Mohanlal Tamil Movie News

Leading Malayalam filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery's magnum opus Malaikottai Vaaliban starring five-time National Award-winning actor Mohanlal took a staggering opening in cinemas despite the initial mixed feedback. Although the ambitious film did not resonate instantly with fans as his previous films did, it is gradually attracting an audience, who have been taking to social media to express their views. That being said, Lijo recently sat down for a one-on-one conversation with National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, the Editor-in-Chief of Galatta Plus, to discuss in detail about Malaikottai Vaaliban, while also opening up on the audience reaction to the Mohanlal-starrer. 

Addressing the mixed response, Lijo said, "Malaikottai Vaaliban is a very special film for a very simple reason that I've gathered all those small, small things what I've experienced from my childhood. I would say mostly from films, the stories what I've heard from my grandmom or around all those Amar Chitra Katha stories, comics, and everything. I would say that the references in this film you cannot count. That many references are there. And, when such an effort is taken... See, I wouldn't say that it should be like celebrated, but at the same time, when it critiqued... I would not even say it's critiqued. Criticism is also totally welcome. But, this film when it was released, the first two days of the discussions were in total wrong direction, I felt. And, all the people, all the work done behind it, were suddenly out nowhere." 

Speaking further about the criticism towards Malaikottai Vaaliban, Lijo explained, "There was only a discussion about the worst Malayalam film ever made. So, that really made me sad and it's not just me. It's the whole team who had worked day and night for it for the last one and a half years. So, normally I have never come out and spoken about why we should watch the film. But, this film I thought that I have to explain it why the discussions are going in the wrong direction, why the critique is going in the wrong direction, and why the people should not be throwing stones at each other in the name of a film. It's all yours. You watch it or don't watch it. It's all fine. But, not compel people not to watch it. That is what is happening. When that happened, I had to come in front of the press and tell the mthat this is not going the right way."

Watch Lijo Jose Pellissery in conversation with Baradwaj Rangan in the video below:

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Keraleeyam 2023, which is called the festival of the Malayalees, on Wednesday, November 1, at Thiruvananthapuram. The event witnessed Kerala's cabinet ministers, diplomatic representatives of the UAE, South Korea, Norway, and Cuba, including leading Malayalam film stars Mammootty and Mohanlal, with Tamil actor-politician Kamal Haasan also gracing the occasion. Sharing the stage with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan were seen dressed in traditional white shirts and dhotis, with pictures from the ceremony now going viral on social media. 

Epic moments with the icons! 🤩#Kerala Chief Minister @pinarayivijayan, Ulaganayagan @ikamalhaasan, and the legends @mammukka & @Mohanlal at #Keraleeyam2023 ❤️#KamalHaasan #Keraleeyam #PinarayiVijayan #Mammootty #Mohanlal #Lalettan #PinarayiVijayan #Galatta pic.twitter.com/BmetfsILVs

— Galatta Media (@galattadotcom) November 1, 2023

Keraleeyam 2023 is described as a celebration of Kerala's rich cultural heritage and is scheduled to be held from November 1 to November 7 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The presence of Kamal Haasan alongside Mohanlal and Mammootty, with actresses Shobana and Manju Warrier, and several industrialists and personalities from different fields from various countries has elevated the celebrations. Speaking at Keraleeyam 2023, Kamal Haasan in his address to the people gathered at the prestigious event emphasized on how Kerala has played a big role in his life as an artiste and in politics. 

Kamal Haasan goes on to speak about how he sought the advice of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he decided to take an active plunge into the world of politics in 2017 when he founded the Makkal Needhi Maiam. He also talks about how his people-centric politics drew a big inspiration from Kerala's model of development and how he tried to emulate the state's governance model while mentioning his attempts at strengthening Tamil Nadu's local bodies. Addressing the audience gathered in English for the rest of the nation to know more about Kerala, Kamal Haasan further spoke about how the state holds a special place in his life and his journey, while also crediting the people for being generous in embracing his art. 

Watch Kamal Haasan's full speech at Keraleeyam 2023 below: 

Mohanlal is a top-tier star of the Malayalam Film industry and is celebrating his 63rd birthday today. Many of his fans, co-stars and actors in the Malayalam film industry had shared their wishes to the actor through social media. He is also a part of the anticipated Tamil film Jailer which has 'Superstar' Rajinikanth playing lead. The director of the film Nelson Dilipkumar has now revealed an exciting new glimpse of the actor as a birthday treat to fans from the sets. The photo shows the actor Mohanlal sporting a leopard-printed shirt, a funky hairstyle and a long beard. The look is for his character in Jailer. He is discussing showing on his phone to director Nelson. He shared the photo with the caption “Happiest birthday to the coolest and ever charming Mohanlal sir”.

