man is caught in the murders and the paranoia that led him to that state. 6. Mangalassery Neelakandan - Devaasuram (1993) Devaasuram and Mangalassery Neelakandan would surely be one of the most memorable characters played by Mohanlal in his career. The film by IV Sasi featured the tale of an arrogant Mangalassery Neelakandan, a feudal lord who shares a rivalry with Mundakkal Shekaran. In the heated feud they share, Neelakandan finds out a shocking truth about his existence, turning his entire world upside down. The film's dialogue, 'Vazhi Maaru-eda Mundakkal Shekara,' is still a popular phrase in Kerala. 7. Aadu Thoma - Spadikam (1995) If there's a character of Mohanlal that would be every fan's favorite, then it will be Aadu Thoma in Spadikam. This role featured the actor as the son of a toxic father, going against the latter's wishes in life, becoming a ruffian in all aspects. 8. Kanimangalam Jagannathan Thampuran - Aaraam Thampuran (1997) Created by Shaji Kailas, Aaram Thampuran featured the tale of Jagannathan, a Mumbai-based enforcer whose only wish is to own a royal manor called Kanimangalam in Kerala. With his arrival in the village, the socio-political balance shifts, with an old personal score for him to be settled. 9. Kunjikuttan - Vanaprastham (1999) While he may not be a popular character among the masses, this film features Mohanlal's epic acting skills as he portrays a person suffering from depression. A favorite for cinephiles and acting enthusiasts, the story focuses on Kunjikuttan, a man who was never accepted by his father, disgraced for being from the lower caste, and even facing betrayal from the woman he loved. The nuances and layers of this character explain why the superstar is considered a GOAT. 10. Vasco Da Gama aka Thala - Chotta Mumbai (2007) An iconic Mohanlal movie, especially for Gen Z men and women, would be the Anwar Rasheed directorial Chotta Mumbai. With a cult following, the film had him playing a good-for-nothing man living with his father and sisters, carrying on day-to-day life with his wayward friends. However, the happy-go-lucky lives of Thala and his gang are shaken when he crosses paths with Nadeshan, a corrupt police officer. 11. Stephen Nedumpally / Khureshi Ab'ram - Lucifer (2019) Lucifer, starring Mohanlal in the lead, featured the tale of Stephen Nedumpally, a popular politician who faces adversity after the passing of his father-figure, PK Ramdas. It is one of the most recent ventures of the actor, and is also widely popular with several references within Malayali pop culture. 12. Benz - Thudarum (2025) Thudarum is the latest cinematic experience that portrays the nuances and brilliance of acting by the superstar. A film that solidifies his stature as one of the greatest is a family drama thriller, which had him playing a range of emotions. Conclusion Analyzing the characters and iconic roles of Mohanlal is never an easy task. The actor and his long list of films can each be taken out and given a complete focus as material for studying. This evolution of a man from character roles to comedy and superstardom makes it much easier to describe him as a phenomenon rather than anything else. With such an illustrious background, Mohanlal continues to reinvent himself with newer characters and challenges. How can we forget, he is the one and only, Malayalam cinema's Mohanlal.
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Padakuthira Movie Review: A mediocre satire that can't shake off its outdated roots
While Malayalam cinema has certainly produced its fair share of compelling stories in recent years, it is also no stranger to mediocrity. Padakuthira , directed by debutant Salon Symon, lands firmly in the latter category. A confused film that never decides what it wants to be, it tries dabbling in satire, spoof, and eventually a heavy-duty investigation drama—without succeeding in any of them. It follows Nandakumar (Aju Varghese), a sensationalist journalist running the once-respected magazine Padakkuthira, now mired in yellow journalism. Alongside his team, Nandakumar spins fabricated stories for clicks and attention, leading to a series of absurd consequences. When they cross paths with Ravishankar (Renji Panicker), a mentally unstable person, they take his outlandish speculations as gospel, resulting in increasingly ridiculous events that threaten to expose the magazine for what it truly is. Director: Dr Salon Symon Cast: Aju Varghese, Sija Rose, Renji Panicker, Nandu, Indrans, Joemon Jyothir Written by Deepu S Nair and Sandeep Sadanandan, Padakuthira fixates on yellow journalism but in the most unimaginative way possible. What could have been a biting critique of contemporary media ends up as a clumsy, dated narrative populated by half-baked characters and jokes that struggle to land. The film's humour is perhaps its weakest point. Most of the comic moments feel stale and predictable. A scene where Nandakumar fabricates a crime story and faces the wrath of those implicated feels painfully familiar, especially for those who've seen the 1980s Malayalam film Boeing Boeing . Another attempt involving a female actor upset about being portrayed badly for doing special numbers is equally outdated and lacks any modern perspective. Padakkuthira feels like a film made 30 years ago. It is reminiscent of the mid-budget comedies from the 1990s featuring actors like Mukesh, Siddique, and Jagadish. Those films, however, had two major advantages. The performances were consistently good, and the humour, while sometimes broad, still managed to leave you smiling. This film, on the other hand, falls flat in nearly every instance. The comedy is forced, repetitive, and ultimately unfunny. Aju Varghese plays Nandakumar, a journalist who thrives on sensationalism. His performance works when playing the carefree loafer, but once the story treats him as a serious moral centre, it becomes hard to take him seriously. His portrayal turns into a caricature, and his persistent chain-smoking