When Mohanlal said he was detached from ‘hits and flops’, but wanted to make only films ‘carrying and conveying a message’

Cinema Anatomy | Apology and betrayal: Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Murali Gopy’s L2 Empuraan is not the interactive cinema we had hoped to experience one day

When asked if he agreed with the many filmmakers who boast that they have no responsibility towards society, Mohanlal replied with a firm no. “As a producer, I will say that my film should carry and convey some message. No, I don’t want to just make any kind of movies, my primary duty is to see that my movies carry some message,” he added. It’s worth noting that the Malayalam superstar had produced several acclaimed films such as His Highness Abdulla, Bharatham, Kamaladalam, Mithunam, Pingami, Kaalapani and Kanmadam in the 1990s.

Known for his philosophical and detached nature, Mohanlal was also asked if bagging awards or having his movies become hits excites him. “I detach myself from all that. See, nothing can be done once the film is completed. No corrections, no changes. So, what is the use of getting excited about something over which you have no control? If it is good, it will be a hit, that’s all. But I celebrate whether it is a hit or a flop. I celebrate the occasion in my own way. A film will be a hit or a flop in spite of my worrying about it,” he noted, adding: “Tomorrow if I were to produce a big film, and even if it were to flop, it would not affect my mental make-up. It might affect me financially as a producer. But I can say that I will not feel sad.”

After the thunderous success of Empuraan, Mohanlal is currently gearing up for the release of director Tharun Moorthy’s highly anticipated Thudarum. Also starring Shobana, Farhaan Faasil, Maniyanpilla Raju, Binu Pappu and Irshad Ali, the movie hits the screens on April 25.