Happiest birthday to the coolest and ever charming @Mohanlal sir 💐💐❤️🤗 #Lalettan #Jailer pic.twitter.com/H3KN2yupub

— Nelson Dilipkumar (@Nelsondilpkumar) May 21, 2023

This photo has created huge excitement among fans who are keen to know more updates about Jailer as the film is set to release in theatres on August 10. The makers made the release date announcement with a short video glimpse that also features Mohanlal in a similar attire. In the 'Superstar' Rajinikanth starrer film, Kannada superstar Dr Shivrajkumar, Pushpa fame Telugu actor Sunil and Bollywood star Jackie Shroff with Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah, Yogi Babu, Taram fame actor Vasanth Ravi, Vinayakan and others in important roles The film also has music by Anirudh Ravinchander. The film is to be produced under the banner of Sun Pictures.

As the actor Mohanlal is celebrating his 63rd birthday today, other updates about his films were also revealed. The first look glimpse video was released today from the film Malai Kottai Valiban. The video shows the actor pulling two mammoth ropes in a sandy place. The glimpse also become popular on social media and it's the next project of acclaimed director Lijo Jose Pellisery after Mamootty’s Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam.

There's no stopping the buzz surrounding 'Thalapathy' Vijay's Leo on social media as fans continue to express their excitement in anticipation of the Tamil superstar's next big film. Touted to be a gangster venture, the film being directed by blockbuster filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj has several big names in the star cast, with filming currently progressing in Chennai after the team wrapped up an intense schedule in Kashmir in March. With a new schedule on Leo kicking off last week, it has now been revealed that popular Malayalam actress Santhi Mayadevi has now come on board the Vijay-starrer, which will open in cinemas on October 19. 

Santhi Mayadevi, who is best known for her role as advocate Renuka in the 2021 Malayalam crime thriller film Drishyam 2: The Resumption, announced the news of joining Leo on Sunday. The actress posted a picture of herself with director Lokesh Kanagaraj on her Instagram page revealing that she is now acting in the Vijay-starrer, which is being produced under S S Lalit Kumar's 7 Screen Studio banner. Santhi Mayadevi, who is also a part of Mohanlal's upcoming Malayalam film, Ram: Part 1, is also an advocate by profession and a resident of Ernakulam in Kerala where she is living with her husband Shiju Rajasekharan and their young daughter. Check out Santhi's Insta post about Leo below:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Santhi Mayadevi (@santhi_mayadevi)

Vijay's Leo includes a packed cast starting with Trisha, who is pairing with the superstar 15 years after they worked in films Ghilli (2004), Thirupaachi (2005), Aathi (2006), and Kuruvi (2008). The film also features Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt as the antagonist, while 'Action King' Arjun, Mysskin, Gautham Menon, Priya Anand, Sandy master, Malayalam actor Mathew Thomas among others will be seen in pivotal roles, with music being composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Leo is slated to come out ahead of Ayudha pooja in October and the week-long holidays will no doubt be a big advantage for the makers to draw bigger audiences to theatres. 

Shakeela is one of the well-known actress of South India. She is known for doing glamorous roles in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. The actress made her debut with the film Playgirls in Tamil and went in to do many Malayalam films. she then did some Telugu films and a couple of Kannada films through out her career. The actress became known for softcore pornography films. The actress announced in 2001 that show will no longer be a part of soft-porn movies. The actress then became famous recently after participating in the television reality show Cook With Comali season 2.

Galatta media organised a fans meet for the famous actress Shakeela where she shared many personal insights and experiences. The host of the event asked about rumours that Mammootty and Mohanlal has been trying to ban the her films in the industry. Shakeela said “It is true, But they did not call for ban of my films. I am a big fan of Mohanlal and I don’t have anything against Mammookka (Mammooty). I have heard that he was the one who influenced this matter too much and that is all I known about it". The actress added, "Recently, I went to a Shivan temple and the chairman of the temple had asked Mammukka (if they could call me)and he said 'surely caller her, When cinema was about to close, that girl gave a hand (in reviving it)."

