Making a slice-of-life movie isn't a walk in the park. With Thilakan and DQ headlining Usthad Hotel, Anwar Rasheed served us lip-smacking fare that is made better by a side order of Sulaimani Chai.
DQ sang his way into our hearts with Johny Mone Johny in ABCD. An extension of Faizy from Usthad Hotel, Dulquer manages to give Johns Issac a unique identity in this political comedyEven before it was cool for men nursing heartbreaks to take a solo bike trip to unexplored parts of India, Dulquer in Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi vroomed from Kerala to the North EastSilence speaks louder than words, especially when these said words are injurious to health. Dulquer's Tamil debut, Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, was a quirky little film that made all the right noisesArjun aka Ajju. Bangalore Days. Stuff of legend. DQ and Parvathy are part of one of those rare love stories where both have time to search their souls and both are provided with redemptive arcs.First double action is always special. IT is extra special when it is a Ranjith film. Njaan saw DQ essay the dynamically different roles of KTN Kottur and Ravi with consummate ease15 years since making the timeless Alaipayuthey, Mani Ratnam gave us Oh Kadhal Kanmani. He also reintroduced to Tamil cinema the effortless charm of DQ, who became a state-lines-crossing heartthrobIn every successful actor's career, there always comes that one experiment that could either elevate or derail everything. Thankfully, Charlie made DQ a SUPERSTAR!We saw glimpses of this in Theevram, but in Kali's Siddharth, we saw how DQ effectively subverts the cliched trope of 'angry young man' despite seething with righteous angerA decades-spanning gangster saga, Kammatipaadam exemplified DQ's belief in his acting abilities. Standing his own ground against a juggernaut of a performance by Vinayakam was no mean featAre you even a quintessential Malayalam hero if you haven't played the lead in a Sathyan Anthikkad movie? Jomonte Suvisheshangal was run-of-the-mill, but helped DQ endear himself to family audiencesDid Ajipan understand truly understand love and communism before his journey to America? DQ aces the role of a forlorn lover and fits stylishly in the opulent world of Amal NeeradScreentime isn't everything. DQ as Imran exudes a magnetic screen presence in an author-backed role that lasts all but 15 minutes in this beautiful coming-of-age filmNot all experiments yield favourable results, but it is imperative that the trials continue. In Solo, DQ pulls off his career-best performance in a laudable attempt at distinctive story-telling.Karwaan, a Piku-esque tale of love, loss, and longing, might be the safest Dulquer film in this list after Jomonte. But it is understandable. The stakes were high. It was his Bollywood debut after allMahanati had Dulquer playing the role of Gemini Ganesan. It is remarkable that he chose not to mimic the late actor's performance and yet pulled off a charming act.Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal is an example of Dulquer employing his charm to great effect. A simple but very effective performance.Playing the infamous criminal Sukumara Kurup in his most ambitious film yet, Dulquer was at his evil bestSalute's Aravind Karunakaran is Dulquer's first full-fledged cop role in his career. Beneath the stiff and upright outlook is a man tormented by guilt and Dulquer nailed it.