Mohan Lal: A super star who strayed into filmworld
20th Apr 2001
15.55 IST
By ApunKaChoice Bureau
Beginning his career in filmdom by chance in a project launched by a friend, South Indian superstar Mohan Lal has come a long way winning laurels for himself and Malayalam cinema.
Marching ahead with success in most of his 250-odd films, this versatile actor has been bestowed with Padmashree by the Indian government for his outstanding contribution to cinema recently.
How intense his dedication to the profession was evident from the fact that Lal took six months to learn Kathakali to make his role realistic in ''Vanaprastham,'' story of a Kathakali artist Arjun, winning two national awards last year. The film also took him to Cannes.
Unlike most other veterans who came from the theatre, Lal's foray is the other way round. Making yet another milestone, this inimitable hero took centre stage in New Delhi to play the role of Karna, in the Sanskrit play ''Karnabharam'' narrating the story of the indomitable warrior waging war against the Pandava army led by his own brothers and other relatives in the epic Mahabharata.
''I was approached by Ramgopal Bajaj, director of National School of Drama, to do this play. It was a challenge for me and I accepted the offer,'' says the versatile actor who learnt Sanskrit to make his role a success. It's Mahakavi Bhasa's work, which is presented, in a very stylized version with lots of music. Plays and movies are a different ball game altogether. The thrill of a play is that you cannot afford to make a single mistake, as there is no second chance. What one gets to see in a film is the best shots and expressions, opines Lal.
Lal says he still has the same zest he had while acting in his debut film way back in 1978. He has the rare ability to do comedy and emotional roles with panache.
On his calibre to handle various roles with versatility, he says ''I don't really know what 'versatility' is. All I can say is that when I start acting, an unknown force drives me to perform my best. I can't put a finger into it. Can Maradona say in which direction the ball is going to take him when he goes to score his winning goal? This is just like that,'' Lal added.
Talking about the Padmashree award, he, said ''I don't expect anything. So even when I don't get things I am still happy. I am happy and honored that I have been bestowed with the Padmashree along with big names. In fact, there were Padmabhushans and Padmashrees from Kerala this time. I am happy that I am one of them,'' says Lal who has completed 23 years in the field.
Acting seems to be nurtured since childhood through his career spread over 23 years. In fact, he was chosen as the best actor when he was in sixth standard. Entry to tinsel world was sudden. ''I acted in my first film made by a friend in '78 and my career took off from there. I had no inclination to become a hero that time because, for one, I never had that conventional looks of a hero. It all happened by the grace of God, Lal reminisces.
After his success in ‘‘Kaalapaani’’, which bagged several awards, Lal now appears in yet another Hindi movie ''Company'' by famed director Ramgopal Verma and some more are in the pipeline, says the actor who talks against regionalism. ''First of all, I personally do not like classifying this regionally. Whether it is north or south, east or west, acting is acting. I see the whole fraternity as a single family, adds Lal. In ''Company'' Lal plays a South Indian police officer braving it out in Mumbai underworld.
“This of course, I am not aware of. Ram Gopal Verma approached me with this role and I liked the role and accepted it,'' he said.
Beginning his career in filmdom by chance in a project launched by a friend, South Indian superstar Mohan Lal has come a long way winning laurels for himself and Malayalam cinema.