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Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Forget the actor, it's Mohanlal the producer who should make a comeback; the one behind both his National Awards for Best Actor
Seeing the recent success of Thudarum, it's almost impossible not to wonder how the same Mohanlal — who is still capable of delivering spectacular performances, as he demonstrated in the Tharun Moorthy directorial, completely shedding his star mantle and effectively silencing his critics — kept bombarding audiences with atrocities such as Ittymaani: Made in China (2019), Kaappaan (2019), Big Brother (2020), Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (2021), Aaraattu (2022), Monster (2022), Alone (2023), and the biggest bomb of all, his directorial debut Barroz (2024), one after the other over the past few years. Although he did offer decent films like Drishyam 2 (2021), Neru (2023), and Malaikottai Vaaliban (2024) during the same period, his cinematic dumpster fires far outnumbered the not-bad entries, making one wonder if his involvement in the better projects was merely accidental. In fact, it's hard not to ask: where did the old Mohanlal go? No, I'm not talking about the actor he once was; probably in his 20s, 30s or even 40s. It's senseless to expect someone in their 60s to perform with the same agility and intensity they had at half their age. But I'm not referring to the actor in him. I'm talking about the producer instead; the Mohanlal who once threw his weight behind exceptional films, sensing the true potential of a story, a project or a director, and turning himself into the creative rock on which a film could be built. What happened to that Mohanlal, the one who could recognise and help realise great films? Before he began frequently collaborating with Aashirvad Cinemas, a production house established by his driver-turned-confidante-turned-close friend Antony Perumbavoor, Mohanlal, who turns 65 on Wednesday (May 21), had personally bankrolled over a dozen and a half films. In hindsight, many of these projects not only played a key role in elevating his stature as an actor but also stand among the finest mainstream Malayalam films of their era. Interestingly, Mohanlal entered film production for the first time alongside fellow superstar Mammootty. Together with producer Century Kochumon, director IV Sasi and his wife, actor Seema, they co-founded Casino Films. The company made its debut by bankrolling Adiyozhukkukal (1984), written by MT Vasudevan Nair and directed by Sasi himself. A hard-hitting drama, the film earned Mammootty his first Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor. Casino Films didn't stop there, it went on to produce three more acclaimed movies — Sasi and P Padmarajan's Karimbinpoovinakkare (1985), and Sathyan Anthikad and Sreenivasan's Gandhinagar 2nd Street (1986) and Nadodikkattu (1987), before the superstars bid goodbye to the company. Needless to say, all of these titles have been etched into the golden annals of Malayalam cinema and remain cherished classics to this day. During this period, Mohanlal also became involved with another production house, Cheers, which launched its journey by funding P Anil's Adiverukal (1986). Cheers went on to produce Kamal's widely acclaimed tragedy Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam (1987) and the comedy-drama Orkkappurathu (1988). The company's final production was Aryan (1988), directed by Priyadarshan, which has, over time, drawn significant criticism for its casteist and savarna-centric themes and dialogues. By then, Mohanlal had not only established himself as one of the finest actors in the industry but had also achieved full-fledged superstardom. Yet, he continued to invest in films that prioritised quality above all else. And soon, he floated his own production company, Pranavam Arts International. Not only did Pranavam Arts change the trajectory of Mohanlal's career, but it also gifted the industry a handful of culturally and aesthetically significant films that defied conventional commercial formulas. Pranavam's films were not just starkly different from each other in terms of story and aesthetics, but they all explored and highlighted previously unseen facets of Mohanlal's acting abilities, making significant use of his untapped potential. More than that, every film he took on as a producer seemed to possess a soul of its own. It was also as if he chose to produce only those projects that would challenge him as a performer. Interestingly, four out of the eleven movies he bankrolled under the banner of Pranavam Arts — named after his son Pranav Mohanlal — were penned by the acclaimed screenwriter Lohithadas, renowned for crafting some of the most celebrated dramas in Malayalam cinema, among which