feels more like product placement than character depth. Sija Rose, who plays Keerthy, is wasted in a role that gives her little to do apart from reacting to Nandakumar's foolishness. Indrans, an actor who typically exudes strong screen presence, ends up in a role that leans into a caricature of his own measured performances, lacking the subtlety that made his characters memorable. The only mildly redeeming performance comes from Nandu, who injects some energy into otherwise dull proceedings. Padakuthira attempts to explore issues of fake news, media responsibility, and public consumption of sensationalist content. These are relevant topics, but the film fails to engage with them in any meaningful way. Instead, it falls into predictable twists and turns, with characters whose exaggerated naivety becomes frustrating. A half-hearted subplot about environmental protests and corrupt politicians barely registers and feels like an afterthought. Even the climax, which should have offered a sense of payoff or surprise, is utterly predictable. The final showdown lacks creativity, wrapping up the story in the most banal way possible. Despite a runtime of just under two hours, the film feels longer due to sluggish pacing, and the occasional attempts at emotional depth only highlight the film's lack of consistency. In one scene, Nischal, who reviews films for Padakuthira 's YouTube channel, begins trashing a film in the loud, crude style familiar from certain Malayalam YouTube "reviewers". The moment Nandakumar mentions the producers have paid them, Nischal instantly flips to a sugary, glowing review without a trace of irony. It's played for laughs but ends up feeling like an unintentional reflection of the film itself—confused and willing to abandon any principle if it helps sell the story, though it fails to deliver on even that.
Bloomberg
23-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Key Takeaways From Boeing's 1st-Qtr Results
00:00 I know that there's a lot of enthusiasm right now over the shrinking cash drain that was reported, the plans to ramp up output. But as an investor in this company, how are you thinking through some of the trade risks here? Yeah. Katie, great to be back. I think, you know, in the near term going, you know, you know, just going, we're just very fortunate to build up inventory, you know, over the last couple of years, which maybe people thought may have been a bad idea. Now it looks like a really good idea. I think they're pretty well protected. There is a comment that the other day Boeing made that they're able to find other suppliers for their fire and, you know, they're going to be able to probably get through this with production, even if even if there is a, you know, supply some some supply chain disruptions. But in the long term, you know, you heard CEO Bird say this again and again, that this could be an issue. It's a global supply chain. A lot of it, of course, is domestic. But, you know, you have to have you got to cover every part of the plane in order to be afford to be allowed to fly. So, you know, they're going to have to deal with that over the long term. But but, you know, these retaliatory tariffs, you know, these planes don't you know, they need a lot of maintenance, Right? There's constantly servicing the engines. And these components are going to have to be made. Or Boeing, an aircraft is essentially a razor blade business. So it needs to be serviced. And I think, you know, I don't know if China is getting into this retaliatory, you know, trade war is going to for the aerospace industry is going to do, you know, 60% of their fleet, 50 or 60% of their fleet, the Boeing Boeing aircraft. So they're going to need to, you know, get these parts eventually. Significant risks. But also you have Kelly Ortberg calling this a turnaround year to the extent that they're starting to make progress on that, what is the next phase of that turnaround that investors are going to need to see? They're going to have to see the FAA authorize them to go above 38 a month. That's sort of the big the big ticket item. And they sound pretty confident in that. So I assume that they have been working closely with the FAA. And, you know, they're talking about getting to 42 a month, you know, this this year, You know, So I think that's probably what investors are looking to next. You know, this time of Bravo sale, was it a boon for them, for their their their, you know, their their balance sheet improving that. And then the F 47 when that they that that for the next the next air dominance fighter is a huge win for the defense business and you're seeing those those that business in the in the in the commercial business stabilizing so some good things going on. Hey I wonder what you think about military spending overall, Tony. I mean, are we going to be cutting our defense spending or at least holding it stable as we look to reduce government spending in general? You know, I mean, I think it's probably a little bit misunderstood, but I think by the general market that you've heard these you know, you've heard Tom is talking about cutting the military spending in half. You know, if China and Russia were to, you know, I think all things being equal, that's just not realistic. And I think it's probably more rhetoric. But I think the reality is, is that you've heard the, you know, the SecDef talk about readiness and lethality and getting back to getting back to that. And I think the spend actually going to go there and you've heard about the $1 trillion defense budget. And the reality is that this defense spending is directly correlated to global, you know, global volatility, geopolitical volatility, instability, which, you know, we're seeing probably at a peak right now one of the peaks. So I think long term you're going to see continued defense spending in the U.S. And by the way, Europe and all of our all of our global, you know, global allies are all talked about increasing defense spending.