The actress Shakeela then said “it will be present everywhere. They invest Rs 4 crores on a movie and if we do a film with Rs 15 lakhs budget and causes the other film to flop everyone will have that fear. It must have happened probably, but they didn’t ban my films. I can put it this way, before they can ban me I called for a press meet and announced I will no longer act in soft-porn films. That’s my style.”

With the 2022 laughing ride Bro Daddy, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran charmed their way into our hearts. As fans eagerly await the return of this dynamic combination to the big screen, the Jana Mana Gana actor has released a photo on his official Twitter handle. The photo features the cast of their next drama, L2: Empuraan. He also captioned the photo saying, "#L2E EMPURAAN. The journey begins. 🙂🙏 ", while he twins with the celebrity and the rest of the team in black. Check it out: 

#L2E EMPURAAN. The journey begins. 🙂🙏 https://t.co/9phSeMGtqV@Mohanlal #MuraliGopy @antonypbvr @aashirvadcine pic.twitter.com/yQEV1uo0cR

— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) August 17, 2022

Aashirvad Cinemas proudly presents Empuraan. The next chapter of the Lucifer series is coming soon. In 2019, Prithviraj Sukumaran made his directorial debut with the film Lucifer, in which he co-starred alongside Mohanlal. This political action thriller was a huge smash in Malayalam. Given the venture's enormous success, the creators are currently hard at work on the sequel, named L2: Empuraan, which will again be directed by Prithviraj himself. 

Mohanlal will be seen reprising his role as Stephen Nedumpally alias Khureshi Ab'raam in the film. In a recent interview, the Kaduva actor confirmed that the film would begin production sometime around this year. In addition to this, Lucifer will be remade in Telugu as well with Megastar Chiranjeevi in the lead. The film is titled Godfather and stars Lady Superstar Nayanthara as the female protagonist.
 
On the work front, Prithviraj Sukumaran will also appear in Blessy's directorial Aadujeevitham in which he will be portraying a Saudi Arabian migrant worker who gets stuck in the middle of the desert. His other works with Hombale Films include Alphonse Puthren's Gold, where he will star alongside Nayanthara and Tyson. Meanwhile, Mohanlal's roster of upcoming films includes Barroz: Guardian of D'Gama's Treasure, Alone, Monster, Olavum Theeravum, and Ram.

Bigg Boss Malayalam season 3 finale came to a grand finish on Sunday, with popular actor Manikuttan being adjudged as the title winner for the 2021 edition. The Malayalam actor, who will next be seen in blockbuster Tamil director Mani Ratnam's anthology Navarasa in the Summer of '92 segment set to premiere on Netflix on August 6, took home prize money worth Rs 75 lakh for emerging as the winner of Bigg Boss Malayalam 3. Manikuttan had surpassed the other 7 contestants vying for the trophy among whom included Anoop Krishnan, Dimpal Bhal, Kidilam Firoz, Noby Marcose, Ramzan Muhammed, Rithu Manthra and Sai Vishnu, with veteran superstar and National Award-winning actor Mohanlal calling the curtains as the host once again on the smash hit reality TV show. 

During the course of the Bigg Boss Malayalam season 3 finale, the gala event saw Mohanlal interacting with the finalists and discussing the various changes in their lives after their participation on the show. Mohanlal announced the four runners-up first among whom Ramzan Muhammed came in at the fourth place while Dimpal Bhal was declared the third runner-up. Mohanlal then announced Manikuttan as the winner of Bigg Boss Malayalam season 3, with Sai Vishnu becoming the first runner-up.

മലയാളി മനസ്സുകൾ കാത്തിരുന്ന ആ വിജയി...

Bigg Boss Season 3 Grand Finale #BiggBoss #BiggBossMalayalamSeason3 #Asianet #RealityShow #Mohanlal #BiggBossMalayalam #BB #BBM #BBMS3 #biggbosscontestants #biggbossasianet #BiggBoss2021 #BBMSeason3GrandFinale pic.twitter.com/UBuAnGfL2v

— asianet (@asianet) August 1, 2021

After extending his gratitude to the audience and Bigg Boss team for making the third season a super success as in line with the previous two editions, Mohanlal entered the empty house set and picked up the genie lamp, while informing viewers that he will once again return for Bigg Boss Malayalam season 4. It is to be noted that the third edition of Bigg Boss Malayalam had been temporarily halted midway when the showrunners continued to shoot the show at the EVP Film City on the outskirts of Chennai city even after the Tamil Nadu government imposed a ban on film and television shoots during the pandemic. As part of the government protocols, the authorities had stepped in and vacated contestants, cameramen, technicians and other important staff members before sealing the premises of the show.

