Mohanlal felt he didn’t fit conventional hero’s image; was certain he wouldn’t be as accepted in other film industries: ‘Why should I look elsewhere for work then?’

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In a 1992 interview on DD Malayalam (formerly DD4), legendary actor Nedumudi Venu asked Mohanlal whether he believed that, despite not having the conventional looks of a hero, he achieved recognition and meaty roles purely because he was born in Kerala and became part of the Malayalam film industry. Mohanlal agreed without hesitation, saying: “Actors like you, me, Sreenivasan and Bharath Gopi don’t fit the conventional hero’s image. I believe we were all accepted because we belong to the Malayalam industry.”

Explaining the rationale behind his decision to work primarily in Malayalam cinema rather than actively pursuing opportunities in other languages, Mohanlal clarified that it wasn’t due to a lack of offers. “You (Venu) recently mentioned that Malayalam cinema produces the best films and has the finest technicians. Being part of such an industry, why should I look elsewhere for work?”

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Mohanlal lauds Malayalam audiences’ open-mindedness, appreciation for good cinema

He also praised Malayalam audiences, stating that their open-mindedness and appreciation for good cinema are the reasons why high-quality films continue to be made here. Mohanlal backed his opinion by pointing out the reluctance of other industries to produce films with artistic and narrative depth which, he opined, might be the result of the lack of similar reception among their viewers.

“That might be why other industries are hesitant to produce films like His Highness Abdullah, Bharatham and Sadayam. However, this (the culture of watching and appreciating quality films in Malayalam cinema) did not happen overnight. It evolved over time and the many many great films they watched might have also played a key role,” he explained.