Mohanlal To Be Honoured With A Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Malayalam megastar holds 400+ films under his belt
A luminous chapter has been added to the history of Indian cinema as the inimitable Mohanlal, with grace and characteristic humility, dedicated his Dadasaheb Phalke Award to the Malayalam film industry.
“Cinema is magic,” he said, standing not at the pinnacle, but firmly in the heart of the art form he has devoted nearly five decades to.
“There is no zenith,” he added, “only the privilege of being part of it.” And what a part he has played.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the actor will be conferred the country’s highest cinema honour, the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award bringing much cheer to the Kerala film industry. The award will be presented at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on September 23.
The 65-year-old actor who has had a career spanning more than four decades has worked in 400 films and bagged five National Awards. He is one of those artist who have the ease of an chameleon to embody the mannerisms of a character down to perfection.
With over 400 films to his credit, five National Awards, and a career that has defied the gravity of time, his contribution transcends mere statistics and into those minute expressions, pauses, and silences that speak louder than any data can tell you about an actor's successful career.
While Mohanlal called this recognition "a moment that only happens in wild dreams," for those who’ve grown up watching him shapeshift through generations of cinema, this moment was not only expected, it was embarrassingly overdue. But if you're someone who recently discovered Malayalam cinema via a thumbnail recommendation on your streaming platform, perhaps Lucifer, the one where Vivek Oberoi is doing his best Bond villain impression, then allow us to properly introduce you to the man who has reigned over Malayalam cinema, but has had its back practically for over four decades!
A Portrait Through Mohanlal Performances
Across decades, genres, and generations, Mohanlal has remained what very few actors manage to be undeniably relevant and forever compelling.
Sadayam (1992)
In Sadayam, Mohanlal delivered a haunting performance as a death-row prisoner whose past unfolds like a slow burn of moral ambiguity. The role demanded a razor’s edge balance between tenderness and brutality and he gave it everything. Especially to show the existential ache of a man both victim and perpetrator. This is Mohanlal at his rawest, his most unfiltered.
Thanmathra (2005)
Here, Mohanlal offered one of his most heart-breaking performances as a man grappling with Alzheimer’s. It’s a slow unraveling, but he played it with such dignity that it became more than just a portrayal, it became a tribute to memory itself.
Manichitrathazhu (1993)
As Dr. Sunny, Mohanlal gave the psychological thriller a pulse of humour and calm amidst its tension. With a twinkle in his eye and an offbeat charm, he delivered a performance that made psychiatry both accessible and endearing without diminishing the weight of the plot. The film that later went on to be adapted in various regional languages including Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa, is one of the cult classic films.
Kireedam (1989)
A landmark film that shattered the trope of the ‘hero’. As Sethumadhavan, Mohanlal portrayed a man crushed under the burden of unintended violence and societal expectation. The final scene, wrenching and wordless, remains etched in the memory of every cinephile. It is one of those performances that can never be replicated.
Bharatham (1991)
Often hailed as his most soulful performance, here he plays a younger brother stepping into the shadows of tradition, grief, and music. The restraint in his portrayal won him the National Award and rightly so! Every note he sang carried the weight of devotion and despair.
Vanaprastham (1999)
A cinematic meditation on art and identity, this film saw him as a Kathakali dancer trapped between stage and real life. It wasn’t just a role; it was a metamorphosis. Mohanlal’s body language alone conveyed volumes, as he blurred the line between myth and man.
Spadikam (1995)
As Aadu Thoma, Mohanlal in Bhadran directed Spadikam (meaning crystal or quartz), raged against the world that tried to tame him. A commercial hit with the soul of a tragedy, this was a performance that fused masculinity with vulnerability and is another cult classic film that the actor has been part of.
Drishyam (2013)
In this modern-day classic, he plays a father who crafts an alibi as carefully as he builds a life. The genius of the role was its ordinariness—how a cable TV operator became a silent mastermind, out of love, fear, and desperation. Those who have watched the Hindi version with Ajay Devgn and Tabu in it, need to watch the original.