Mohanlal on how OTT changed Malayalam film industry's outlook, says 'exposure led to greater acceptance'

Mohanlal is in the limelight, with the nation celebrating his contribution to Indian cinema with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award recently. The actor talked about how the emergence of online platforms helped Malayalam gain more popularity and acceptance in an interview with DD India. He also expressed his profound gratitude for this honour as well during the conversation.

'OTT changed the Malayalam films' outlook'

The Thudarum star made a point of saying that during his initial period in this profession, the Malayalam film industry was small and had little exposure. As cassettes and CDs became more widely available, films gradually gained some recognition. But he claimed that the OTT surge during the COVID-19 pandemic altered the industry's terrain. Mohanlal continued by saying that these online platforms allowed viewers to enjoy our films in the original language with subtitles, which generated a new level of industry acceptance.

"As you can see, Malayalam films consistently take home at least five National awards in a variety of categories every year. Great artists have enhanced our industry, and Malayalam has gained an unparalleled place in Indian cinema," he said. Mohanlal also talked about people going back to see some of his earlier films, like Kaalapaani (1996), which had actors from various industries. "The phrase "pan-Indian" did not exist at that time. Although this movie received praise, it did not receive the amount of attention it merited, and now people are watching it again online, thereby reaching a larger audience," he continued. 

Also Read: Mohanlal reacts to Ram Gopal Varma's post on his Dadasaheb Phalke Award victory

Mohanlal honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023

Recently, the Malayalam superstar was named the 2023 recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. When the actor accepted this accolade at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi on September 23, his fans and Malayalis worldwide celebrated. Bollywood stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Boney Kapoor lavished praise on Mohanlal for his triumph. Social media was inundated with messages from other South Indian actors, particularly the entire Malayalam cinema industry, expressing their admiration for the star.

FAQs

Q. Who is the recipient of the 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke Award?

A. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is the recipient of the 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in the field of cinema. He is the first actor from Malayalam and only second recipient, after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan (2004) to be felicitated with the recognition.

Q. Who is the first-ever recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?

A. Devika Rani, considered the first lady of Indian cinema, was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.