About : The God of the Malayalam film industry
Website: http://www.mohanlal.org/
How it happened : Interview with Mohanlal
Interview Date: May, 2003
Place: Bahrain
Pics: Interview Pics
He has lots to talk about. He begins every answer with a philosophy and ends it with a laugh or a smile. The same one, which starts from the eyes and ends at them.
At every step he takes, hoards of fans surround him. He sure is popular. I imagine the mountains I would have to drill, to get through to him. When I finally hunt him down, crossing my hands for an interview, I am forced to say that it will take only five minutes. You never know if such a big superstar has a schedule so tight that the last thing on earth you can do is mess with it. But his remarks leave me astonished. ‘Well you may have only five minutes to ask questions. But that much time isn’t enough for me! It won’t satisfy me! So you can ask some more questions!’ That it would be so easy in the end, was something I couldn’t have even imagined.
But that’s how he is. A jovial, humble, down-to earth person, with eyes that would mesmerize the blind. Mohanlal may be the biggest superstar down south. But he has no airs about it.
He asks for two minutes. He has a television interview to give. The two minutes stretch. I keep counting. After twenty minutes, he comes out, only to go in again for a photo session. Initially, the photo session had only the television people. But the number kept increasing with the time. Soon enough, half the staff of the hotel is up for a photograph with him. Another ‘two minutes’ pass. I request him to take a seat so that I can fire away. But he wants to be comfortable. So he invites me to his suite, obviously the best one in the hotel.
Finally, he gets comfortable in the cosy sofas, and I sit there dazed for a moment, at the thought that I am actually sharing the same space with Mohanlal, South’s very own Shahrukh Khan. After the initial enchantment is over, I begin the interview.
Young Times (YT) : 2003 marks your 25th year of association with films. How have you evolved as an actor and as a person during this phase ?
Mohan Lal (ML) : As an actor ? So…25 years in a profession is something … something very difficult…and especially in an entertainment industry like cinema. So I should thank all my…people…who accept me as an actor, or who enjoy my films, and I think the credit goes to them. Because, I am just my duty…like, you know, its my social commitment as an actor to perform the role and to do justice to the role, and if I am appreciated by those people, I should say thanks to them, you know…for keeping me in this industry for the last 25 years.
And of course, as a person… well, I started my career at the age of 17. Now I am 43. So in the 250 films, I have travelled…you know, not only physically. I have travelled through a lot of minds.
YT : Spiritual journey, you mean ?
ML : Yeah, of course. And I have met a lot of different people…and I can call each of them as my Gurus. I can call them my ‘signboards’. So, I am still heading to my destination, though I don’t know where… but these people are carrying me, or unknown energies are carrying me as a person. I am a person who lives in the present, and as a person I celebrate every moment of my life… it’s like I don’t go back to the past or I don’t go ahead to the future, for example, right now I am enjoying the conversation with you. As a person, I have evolved like that you know. As an actor, it is their job…it is their acceptance and the full credit goes to them (the audience). So I am nothing… I am nobody ! (laughs)
YT : Though you won yourself awards in school and college for acting, you have said that you had never thought of becoming an actor. Then what prompted you to take up your first film, Thiranottam, which, incidentally, never saw the light of the day ?
ML : When I was in the 6th standard, I become the best actor in my school. When I was in 10th standard, i.e., when I was doing my pre degree … that time it was called the pre degree… I was the best actor in my college. So some of my friends asked me, “Can we do a film ?”, so I said yes! It is a kind of celebration, you know. I can call it as an accidental co-incidence or a chosen thing in my life, or a happening. So it happened in my life. And … it’s still happening. (laughs)
YT : You started your mainstream career with a negative role. Did you not think you would be categorized in the villain category, before you thought of making Manjil Virinja Pookkal your debut vehicle ?
ML : See.. I don’t think there is a kind of stamping in films, especially in the south. I can categorize into south and north(Chuckles). But there can be, or there are stampings. But somehow, I’ll tell you something…for an actor to get good characters, to get good roles, to get chances to get associated with good directors, to have good colleagues, to get good stories, I can call it as an element of luck. For example, in a conversation, you will say, all the best or best of luck…but that is not the luck. There is a hidden luck. I don’t know how I can expose the hidden luck to you. So, I am a person, blessed by all these characters, all these elements.. I have got the best of characters, best of directors, best of colleagues, best stories, etc. There are many actors, who do not, or who don’t have a chance to expose themselves as good actors, because of lack of all these things. But fortunately, I am blessed with all these. So that’s why I said, I am the chosen one (chuckles) , or luck is playing, or unknown energies are helping.
YT : You seem to believe a lot in destiny and fate ?
ML : Well, I wouldn’t call it fate. It’s not fate. It’s not destiny. It’s a happening. (laughs)
YT : You have done all kinds of roles with utmost versatility. But you have maintained that you like comic roles the best, though most of your award winning films have seen you playing intense roles. Any particular reasons ?
