Mohanlal - in The Media

In The Media

Mohanlal has been described in Indian media as one of the versatile actors and has been lauded for his natural acting style. Reader's Digest India described him in 2004 as "cinema's jack of all trades and master of many". He was also listed 80th in India's Most Trusted Survey conducted by Reader's Digest in 2010. Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma has described Mohanlal as "one of the finest actors in the country who can slip into any role easily".

In 2003 on the 25th anniversary of Mohanlal's film career, a week-long celebration and a stage show was held in Thiruvananthapuram by his fans and friends. The proceeds from the stage show was donated to charity. Malayalam television channels, Asianet Television and Surya TV also held separate stage shows to celebrate the anniversary.

Mohanlal along with Mammootty, Dileep and Suresh Gopi have been accused in the media for causing a crisis in Malayalam cinema due to the "superstar" effect. In 2005 Mohanlal, Mammootty and Dileep controlled 95% of the box-office revenue of Malayalam cinema. These 3 artists have been criticized for their high remunerations, preference for formulaic content and larger-than-life male-oriented roles. Mohanlal fan clubs are present throughout Kerala; they help in creating a buzz around new releases and ensure a good opening in movie screens, a crucial factor in the success of the film. In 2007, prohibition activists in Kerala protested against Mohanlal for appearing in a surreptitious whiskey advertisement. Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation,a Kottayam-based NGO, accused the actor of violating laws that ban direct liquor advertisements. However, Mohanlal stated that it was unfair to single him out when so many other Indian actors were doing similar endorsements on television.

In 2010 Mohanlal was part of a public spat involving Malayalam writer and social-critic Sukumar Azhikode, actor Thilakan and Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). The controversy erupted after Azhikode supported Thilakan's accusations that AMMA had imposed an 'undeclared ban' on him, suggesting that the leading stars of Malayalam should step aside since they are old, out-of-shape and charged exorbitant remunerations resulting in mounting losses for the industry. He added that Mohanlal was "a hypocrite who hid his advancing age to act with younger heroines". Mohanlal responded that Azhikode was having "hallucinations" and his remarks were "an aged-uncle's joke". This led to further personal remarks by Azhikode against Mohanlal. Other actors like Mammootty and Innocent defended Mohanlal and the media was, in general, critical of the comments by Azhikode. Azhikode filed a defamation suit against Mohanlal in August 2010. The forest department filed a case against Mohanlal for keeping an elephant tusk at his home under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.