Mohanlal:A Director's Actor

Nearly three decades in the film industry, over 250 movies, numerous roles and awards...! Mohanlal, known for his versatility and natural acting style, stepped in as a villain, but has grown to be the reigning superstar of Malayalam cinema today. He is viewed as a spontaneous actor with the ability to effectively portray the characters' inner feelings and turmoils very fast and convincingly. Even in the midst of all these credits attributed by eminent directors and millions of his fans, Mohanlal says that he prefers being a director"s actor!

"I trust my directors. I believe in the way they work and I let things happen. I just try to act in the best way I can," said Mohanlal, who is all set to work in an Indo-Japanese venture, Nair San. This thespian was in the capital recently to promote his forthcoming Malayalam film Aakashagopuram, based on author Henrik Ibsen"s classic play 'Master Builder'.

"It is a complicated film. You cannot express the film or my character in a few words. I play a strange and complex personality," Mohanlal said while talking about Aakashagopuram whic is to be released on August 22. The movie is said to be the first South Indian film to be shot entirely in Britain and is also the most expensive movie in Malayalam till date.

"The film is very costly because of its location, the shooting equipment and the international artistes involved. Kerala is a small place and so it is only once in a blue moon that we can churn out such high budget films," he added.

Mohanlal has worked in Bollywood movies like Company and Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag so far and has also revealed his plans of doing further Bollywood projects. "I have a couple of offers and that too some irresistible ones, but at the moment, I have a lot of commitments in the Malayalam film industry. I like to take up only one film at a time. I don't like to do other things in between. Besides, Bollywood films require a lot of dates and sometimes my dates don"t match. Also, I feel one should be very comfortable with the character."

Mohanlal has no plans to don the director's hat in near future. "It is an entirely different league, a different art. It is not an easy thing. I will wait... It has to happen. Otherwise I have no plans right now because I will have to stop my acting and then switch over to direction," he said.