ML : Actually, to make somebody laugh, to make somebody cry, to make somebody comfortable is a big task. So again, it is the character. It’s not me, it’s not Mohanlal. It is, with the help of script, with the help of colleagues, with the help of the directors, I am moulded into that character. It is not Mohanlal. It is again a major opportunity, to do a comedy or a humourous role. I am not the only performer. The ambience is there, there are a lot of characters. So, with the help of them, I am succeeding in those roles. So I have had a chance to do different kinds of roles in that time. I have done intense roles, I have done comical roles, I have done buffoonery (laughs)… I have done a lot of flop films. Yes! Yes… it is not because of my commitment… it is not my mistake. It is the mistake of the totality (chuckles). So if I win over a character, and if the film is a big hit, I can share it with everybody. And if it is a flop, I want to share it with everybody… even with the audience.
YT : So that means you like doing comic role more than others ?
ML : It’s not really that. It’s just that the people enjoy, people want to see me in those roles. It is like liking a person. The same way, lot of people like the other things too. I mean, some people say, do very serious films. But people prefer to see me in comic roles, because they enjoy it more.
YT : Even your mother said in an interview that she likes to see you only in comic roles.
ML : You know, all the mothers, they want their children to be happy (chuckles)…they don’t want to see their children crying, getting beaten by the villain (chuckles again!), you know… having problems with families. So they want their children to be in comfortable positions, in whatever they do. It’s not only my mother…even your mother will want that (laughs).
YT : Some of your most acclaimed films are the ones you have produced yourself. How and why did you venture into film production ?
ML : It is a thought process to create good films. I want to do some of my films with my money…and if it is a failure (laughs), I will be responsible for that. So sometimes, if you want to do different things, you better do it with your own intelligence and with your own money (chuckles). Don’t trouble others (laughs). So I started my production company and I produced many films, and I think most of my films have done very well….that is, in an artistic manner, not in the monetary manner (laughs) !
YT : Your Indo-French production, Vaanaprastham, saw you playing a Kathakali dancer. How difficult was it to prepare for such a character so convincingly, and that too, in a small amount of time, since Kathakali happens to be one of the more difficult dances ?
ML : I can call it as a fire, I can call it as a commitment, I can call it as luck, because, to become a good Kathakali performer, it takes yeeeeaarrrrsss of rigourous training. Maybe after 30 years of performance, they will become number one. You need at least 8-10 years to finish learning Kathakali. (Silent for a few seconds) With the blessing of all the masters(chuckles) I think I did it. Because most of my colleagues were all from the Kathakali field. So they used to bless me. Everyday they used to bless me. Even I used to go and talk to them and ask doubts. I did have a training. But the training cannot help you, because it’s a very complicated art. It’s a three dimensional art, you know. It’s not just a dance. It is a dance, it is a conversation without lip movements – you are conversing with expressions. The head gear, the costumes, even for the make up you need three and a half hours. So I can’t say okay I have trained myself or I have done it all by myself, I can’t say anything. I am not claiming any, any, anything. It was possible only with all the blessings of the down-to-earth, excellent artists from Kathakali. Because my master in that film is a very famous Kathakali performer. He is 84! Yet, he plays complicated roles of good and bad. To do that, you need high physical stamina and acrobatics and stuff, but still he is performing. So, it was all possible only because of their blessings.
YT : You have said that films are only a medium of entertainment and can never be a pure art form. Then why did you risk making artistic movies like Vaanaprastham ?
ML : That might have been a misunderstanding. I might have said something else, and something else was written. All make believe things(chuckles). Anyway, see, cinema now-a-days is a dynamic and strong communication medium. So if you are very committed and you want to tell something from the heart… you can makes a personal film. If you want to make a documentary on, say Orissa, you can do it. It’s a visual medium. Whatever you want to do, you can do it. Then you can categorize it into an art film, personal film, commercial film. It is entertainment. It is magic (chuckles).
YT : Your debut venture in Bollywood with the multi-lingual Kalapani, failed to arouse audience interest, though it fetched 5 national awards. Did you dub it in Hindi with an intention of getting a few blockbusters in Bollywood as well ?
ML : It is a Malayalam film. We dubbed it in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi. It wasn’t my first Hindi film. Company is my first hindi film. So there wasn’t any intention like that at that time(chuckles).
The phone rings. I get a few seconds to breathe and adjust to the fact that the affable person sitting right in front of me cosily is none other than Mohanlal himself. I haven’t seen a person smile so much in such a short interval of time. But it does make me feel comfortable. The last thing I wanted to happen was me getting star dazed. But, so far so good. I glance the next few questions and gear up for round two.
YT : You recently won the Best Supporting Actor award for Company. How difficult was it for Ram Gopal Varma to convince you to give the Bollywood actors a run for their money ?
ML : (chuckles) Actually, we planned a film long back. He first came to me with a telegu film. For company, he took, maybe half an hour (laughs) ! He narrated the story, and it was an irresistible offer from his side. It was a very interesting plot. The way he convinced me was amazing. He told me how he was going to shoot the film. And he just narrated the script and that’s it (Chuckles).
