Are Mohanlal and Mammootty the last of superstars in Mollywood? Neru actor responds to much-discussed question

Meanwhile, during the promotions of Neru recently, Mohanlal addressed queries about the future of Malayalam cinema, specifically whether he and Mammootty would be the last superstars in Mollywood.

Pointing out that the title of ‘superstar’ is bestowed upon an actor by the audience, Mohanlal, according to Pinkvilla, emphasised that one cannot intentionally claim this title for oneself.

Expressing his desire for a greater number of actors to emerge in today’s era, Mohanlal also highlighted the audience’s preference for evolving content, which plays a significant role. He further affirmed that an actor genuinely attains superstar status when they achieve enduring success through their films.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the definition of a ‘superstar’ and a film’s ‘success’ has undergone a transformation since the advent of streaming platforms and a shift in viewing habits.

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Observing that in the past, films used to run for as long as 365 days in theatres, the actor noted that nowadays, films don’t even manage to stay in theatres for 90 days, significantly altering the concept of ‘superstars.’ “The term superstar depends on the success of the actor. If the new actors can pull off such success, then he or she may get the title of Superstar,” Pinkvilla quoted him as saying.

Also starring Anaswara Rajan, Priyamani, Siddique and Jagadish, Neru, penned by Santhi Mayadevi and Jeethu Joseph, is a courtroom drama bankrolled by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas. In its review of Neru, The Indian Express noted, “It is Mohanlal’s performance, notably better than his recent lacklustre ones, that makes Neru’s 150-minute runtime feel less prolonged.”