Kerala: Looking dapper in his dark blue shirt and white dhoti, the man is a picture of cool. In an industry where each nanosecond counts, Mohanlal opens up in a leisurely pace, each sentence accented with ease. His nonchalant demeanour persists throughout the conversation, be it about Celebrity Cricket League, or about his role as a cop in ‘Grandmaster’, the shoot of which is progressing in Kochi. Whatever may be the topic, the actor’s reflections and retorts come with a tinge of philosophy.
He begins with Celebrity Cricket League and the actor is thoroughly enjoying his double role as the captain of Kerala Strikers and the superstar who flies from set to set. The Kerala team faced a setback in the last game, that does not seem to have shaken his confidence and the captain ensures that his team will make a comeback.
"We have to win the next games. Our next matches are against Bengal Tigers in Hyderabad and there is another match against Karnataka Bulldozers at Kolkata. We have to strive hard or it is going to be a tough time for us," he said matter-of-factly.
The conversation gradually drifts off to ‘Grandmaster’, in which he teams up with B Unnikrishnan after the blockbuster ‘Madambi’. "In this movie I am donning the role of a lonely cop who is cynical about the system. At a critical juncture he is forced to turn against the antagonists," he says.
He also adds that he shares a good rapport with the director. "The vibes are highly positive whenever I work with him. This film, which is a murder mystery, is more of a director’s film. There is a realistic approach throughout, which my character too has. There is ample scope for performance. The role demands certain gestures and mannerisms and I am really enjoying it," says the actor.
Speaking about the mixed response to the much touted ‘Casanovva’, Lal says, "It took nearly three years for us to finish the shoot of ‘Casanovva’. We went through several traumatic experiences, and maybe that trauma is reflected in the movie too. Once a film is released, I do not ponder its success or failure because both are part of the industry."
So who is more responsible for the fate of the movie? "After a stage, every film slips from the hands of the actor. It is more or less the director’s act," he says. Mohanlal says the love and admiration heaped on an actor is not the result of any particular film. "It is an outcome of the reputation he has built over the years," smiles the actor.
Comments
0 comment