YT : Before this offer, did you actually get Bollywood offers, or was this the very first for you ?
ML : Umm…not much. Not many. Actually, I don’t want to do Hindi films(laughs). They are not my cup of tea. See…to do a different language film, like I have done a Tamil film called Iruvar. People say I portrayed the role of MGR. So it was so convincing. It was an irresistible offer from Mani Ratnam. It was Aishwarya Rai’s first film. (Silence for a few second) But that was not the attraction okay (laughs) !! But like that ,see, when somebody narrates a story, you get an image. It will go to your artificial intelligence, your chemistry, I don’t know what you call it ! So, if a director can convince an actor and by if the story is good, it’s enough for the actor to do the film.
YT : So what exactly in Company attracted you ?
ML : The role ! (laughs) And the director, of course. I have seen many films of Ram Gopal Varma. And also, the underworld backdrop attracted me.
YT : Company seems to have got you attracted to the glimmer of Bollywood. After company, you have started work on two more Hindi movies, The Sea with Jaya Bachchan and another by Kumar Sahani. Can you tell us something more about them ?
ML : Actually those projects came to me much before company but after Company the talks increased. But they are still as projects (laughs).
YT : So they haven’t materialised as yet ?
ML : Not really. Let it happen first, then only I can say I have a film (laughs). Shaji wanted to do a film with Jaya Bachhan, he approached me and I said yes. But it’s a co-production. It’s a
YT : What did Ram Gopal Varma answer to that question of yours ?
ML : He said, “I want Mohanlal” (laughs). That commitment is fine for me.
YT : You played ‘Karna’ in a Sanskrit play 'Karnabharam'. How did you manage a Sanskrit play?
ML : The Sanskrit play was a request from NSD, the National School of Drama. It’s not a request actually, it’s an honour for me (chuckles). They asked me if I can do a play. It was actually an English play. Then it changed to Malayalam and ended up in Sankrit. I have done two shows in
YT : You have opened your first restaurant in
ML : It is like Karnabharam. It’s a happening too(laughs). Yes, it was my dream to have good restaurants. I love food and I love to cater people with good food. Even these Tastebuds masalas and pickles are also a happening. It is again like acting or watching a film, watching a song, or watching a dance. If you can appreciate a food, it’s very good. You should have a respect for food. You should have a craving for food. You should have an acceptance for food. So I want to share it with my fans. We have the best recipes, we have wonderful recipes in Kerala. It is not only for the Kerala people. It is for the world. Let me be the first man to expose it. Because of being a film personality, people will get curious about it. Otherwise they will just go by. So if I succeed in that, I can bring lot of products from Kerala. It is an expansion of the culture of Kerala.
YT : So why did you choose
ML : GCC has got the maximum number of Keralites and it is also the nearest destination from Kerala. So, this can be the platform and if I succeed, we can spread over from here.
YT : You have launched your own brand of spices in
ML : It is a continuation of the restaurant story (chuckles)! It is a part of the expansion.
YT : What made you bring
ML : That’s not working. Some of my friends started that and came up to me with the idea. But it’s not working.
YT : When you got the Padma Shri, had you ever anticipate it or did it come as a total shock to you ?
ML : Anticipating a Padma Shri or a Bharat award or anticipating even an accident is stupid(laughs). But people started talking that you may get it. Because you recommend people from the states. It has got lots of processes.
YT : Ace director Priyadarshan rates you as the best actor in the world. Mani Ratnam says you are the most natural actor in
ML : (Thinks for sometime) Very interesting question. (Thinks again) When I am walking on a street or I am in a supermarket, and I see a 2 year old kid recognizing me and saying, ‘Mohanlal’, that’s a compliment (laughs). I have wanted that. And I got it.
YT : With critical acclaim and a plethora of awards, including 2 National awards for best actor, is there anything according to you, which you think you still have to achieve as an actor?
ML : You can’t point out the saturation point for a particular thing. Throughout my life, I will react (laughs). (Thinks) So whatever time God permits, whatever time my physical condition permits, whatever time my audience permits, I will continue to act. After that, I will react (laughs).
YT : Finally, could you tell us about your upcoming movies ?
ML : Immediately I have many films in hand. But let them happen (laughs). If I say this is going to happen, that is going to happen, it may change. So you never know (chuckles).
The stipulated time of 5 minutes have passed. Long, long ago. After an exclusive half an hour with the all-skin-and-flesh Mohanlal, the only words that escape from my mouth are the Thanks and the Thank Yous and the Thank you so muchs. Before I leave, there is one last thing to be done. I ask him for his treasured autograph. With a polite ‘sure’, he takes the pen, takes the book and thinks for a moment. Unable to find out an appropriate message, he asks me what to write. I naughtily say, ‘Anything good would be okay for me’. He chuckles again and signs off with a message he is sure to have followed :
‘Life is beautiful.
Make it extraordinary.’
© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)
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