was Kireedam (1989), directed by Sibi Malayil, which earned Mohanlal a National Film Award – Special Mention. The Sibi-Lohithadas collaboration continued with His Highness Abdullah (1990), which marked Pranavam's debut production. The film followed Abdullah (Mohanlal), a poor Muslim Qawwali singer in Bombay, who is hired by members of an affluent royal Hindu family in Kerala to assassinate their patriarch, Maharaja Udayavarma (Nedumudi Venu). The movie not only showcased Mohanlal's extraordinary ability to perform playback song sequences with near-perfect lip-syncing, but it also broke away from typical mainstream narratives. Unlike many films that either glorify or victimise savarna and Brahminical cultures while portraying Muslim characters in stereotypical roles that are reduced to the binaries of good and bad, His Highness Abdullah boldly exposed the rot in elitism, exemplified by a lack of compassion even among blood relatives with each person being more consumed by a greed for dynastic wealth than the other. Featuring some of Malayalam cinema's most iconic songs, such as 'Pramadhavanam,' 'Devasabhathalam,' and 'Gopika Vasantham,' composed by Raveendran and sung by KJ Yesudas and others, the film emerged as a major box office success. The very next year, the producer-actor returned with another project, once again teaming up with the same writer-director duo. While His Highness Abdullah revolved around an impending crime with elements of a thriller too, Bharatham (1991) was a pure musical drama, featuring an unrestrained and unmatched Mohanlal at its core. Though films like Kireedam, Thalavattam (1986), and Ninnishtam Ennishtam (1986) had showcased his emotional depth as a performer, the role of Kalloor Gopinathan in Bharatham was particularly fresh and complex even for him. Centred on the minor ego clash that erupts between two brothers — Carnatic music virtuosos Gopinathan and his elder sibling Ramanathan (Nedumudi Venu) — following an unforeseen and unfortunate incident, the film gradually evolves into a deeply layered musical family drama with a powerful emotional undercurrent. Bharatham further underlined Mohanlal's willingness to shed his star persona, portraying a character rendered helpless by life's cruel twists and misfortunes. In Kamaladalam (1992), another musical drama crafted by the Sibi-Lohithadas duo and produced by Mohanlal, the trio pushed the actor in him into uncharted territory as he portrayed a revered classical dance teacher fighting alcoholism and the ghosts of his past. Though Mohanlal's physical agility was already well-known, primarily through comedic and cinematic dance sequences, this film revealed a completely different dimension of the same. As Nandagopan, Mohanlal delivered a jaw-dropping performance. Once again, he excelled as both producer and actor, proving how a true thespian can use his stature not just to maintain fame but to refine his craft and continually push his artistic boundaries. Although his next production ventures, Priyadarshan's Mithunam (1993) and Sathyan Anthikkad's Pingami (1994), failed to succeed at the box office, they remain beloved among film lovers. It was after these that Mohanlal undertook his most ambitious and grandest project yet as a producer, Priyadarshan's Kaalapani (1996). In collaboration with R Mohan's Shogun Films, Pranavam Arts mounted this epic period drama, focusing on the lives of the inmates of the Cellular Jail (Kaalapani) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the British Raj. As a producer, Mohanlal spared no effort in assembling the best possible cast — including Tabu, Prabhu, Amrish Puri, Sankaradi, Nedumudi Venu, Delhi Ganesh, Sreenivasan and Cochin Haneefa — and crew, which featured stalwarts like Ilaiyaraaja (music), Santosh Sivan (cinematography), Sabu Cyril (art direction), and ST Venky (special effects). Although the film failed to recoup its then-massive production costs, Kaalapani became a landmark in Indian cinema and continues to serve as a reference point for period dramas. The movie also earned four National Film Awards. In 1998, Mohanlal once again joined forces with Lohithadas and created Kanmadam, which opened to both critical and commercial acclaim. Various aspects of the film, particularly the performances of Mohanlal and Manju Warrier, received widespread praise. That same year, Pranavam Arts mounted another massive project, Harikrishnans, which marked the much-anticipated on-screen reunion of Mohanlal and Mammootty after a decade or so. Featuring Juhi Chawla in the lead, the mystery buddy comedy was directed by Fazil and jointly produced by Mohanlal and his wife, Suchitra. The film lived up to the hype and became a blockbuster, helping Mohanlal recover from the financial setbacks caused by his earlier unsuccessful ventures to