Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair (Malayalam: മോഹന്ലാല്; born 21 May 1960),[2] is an Indian film actor and producer known for his versatile acting in Malayalam cinema. Mohanlal made his acting debut in Thiranottam in 1978 followed by the role as the lead antagonist in his first release Manjil Virinja Pookkal in 1980.
Mohanlal subsequently portrayed antagonistic roles in several movies before establishing himself as a lead actor playing a wide variety of character types, including comedy and action.[3] He was labelled a superstar of Malayalam cinema in 1985 after the success of Rajavinte Makan in which he played the role of an underworld don. Mohanlal became a film producer with the 1990 musical His Highness Abdullah. He has also acted in a few Tamil and Bollywood films; of these, his roles in Iruvar, directed by Mani Ratnam, and Company, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, were noted. In addition to acting and producing films, Mohanlal owns business ventures related to film distribution, restaurants and packaged spices.
Mohanlal is regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema[4] and is a cultural icon[5] in the state of Kerala. He was elected as the most popular Keralite in an online poll conducted by CNN-IBN in 2006 on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the formation of state of Kerala.[6] In 2001, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, for his contributions to Indian cinema. He has won four Indian National Film Awards - two Best Actor Awards, one Special Jury Award for acting, and one Award for Best Film as producer - and six Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor. In 2009, he became the first actor to be bestowed the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army of India.[7] In 2010, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala conferred an honorary doctorate upon him.[8]
Mohanlal subsequently portrayed antagonistic roles in several movies before establishing himself as a lead actor playing a wide variety of character types, including comedy and action.[3] He was labelled a superstar of Malayalam cinema in 1985 after the success of Rajavinte Makan in which he played the role of an underworld don. Mohanlal became a film producer with the 1990 musical His Highness Abdullah. He has also acted in a few Tamil and Bollywood films; of these, his roles in Iruvar, directed by Mani Ratnam, and Company, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, were noted. In addition to acting and producing films, Mohanlal owns business ventures related to film distribution, restaurants and packaged spices.
Mohanlal is regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema[4] and is a cultural icon[5] in the state of Kerala. He was elected as the most popular Keralite in an online poll conducted by CNN-IBN in 2006 on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the formation of state of Kerala.[6] In 2001, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, for his contributions to Indian cinema. He has won four Indian National Film Awards - two Best Actor Awards, one Special Jury Award for acting, and one Award for Best Film as producer - and six Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor. In 2009, he became the first actor to be bestowed the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army of India.[7] In 2010, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala conferred an honorary doctorate upon him.[8]
