Mohanlal at 65: Five times the actor played the bad guy to good effect

Mohanlal’s penchant for heroic roles, often with idealistic qualities, is well known. The actor has not played outright villains after becoming a superstar with 1986’s Rajavinte Makan. However, early in his career, he took on many negative roles with little room for redemption or empathy. Here are five instances where Mohanlal made the antagonist truly despicable.

Manjil Virinja Pookkal

In what is effectively his debut film (his actual debut Thiranottam was shelved initially and released years later), Mohanlal plays a cruel and oppressive husband. The actor makes his entry, about 90 minutes into the film, with the now-iconic line, “Good evening, Mrs Prabha Narendran.” It breaks the audience and Prem Kishan's (Shankar) belief that Prabha (Poornima Bhagyaraj) is single. More than just a formal address, it is an assertion of his marital claim over her in the presence of a third party. Mohanlal's delivery—with a chilling sense of composure and contempt—makes it particularly resonant.

Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu

Mohanlal plays a crude and unsophisticated exploiter who frames a woman for murder and blackmails a gynaecologist for money in this film, also starring Mammootty as an advocate. The actor embodies Ramu’s authoritative presence and subtle menace. While not part of every scene, his performance makes a mark and signals the greatness he would unleash later in his career. The film also stars Ambika and Seema.

Sreekrishna Parunthu

This A Vincent directorial with supernatural undertones stars Mohanlal as a black magic practitioner. The man turns to black magic to win back his former lover. In doing so, he becomes a conduit for malevolent forces, which turn against him. Mohanlal skillfully portrays his character as both a victim of his own choices and a terrifying figure with dangerous powers.

Shobhraj

Mohanlal's effortless performance as an underworld don is among the few redeeming factors in this tacky film, featuring many moments that today’s audience will find politically incorrect. The titular character in the film, loosely based on Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, eliminates obstacles, whether they are betrayers or rivals, with a sense of callousness and ruthlessness. Similar to Don, the plot involves the police hiring a lookalike of the titular hero to infiltrate his underworld ring. Rather than overt villainy, Mohanlal’s performance relies on subtlety, making him unpredictable and formidable.

Uyarangalil

Mohanlal's role as PK Jayarajan in the 1984 film is considered one of his most iconic and chilling portrayals of a sophisticated villain. The IV Sasi directorial, written by MT Vasudevan Nair, has Mohanlal playing a young, highly ambitious, and utterly ruthless businessman whose desire for wealth and power drives him. Jayarajan's lack of remorse for his crimes is one of his defining characteristics. Mohanlal effectively portrays the man capable of committing heinous acts and willing his colleagues into committing mistakes that would cost lives, making him truly frightening.