an extent. Unfortunately, Pranavam's next project, Bhadran's Olympian Anthony Adam (1999), failed to make an impact. Yet, nothing could dampen Mohanlal's spirit. He once again donned the producer's hat for Shaji N Karun's Vanaprastham, one of the most significant films in Malayalam's parallel cinema movement, wherein he played a lowered caste Kathakali artiste grappling with marginalisation from all quarters. An international co-production, the film opened to universal acclaim and even earned Mohanlal and Shaji a place at the Cannes Film Festival, where Vanaprastham was selected for the Un Certain Regard section. Interestingly, the two films that earned Mohanlal his National Film Awards for Best Actor — Bharatham and Vanaprastham — were both produced by him. Likewise, two of the six Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor that he has received were for performances in films he bankrolled — Kaalapani and Vanaprastham — further underscoring his visionary instincts as a producer. Even after the establishment of Aashirvad Cinemas, Mohanlal returned to production in 2010, co-producing the military action film Kandahar, directed by Major Ravi. This came shortly after he was awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. Although the film, also featuring Amitabh Bachchan in his Malayalam debut, failed to earn critical acclaim, Kandahar served its purpose as Mohanlal's way of expressing gratitude for the honorary military title he had received. Barring Kandahar, nearly every film Mohanlal has produced remains beloved — not only by his fans but by Malayalam cinema lovers in general — largely due to their artistic depth and brilliance. It is precisely this sensibility that had seemed missing from Mohanlal in recent years, as though that part of his creative mind had either become dormant or been deliberately switched off. Now that Thudarum is enjoying widespread success, one can only hope the superstar draws upon his earlier producer instincts when choosing his future acting roles. Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Suriya fans await a strong comeback after setbacks: How Karthik Subbaraj's 'Retro' fell short of expectations - Exploring Suriya's career trajectory
Among Kollywood's fan rivalries, the dynamic between Suriya and Thalapathy Vijay fans has always stood out for its relatively softer tone, ever since both actors captured hearts with their youthful charm and consistent box-office success. Suriya made his debut with Vasanth's Nerrukku Ner in 1997, and his journey was never a walk in the park, as he faced continuous setbacks at the box office. His first major breakthrough came in 2001 with Director Bala's Nandhaa, followed by Kaakha Kaakha in 2003, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, which gave him his first blockbuster hit. Over the years, he explored a wide range of roles—from a romantic hero to a fierce police officer and a powerful politician. His romantic roles in films like Uyirile Kalanthathu, Friends, Mounam Pesiyadhe, Sillunu Oru Kaadhal and several others won him a loyal fan base. However, it was his 2005 film Ghajini, directed by AR Murugadoss, that marked a significant turning point in his career. The film was widely appreciated for both Suriya's emotional performance and the well-crafted script. The ' Singam ' franchise also became an iconic chapter in his acting journey. However, in the years that followed, he faced criticism for poor script choices and several of his films failed to perform at the box office. His last theatrical release before the OTT phase was Kaappaan in 2019, after which fans eagerly anticipated his comeback to cinemas. Although Suriya made headlines with his critically acclaimed performances in Soorarai Pottru and Jai Bhim over the next two years, both were OTT releases. Suriya went on to win the 68th National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in 'Soorarai Pottru'. Retro | Song - Edharkaga Marubadi In 2022, he made a promising cameo appearance in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Vikram, which became a rare moment of fan celebration in theatres for Suriya after a long time. His devoted fans had to wait until 2024 for his big-budget film Kanguva , which unfortunately fell short of expectations due to a weak script and underwhelming VFX. Following this, all eyes turned to Kollywood's beloved director, Karthik Subbaraj, for Retro , which thrilled fans with its trailer showcasing some of Suriya's most iconic looks. However, the film's release earlier this month ( May 1 2025) failed to impress both critics and fans. After the lukewarm reception, Karthik Subbaraj admitted he had to alter the film to suit Suriya's star image. