Why Mohanlal’s Mother Didn’t Watch These Three Superhit Films Of Malayalam Icon

Although Mohanlal is known for his composed and detached demeanor, Malayalees worldwide are aware of one fact: his love for his mother, Santhakumari, was unmatched. Regardless of his hectic schedule, the Malayalam superstar always made time to speak to her or rush to her side whenever needed.

Highlighting the strength of their bond, the first thing Mohanlal did after returning to Kochi with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was to visit his ailing mother and share his joy with her.

Santhakumari’s Protective Love For Santhakumari, who passed away on December 30 at the age of 90, Mohanlal, affectionately called “Lalu” by her, held a very special place in her heart. She was so emotionally attached that she avoided watching many of his tragic films, believing

she couldn’t bear seeing her son suffer on screen.

As per The Indian Express, she once revealed to a television channel: “I cannot watch Kireedam (1989) or Chenkol (1993). It is too painful. There are beatings and suffering. I have never watched Chenkol at all. I watched a little of Kireedam and then stopped. I have not seen Thalavattam (1986) either, and I do not want to.”

Preferring his lighter roles, she enjoyed movies like Kilukkam (1991) and even left Chithram (1988) before its climax, despite it being one of Mohanlal’s biggest blockbusters.

Mohanlal’s Iconic Tragic Roles
For context, films like Kireedam, Chenkol and Thalavattam are celebrated as some of Mohanlal’s finest performances. Kireedam earned him his first National Film Award (Special Mention). However, these films are tragic dramas in which his characters face heartbreaking circumstances. Even Chithram, mostly a comedy-drama, ends on a sorrowful note as Mohanlal’s character, an escaped convict, is returned to jail to face a pending death sentence.

Parents’ First Reaction to Mohanlal on Screen
Mohanlal has also shared anecdotes about his parents’ first experience watching him in Fazil’s Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980). Although his actual first film was Thiranottam (1978), it wasn’t released until 2005, making Manjil Virinja Pookkal his official debut, where he played the antagonist.

As reported by the portal, Mohanlal reflected on that day, saying, “When my parents saw the release advertisement of Manjil Virinja Pookkal in the newspaper, their joy knew no bounds. They went to see the film on the very first day. As my scenes appeared on screen, women sitting nearby would say, ‘Oh no, kaalan (though the word literally means Yama, the god of death, it’s used colloquially to mean a rascal or an evil person) is coming.’ Hearing that, my mother’s heart would truly shudder. My father, too, my mother later said, was deeply distressed.” Mohanlal’s father, Viswanathan Nair (late), was a former bureaucrat who served as the law secretary with the Kerala government.

Mohanlal’s Recent Work
On the professional front, Mohanlal was last seen in the epic fantasy action drama Vrusshabha, continuing his legacy as one of Malayalam cinema’s most versatile and respected actors.