An Incredible Range

The electrifying performance of Mohanlal in ``Iruvar'' (left) is a high point of the film.
G. Pramod Kumar interviews the actor.

More than the production values and the usual controversy, a single factor places Mani Ratnam's ``Iruvar,'' ahead of his other movies: the mesmerising, high-voltage presence of Mohanlal, the National Award winning Malayalam actor. His performance in the film, in which he plays an actor-turned politician who ultimately becomes the Chief Minister, is subtle but electrifying, sensitive, but dramatic. An effort which showcases his incredible range, it is the same unadulterated high-intensity magic that demolished conventions and set new standards for acting in Malayalam cinema.

In Kerala, film lovers, including the die-hard practitioners and patrons of serious cinema, have no differing opinions about Mohanlal's deep-rooted acting abilities and immense range. He is one of the most powerful and versatile performers of contemporary Indian cinema and in Kerala, he is also a superstar. He is the alter-ego of an average Malayali.

Despite consistent critical acclaim and recognition in the form of a National Award and a special mention by the Jury, Mohanlal is still a stranger to the national audience compared to the actors of the North. But with ``Iruvar,'' the unassuming actor with unconventional looks, is on the threshold of international reputation.

Mohanlal literally grew up acting in films along with an entire new generation of film buffs, directors, producers, creative artistes and technicians. Like the proponents of ``art cinema'' in the Seventies, this new breed of film-makers transformed the face of Malayalam cinema and redefined its grammar. The divide between art and commercial cinema faded away and a new concept of good cinema emerged marked by a high level of creativity, improved production values, innovative style, good narratives and powerful portrayal of realistic subjects.

 The career graph of Lal, as he is affectionately called in his home-State, spanning 18 years, offers good study material as it represents the transition of a chubby, unconventional villain into a brilliant performer. Starting off in a 1980 hit, ``Manjil Virinja Pookkal'' (an attempt along with friends, called ``Thiranottam'' a year back got permanently tangled in the (Censor's scissors) he transformed into a character actor and then into a main hero before playing several eminently forgettable roles portraying all kinds of characters. At one point he was a machine working 20-22 hours a day, churning out 30 to 35 films a year.

The actor's major transition as a big-hero of commercial cinema and as an intense performer occurred almost at the same time with two mega-hits with contrasting themes in the Eighties. While ``Rajavinte Makan,'' a fast-paced gangster-film in which he played a negative-hero, raised the actor's box-office value to dizzy heights. ``Gandhi Nagar Second Street,'' in which he performed the role of an unemployed, helpless youth, established his acting credentials. There were several other memorable and highly successful films too which made Lal a household name such as ``T. P. Balagopalan, M.A.,'' ``Panchagni,'' ``Varavelpu,'' ``Padamudra,'' ``Amruthamgamaya,'' ``Thalavattam,'' ``Namukku Parkan Munthirithoppukal'' and ``Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam.'' Writers worked overtime to pen characters for him.

The second phase of his career which started in the late Eighties too, was very successful. His entire range of acting abilities came out effortlessly in ``Amruthamgamaya'' (written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair), in which he played a doctor who is tormented by the guilt of killing a boy in a ragging incident, while his youthful exuberance and maturity competed with each other in ``Namukku Parkan Munthirithoppukal'' and ``Thoovanathumpikal'' (directed by Padmarajan). His stellar performances in ``Thalavattam,'' ``Chitram'' and ``Kilukkam'' (all by his favourite director, Priyadarshan) sent the cash-register ringing non-stop. His suicidal intensity in ``Amruthamgamaya'' as a typical MT Character stunned casual film buffs and critics alike.

In the Nineties, Mohanlal scaled greater heights with all his movies bringing in critical acclaim and oodles of moolah. In films like ``Kireedam,'' ``Bharatham'' (``His Highness Abdullah'' by Sibi Malayil) and ``Devasuram'' (by I. V. Sasi) the actor appeared to be dangerously living the roles he played. His performance in ``Spadikam,'' a meticulously crafted movie which was a box-office hit in 1995-96, was explosive and unconventional. ``Adu Thoma,'' the character he played in the movie became very popular. Lal shared the agony and ecstasy of the characters he portrayed.