We have seen many movies being based on real-life incidents! However, in some rare cases, real life people take inspiration from some movies or scenes and one such recent shocking and terrifying incident has happened in Kerala! A private bank employee by the name of Sooraj has been arrested by the Kerala Police in Kollam, on charges of killing his 25-year-old wife, by letting a poisonous snake bite her. Though this was initially considered an accident, the victim's relatives urged the Police to look into the matter as she had earlier also been bitten by a poisonous snake but had thankfully recovered, less than two months ago. On investigation, the Police found Sooraj to be the culprit and arrested him and a snake charmer, who supplied him with the snakes!

There is a similar scene in the 1985 Mollywood hit movie Karimpinpoovinakkare, which had Mammootty, Mohanlal, Urvashi and Seema in it and was directed by the legendary IV Sasi. In this movie, Mohanlal confesses to Urvashi of using a snake to kill one of his enemies, to make it look like an accident. Ever since the Kollam incident came to light, social media has been abuzz with people relating it to the scene in Karimpinpoovinakkare! Sooraj is said to have initially obtained a poisonous Russel Viper snake in March and used it to bite his wife, following which she received treatment at a hospital and returned home in April! However, on her return, he again replicated this incident, this time with a very poisonous Indian Cobra. He is said to have dropped the snake on his wife on May 6th night while she was asleep and she was found dead, on May 7th morning!  

Legendary actor Mohanlal is celebrating his 60th birthday today (May 21) and wishes have been pouring in from all quarters. The fans are making the day further special with their celebrations on social media in the form of specially designed posters, pictures, tribute videos and of course, hashtags. Actor Kamal Haasan took to his social media space to wish Mohanlal for his birthday and the wish was indeed very sweet and heartwarming. Kamal revealed that he’s been a fan of Mohanlal ever since his first film and called him his younger brother.

“Dear Mr.@Mohanlal I liked you from your first film. I envied you for the constant quality of your work, that too with detractors lurking in every turn. I liked you even more when I worked with you. Long live my younger brother.”, Kamal tweeted. This tweet has gone viral among the fans on social media. Kamal and Mohanlal worked together in the acclaimed drama, Unnaipol Oruvan.

On the acting front, Mohanlal currently has RAM and Drishyam 2 with director Jeethu Joseph. He would also be making his directorial debut with the 3D children fantasy film, Barroz: Guardian of D'Gama's Treasure. Check out Kamal Haasan’s tweet below:

Dear Mr.@Mohanlal I liked you from your first film. I envied you for the constant quality of your work, that too with detractors lurking in every turn. I liked you even more when I worked with you. Long live my younger brother.

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) May 21, 2020

Recently, director Jeethu Joseph had revealed that he is planning to do a quickie that will be entirely shot in Kerala within a span of few months. He is currently directing RAM, starring Mohanlal and Trisha in the lead roles. The film’s shooting has been stalled due to the global pandemic situation and it is going to take a few more months for the situation to get back to normalcy. Since RAM is being shot on a grand scale in foreign countries like Uzbekistan, Jeethu shared that the shooting might be delayed by a few more months as the pandemic situation is worse there.

On the other hand, Kerala has handled the situation quite effectively and things might get to normalcy there, in a few weeks. In the meantime, before resuming the shoot of RAM, Jeethu has decided to shoot a quickie in Kerala. According to the latest updates that come from Mollywood, it is said that Jeethu would team up with Mohanlal for this quickie, as well. The highlight aspect is that the duo have decided to make Drishyam 2, which will be shot entirely in Kerala in a span of two months.

Drishyam is one of the biggest hits in the history of Malayalam cinema and it was the first Malayalam film to collect 50 crores at the box office. Drishyam was highly raved by the critics and the general audience for its gripping screenplay and smart writing. The sequel to the highly celebrated Drishyam definitely comes as a big surprise and the fans are waiting for an official word regarding this project. It is said that the announcement might be made tomorrow (May 21) on the account of Mohanlal’s birthday. Well, sounds interesting, right?! Let us keep our fingers crossed and wait for the official word!