Mohanlal: I have not lived for myself, so now I am trying to find time for that

Come success or failure, those around Mohanlal say that you can hardly notice the difference in how the actor carries himself. Last year, he became the only South Indian actor to have acted in two movies that grossed over ` 100 crore — Pulimurugan and Janatha Garage. Bring that up to the actor and he nonchalantly brushes it off with his trademark grin.
The New Year though brings its own set of challenges and there’s no use in “becoming excited or sad or worried when you can live in the present”, is his philosophy.And we take his word for it as we get to pick his mind on completing 37 years in the industry, how he keeps it all together in the chaotic world of films, what drives him and his future plans…
You have been acting for so long, have you ever felt the need to slow down?
Maybe in a couple of years, I will slow down. And maybe later I might even call it a day. There are other things I can do like travel, read books etc. Those are decisions I would have to make later. I am completely fine if I don’t act. I love to take some holidays. In fact, I am a guy who wants to take a break for at least 10 days after each movie. But often that doesn’t happen because the schedules are pushed. I have not lived for myself, so I am now trying to find time for that.
After 37 years in the industry, is the biggest challenge to avoid repeating yourself?
You can’t do anything about that. See, in a football game, you can’t do anything new apart from passing the ball within the field and score goals. Yeah, sure, once in a while you can do a bicycle kick or somersault but predominantly there’s a format to how the game is played. Similarly, in the last 37 years, it’s the same man who is acting. People know I am not blind or have super strength, yet they believed in my characters in Oppam and Pulimurugan. It’s that belief of the audience that is also my greatest strength. Once that is gone, I might have to shut up shop and look for another job.
So, it’s tough to avoid repetition. But then it also depends on the roles. For instance, the character Major Mahadevan in 1971: Beyond Borders is a sort of person who says when you are at the war-front you have to leave all emotions behind and react only to the enemy in front of you. So, when his colleague dies in the battlefield, I’d rather have him weep in the inside than cry with glycerine in his eyes. For me that’s a change.
Has there ever been an attempt from your side to please your fans by giving them priority over the movie’s content?
I have never done that but our directors and writers might have. Like say add a few scenes where I have to twirl my moustache or insert dialogues such as Po Mone Dinesha that were used as a tagline for the fans. But personally, I have not told anyone to include any scene to please the fans. I think that trend doesn’t exist in Malayalam. In Tamil if you look, for instance, in Vijay’s movie, a mass intro scene and a dance sequence with him are must haves. When these are missing, the fans are disappointed. Our audience luckily doesn’t need that. I have believed that if you make movies just for fans, they won’t be good. Films are not meant to be watched only by fans but by everyone. Fans are those who like what we do. When we do things that only they like, then we are becoming their fans.
In 2017, you have a highly anticipated project Lucifer, which will be directed by Prithviraj and scripted by Murali Gopy…
We have been planning the film. Right now only the title is fixed. I have worked with both their dads — I have starred in Gopy chettan’s directorial and Sukumaran chettan’s production. I have acted with them as well. So, when the offer came, I accepted to be part of the movie. Plus, Murali and Prithviraj are both sensible. From our conversations about movies, I have gathered they are well-versed with cinema and the expectations of the industry. I liked the concept of Lucifer. Now, they will have to develop the script; we will have to sit for discussions because when so many people are involved, we can’t just make an ordinary film. People will start questioning that, right? So, the content has to be good and that’s what the focus is right now. I will be meeting them soon to discuss when it will go on floors.
How about you? Did you never want to direct a movie?
It’s a different field altogether. I can chumma direct but that won’t do justice to a movie. If you look at an actor like Prithviraj, he’s someone who was interested in direction from the start. He watches and studies movies for that purpose. For that, I have to find time. I have to stop acting and write a script; but all of that is a huge task. If I get a good story, a good cameraman and associate director, I can direct but that’s not doing justice to the art. And I haven’t thought about direction at all.
If you ask me whether I can direct, I can. In fact, I have shot several songs, scenes and stunts. When certain directors of my movies were not able to be there for some reason and had asked me to help out, I have directed. But to helm an entire movie is a different art altogether. I don’t think I can do it even in the future because it’s difficult. I like to be free. To enjoy that freedom, one day I might say that I had enough of movies and now let me travel. I have such things in my mind but I don’t know if I will be able to do all that.
Are you also teaming up with Sreenivasan and Sathyan Anthikad again for a film?
There is no story yet. If a movie materialises, let it happen. When we come together, we want it to be entertaining for our audience. Now people expect a lot and unless you are confident of doing a really good film, I think we should never attempt it. But you can never say that our films should be like the ones we had done earlier. There is no scope for such subjects now. It’s been 30 years since Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam released. I don’t know how it is if you try and evict a tenant from your house now, especially with so many apartments. But back then, there were a lot of problems about tenants not vacating houses. So, it was easier to relate to. I don’t think anyone would identify with a gurkha from Gandhinagar 2nd Street today. Films of that era had subjects that touched social life. Cinema has changed and people now want fast-paced movies.
Recently, you had shared a video talking about your father. But you have always said your mother has been a cornerstone in your life. Tells us about the relationship you share with her?
I read this beautiful anecdote somewhere. It’s about a mother’s thought after her son leaves her in an old age home. As she sees him leaving, she is proudly thinking that he has now become an independent man and can live without her help. She doesn’t blame him for leaving her in an old age home. I believe every mother thinks that way about their kids. My mother is unwell but she thinks about me. And that channel of communication is always open. I call her every now and then, and if she understands or not, I tell her where I am, what I am doing. She watches my movies. Her presence is a huge support. My father and brother passed away. My blood relation is my mother and I pray to God for her health every day.
You are also known to be quite spiritual. How much has that helped in your life?
Our spiritual life is a vast subject. I think it’s about believing in your own philosophy and adopting that in your life. That’s what I do. I was brought up in a family where the women went to the temple in the morning. Consequently I too wish to do the same but if I am not able to, I am fine with that too. I have always been a spiritual person and have a healthy detachment-attachment concept ingrained. So, when I hear something, I don’t become depressed nor do I become overwhelmed with excitement. I have grown up listening to sayings that there’s no use in becoming excited or sad or worrying; when you can live in the present.
You must have passed that on to your son Pranav as well?
Pranav has not seen me waking up in the morning and going to a temple. Also, he studied in a Christian residential school that had students from 23 nationalities. So, his thoughts could have been shaped by the Anglican and Western philosophy. So, I can’t tell him that he has to wake up in the morning, take a bath and head to the temple. I don’t do that. He studied philosophy and so he’s developed his own philosophy of life. He reads books and in the middle of that I can’t go and tell him that he has to pray to a deity. He won’t understand that. He would ask me what the deity represents and what happens if he prays to one? That would result in a debate and I don’t know too much to convince him. Even if I do, I don’t think he would understand. So, the story stands still.
How do you unwind?
I travel a lot and I enjoy that experience. Every year, we along with five families, make it a point to travel to a new country. Even otherwise, my family and I have gone to Antarctica, Alaska and went to see the Northern Lights. See, it’s not stressful for me to work in this industry. It’s been 37 years in movies, so I am part of the system. When someone suddenly comes and tells me, “Oh my God! The lights are not working or the camera conked,” I am unmoved. It has happened so many times before and I have become seasoned. Other people might get angry at these incidents but I don’t.