 Emphasising on quality, he reduced the number of films. In 1994 and 1995, Lal acted in only five films each. ``After 18 years, now I tend to relax.'' Last year, he inched closer to breaking the linguistic and geographic barriers of art with ``Kalapani,'' (right) a multi-lingual, multi-crore film which he co-produced. ``It was born out of our wish to take Malayalam cinema to a national audience and for that we were willing to take huge risks.''

The unique quality about Mohanlal's acting is his unbelievable range, burning intensity, sense of humour, timing and the ease with which he handles wide-ranging characters.

Excerpts from an interview:

Question: How was the experience of acting in ``Iruvar''?
Answer: I am natural in all my movies, ``Iruvar'' was no exception. But as an actor, it offered me an entire life-span of a character. It had a lot of variations.

Q: Was working with Mani Rathnam any different.
A: I have done my best and he, his best. Mani and I had been planning to do a film together for quite some time. We had worked together 12 years back in a Malayalam movie called ``Unaroo.''

``Iruvar'' is a well-made movie using the grammar of cinema effectively. No ingredients were added to make it a commercial hit.

Q: Except controversy?
A: No. It was borne out of mere speculation. The film does not favour any character or sensationalise any issue.

Q: You seem to truly live the characters you play. For example the roles you played in ``Kireedam'' and ``Spadikam'' looked extremely convincing. Do you work on the characters before enacting them.
A: No, it just happens. An actor gets a very limited period of time in front of the camera, from ``Action to Cut'' during which he is under tremendous pressure. He has to fit into the technical requirements of film-making. He has to catch light, should not move away from the frame, ignore thousands of on-lookers staring at him and then synchronise with his co-actors or actresses. For instance, during the shooting of ``Spadikam,'' there were more than 20,000 onlookers. It is a real problem.

If you study it and then act the role, everything will flounder. Good acting just happens. And personally I don't think one needs to work on the character unless one plays a historical character.

Q: Do you try to learn from other performers, particularly those from abroad?
A: I do watch movies from abroad, but never with an intention to adopt their style. There is a lot of difference between our style of film making and theirs. The styles cannot be compared.

Q: Who are your favourite actors in the international scene?
A: All the actors and actresses in English movies impress one because they are all natural. I like all the top-of-the-line actors.

Q: What about Robert De Niro. You have been compared with him often.
A: Yes I like him. I have seen all his movies, he is good.

Q: What about the Indian scene?
A: I don't get to watch many Indian movies. And there is no special reason to like a particular actor.

Q: In Malayalam films?
A: I like Gopi and Venu with whom I acted in many good films. I vibe very well with them and improvise on the sets. The same with Srinivasan too.

Q: You seem to work only with the top directors. Don't the talented directors of parallel cinema also deserve to have you work with them?
A: It is best to trust a known director. Even if the theme is bad, he can do a good job. Regarding the others, I have been waiting for years for a good role or a good subject. But the pity is that nobody has come forward with an interesting project.

Q: Not a single one?
A: None at all. There may be some talented film-makers. But shouldn't they prove it? If there is any outstanding project and no profit-motive I am even willing to compromise on my remuneration.

Q: After being in films for nearly two decades, have you developed interest in any other facets of film making? Could there be a transition on your part from an actor to a film-maker?
A: Yes, I do have my own concept of things and to some extent I know the grammar and the technique of film making which I have learnt from my experience of acting in more than 210 films. But direction is not my cup of tea. The whole film takes birth in the director's mind and he has to translate it into celluloid. When it flounders, the whole film collapses.

Recently we have started a miniature studio which might become a big firm later. Already, Priyadarshan shot a flood scene for his Hindi film there which came out very well. In special effects, miniature could be used very effectively with graphics. Let us see.

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