Mohanlal: We create movies for the audience alone

The world is seeing the rise of OTT platforms and much credit for this phenomenon can be given to the Covid-19 pandemic

The world is seeing the rise of OTT platforms and much credit for this phenomenon can be given to the Covid-19 pandemic. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is also aware of the perks that come with the medium. The actor says the streaming space is giving a global stage to regional cinema, crediting it for expanding its reach.

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal feels OTT platforms provide a wider segment of audience

“OTT platforms provide a global stage and a wider audience which helps an artiste’s hard work reach many people. There are multiple other perks, one of the biggest being, a regional cinema such as Drishyam 2 will now be accessible to people across the world at the click of a button,” says Mohanlal, referring to the second part of the hit Drishyam franchise, which took a detour and released on a digital platform instead of the big screen.

For Mohanlal, the transition from the big screen to OTT was a good call. “The movie premiered globally, making it available to avid cinephiles across countries, helping us reach a wider segment of audience across regions and languages,” he says.

The 60-year-old actor has spent over four decades in the industry, and over the years, Mohanlal says he has “learned and maintained that we should present stories with all our heart and dedication”.

It is often said that an actor always takes a bit of the character with him. And that stands true for Mohanlal, who has etched a permanent place in Indian cinema ever since he made his debut in 1978 with Thiranottam.

“Actors, in most cases, usually delve deep into their characters so as to bring to life the writer and director’s imagination. So yes, there are things from various characters which inspires one. In my case, the movies are Manichitrathazhu (1993) and Chithram (1988),” says the actor, who has also appeared in Bollywood films such as Company (2002), Aag (2007) and Tezz (2012).

While Mohanlal has a lot to look forward to with projects such as Aaraattu, Empuraan sequel and Ram, the actor is “overwhelmed by the tremendous response” that he got for Drishyam 2. “The success is a testament to the fact that cinema lovers across the world always appreciate good work and support it,” he wrote on social media after the release of the film.