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Karthik said, 'Retro is also told in my way, but it comes with the responsibility of a big budget and a big star. That indie film doesn't need known artistes or stars. It's a small-budget story I've wanted to make for a long time,' he added. There is no debating Suriya's talent or his standing as one of the most bankable stars in the industry. It would be unfair to undermine his career achievements. The issue lies in the fact that fans have not had the opportunity to celebrate him in theatres since Kaappaan in 2019, and theatrical success is crucial for a star of Suriya's calibre. As we eagerly await his upcoming theatrical releases—one with RJ Balaji and another with Venky Atluri—let's take a closer look at Suriya's career trajectory and explore what might have gone wrong with his recent film choices. Suriya and director Karthik at 'Celebrate the Spirit of Retro' event 'All his films are commercial hits, the producer didn't lose money, But how do you satisfy the audience? ' - G Dhananjayan Well-known producer and trade analyst G Dhananjayan joined ETimes for a discussion about the performance of Suriya starrers in theatres. When asked about fans' longing for Suriya's theatrical comeback and the recent setbacks with Kanguva and Karthik Subbaraj's Retro, the conversation also touched upon how Retro was seen as the last chance to revive Suriya's theatrical appeal and what went wrong with his recent script choices. Dhananjayan said, 'Firstly, there is nothing called last chance and all. I don't appreciate such words. It's not given to any performer, an actor, or a popular star. You can never put it as a last hope and last stage and all. Nothing like that.' 'The reason I'm saying is Mohanlal sir has continuously flopped in the last two years. Including his own directorial film, Barroz. It was a big flop with more than 50 crore loss to the even a film like L2:Empuraan, it did so much collection but the producer lost a lot of money. A lot of people trolled Mohanlal sir saying that he is an aging star and aging superstar and nothing worked.' 'He makes a massive comeback in Thudarum Right?. For the last two years, Drishyam 2 went on live OTT streaming. It did come into theaters. After that, Drishyam 2 which got a lot of appreciation in OTT. But he never got a big hit at the box office. And the box office hit was only the film L2:Empuraan but that didn't cover the cost. And everybody said Mohanlal is gone and everybody knows he is a star. how come all the people came in and watched 'Thudarum' today ? the film collected more than 200 crore. 'See, it is all about content which will connect to a larger audience working. So, it is not the fault of any hero. you can't put it like saying that the film was a disaster. I'm talking about 'Retro'. It had a mixed talk. A mixed and divided talk. There were a section of people who liked it and a section of people who didn't like it. With Kanguva, it is a different issue altogether. People didn't like it. There is nothing called mixed talk there. There is a lot of negativity around technical aspects like sound quality, VFX etc. And plus, the story with the beginning, 35 minutes, really didn't connect with the audience. So, such a problem was there with Kanguva. In Retro, there is no such thing. Retro is all about whether everybody liked it or somebody liked it. So, not everybody liked it but some people liked it. That's why the film ended up collecting decent money. So, it is not a disaster. You can't call it a washout. I have spoken about that film earning a lot of money through non-theatrical rights. So, Surya has got a guaranteed non-theatrical business. Guaranteed means what? His films sell digitally immediately. And they don't sell it at an ordinary price. It sells at 80 crores, 85 crores, 90 crores. For your information, the next film, Venky Atluri film, starring Surya, it went for, market rumors are Rs 85 crores. Only for digital. Okay. Netflix bought it. And music will go for some 15 crores. So, 100 crores has been collected already. Then, the satellite will go for a minimum Rs 25 crores. So, 125. Overseas will get 15 crores. Okay. 140. Then, India theatrical, how much will it collect? Will it collect 30 crores? Will it collect 80 crores? Depending on the content. If it collects 30 crores, it will do 150 crores revenue. If it collects 80 crores, it will do 200 crores revenue. I'm talking about revenue, not box office. And the cost of a Surya film will not be more than, at best, I'll say 120 crores. At best. Okay. On average, its films cost around 80 crores to 100 crores. 'Retro', my estimation is around 100 crores, the budget, including its basic salary. So, now, retro is a hugely profitable venture for the companies. Because, you know, they made 100 crores, the film ended up collecting some 140 crores revenue. Box office, it didn't connect to a larger audience. But, non-theatrical works so beautifully for the producers, it is a profitable film. That's why they had a thank you meeting. Surya gave 10 crores out of it as a donation to Agra Foundation. Because the film was a commercial hit.' There is a difference between commercial hits and box office hits. Some films are both – they are commercial hits and box office hits. Some films are only commercial hits. So, this film is a commercial hit, because all the people who invested money in it made money. Now, coming to the point, they did business. So, they are going to be on the table profit for the film. The box office is something that is determined by the content. Whether the content works or not is not in everybody's hands. Nobody wants to give bad content to the audience. Everybody is sincerely trying to give the best ever content. They are sincerely working hard and they give the best of performances, best of technical work. Incidentally, for Retro, the song 'Kanima' was a trending song for 3 months. So, everything went right for the film. Maybe the content didn't connect with the larger audience. That is not something the director can be blamed for or Surya can be blamed for. And that cannot be the last hope. So, we can never say anything. Tomorrow, what if, Surya and Venky Atluri film is a double of 'Lucky Bhaskar'? What if the director gives blockbuster content like Lucky Bhaskar? Surya's film ended up collecting 300 crores. So, your last hope then will become the first, the biggest issue will start rising, correct? So, there is never a last hope. So, keep that benchmark of Mohanlal. And say that all that he needs right now is the blockbuster content. I will put it simply, saying that he needs a box office hit while he is continuously giving commercial hits. All his films are commercial hits. The producer didn't lose money. But how do you satisfy the audience? Because that's where the growth of an actor is. Growth of an actor in terms of stature and appeal and all comes in only when the box office hit is a big thing. Big thing. So, today Pradeep Ranganathan ended up doing 150 crores. Suddenly, his stature goes up in the minds of the audience. Let's take the example of Pradeep Ranganathan. In his second film, if he is touching 150 crores, obviously, the pressure will be on every actor to cross beyond that. Suddenly you can't put it saying that Pradeep Ranganathan is bigger than Surya. You can't say that. Because this non-theatrical business is so much of Surya. So, I am not saying, you know, Pradeep Ranganathan is less. Maybe another 10 films later, you might really do well. So many numbers you might do. But I am talking about the comparisons, you know, or writing off anybody should not happen. There is a big non-theatrical revenue guarantee for an artist, which is based on his reputation, based on his success. He has given Soorarai Pottru an OTT big hit. He has given Jai Bhim. His films are doing exceedingly well in OTT. So, OTT would like to buy his film immediately. There is nobody saying no for his film. Including overseas or satellite, everybody wants his film. Every non-theatrical right, music—with Kanima being a big hit—everybody wants his next film's audio rights. So, there is a guaranteed business happening. So, how do you look at that? Are you going to look at a glass which is half empty or half full? I am looking at it as half full. The next half is the box office. If that box office also comes in, you know, very nicely, based on great content, it will be full. So, right now, other non-theatrical rights are bringing in a lot of money. So, the producers are happy. But the day the audience is also happy, this talk will not be there. Everybody will be there, guaranteedly, talking about his business and celebrating that. When addressing the question about Suriya still holding a huge hope among fans by taking the example of his short cameo in Vikram, the producer stated, 'The two movies (Soorarai Pottru and Jai Bhim) went on OTT. He didn't give a theatrical hit. Today, everybody calls him Rolex (cameo in Vikram). Now, that means, people are waiting for a great content. That's all. They all love him. They all want him to succeed. They want to see him like a Singam. The right content has to come. If it doesn't come, nobody can save anybody. You cannot write off Surya. You can only write, when is the next big hit, box office hit, Surya is going to give? All of us are waiting. Because, Surya is a bankable star when it comes to non-theatrical rights, which is enabling the producers to recover their investment. He is generating 120 crore, 130 crore business, non-theatrical.' Dhananjayan quotes 'sincerity' as the key factor people like about Suriya's on-screen performance: 'His sincerity, everybody loves him. He is so sincere to the character. Look at the six-pack he is putting in this Retro. He is going to hit 50. Even the six-pack, he looks so majestic. There is a lot of hard work, a lot of sincerity, and a lot of things. The only thing is, the stories are not connected to him. Somewhere, whether it's Kanguva or Retro, something has disconnected him from the audience. They expected something different. They all want to see him like they saw him in Soorarai Pottru or Jai Bhim. They want to see him like, you know, in films like Singam. Larger than life with a lot of energy. Not a gangster kind of thing, because somewhere maybe it is not connected at all. Why did people love him in Ayan? It was convincing. Because it didn't require a larger-than-life poster. It required a very convincing character. He looks very convincing. He is fun. He is entertaining. And he is entertaining the audience. He is doing all kinds of manipulation there. And everybody believed in it. And the film was a big hit. And though it is slightly larger than life, people loved him for that. So, when is he going to get an Ayan? When is he going to get a Singam? We all look for such a story. I am really banking on Venky Atluri's story because I was just thinking at that time when I saw Lucky Bhaskar, this should have been done by Surya. I am not saying that Dulquer Salman didn't do well. He is phenomenal. I thought Lucky Bhaskar should have come for Surya. Surya would have done a blockbuster. That film would have collected 200 crores. So everything should fall in place. I am really sincerely hoping that he will do a 200% better, 200% bigger film than Lucky Bhaskar for Surya, his next film. And that will surely be a sure-shot blockbuster.' he concluded. 'He should experiment a little more within the commercial format- ' Sreedhar Pillai Sreedhar Pillai, a well-known film critic and trade analyst, also shared his perspective on the topic in a chat with ETimes. He addressed the box office setbacks Suriya faced with his two recent releases. 'Surya is one of the finest actors in commercial cinema and he is a true star. And over the years, he has performed very well at the box office and his market just after COVID in the OTT market was very very good. All his films are because he has that market but his choice of scripts are not up to the mark. I don't know what went wrong on the choice of scripts. Karthik Subbaraj is a nice director. He is a well-known director but somewhere there has been big big pitfalls in his choice of scripts. He or his team or whatever it is, they should choose better scripts. That's all I can say about that because a script is one of the major causes. A star is a star but no star can make a film run without solid content. You need solid content to back up your stardom and that is where he has gone wrong. He is still I would say a very saleable and very popular star but he needs his choice of scripts to be better. That only he can do it. I mean he or his team should dig through a proper script and go through it and then work out. He called Suriya's both OTT releases, 'Soorarai Pottru' and 'Jai Bhim' cult classics. They worked but that means Surya knows the OTT market very well. But in the theatrical market, he wants to succeed in the theatrical market. The theatrical market for a big star is the most important factor. I am sure Surya will crack it next time. That is his forthcoming film with RJ Balaji which I think looks better. RJ Balaji, there are zero expectations because he is not a big director. But Surya has probably given a date to him and I am sure that would be an exciting project ahead. So the idea is that Surya should get a solid film now on a theatrical basis, he should be able to get. But that will come because every actor goes through these ups and downs in their career. But I am sure Surya will find the right mix of characters then it will work. I felt in Retro that he went too much for the action thing which may not work unless the story has that action atmosphere in it.' He later shared his thoughts about what fans really missed in theatres with Suriya's performance. 'I think content. It's just the content. It has nothing to do with Suriya, the star, the phenomenon and all that. Even today, his Ghajini character and so many films, Kaakha Kaakha it's still memorable. He has to get out of that and then do another character which works at the box office or another different thing. And he should experiment a little more. He should experiment a little more within the commercial format. That experiment can happen only if the script is good. It's not about Surya, it's about the script that he has been offering or he has been performing. Because Surya is a star, you can't give away. His opening is still intact.' he concluded. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
