From the early hours of Saturday, Edappally in Kochi was a sea of people and they all had one intention - catching a good glimpse of megastar
Mohanlal in his new look, which he has attained for his latest project Odiyan. As opposed to the announced time of 10.30 am, the much-loved actor arrived almost an hour late but no, that did not dampen the spirit of the crowd.
After all, why not keep a few hours aside if what it rewards you with is 'Lalettan 2.0?'
As a cool shower to all those who braved the hot sun, Mohanlal's vehicle vroomed in to the showroom, drowning in the throes of excitement. Clad in a deep blue T-shirt, skinny fit jeans and dark shades, the superstar emerged into the crowd, mustache-less, smooth-skinned and in a never-seen-before avatar. He had a similar appearance in films like Vanaprastham and Panchagni, but Odiyan trumped them all, in terms of how much it inflamed people's curiosity.
All throughout the brief function, the new look remained the centre of attention for all -- be it the shutterbugs who were busy capturing it from all angles or the fans who were hoping against hope to get a selfie or autograph. His face was glowing, though, a tad expressionless. He was smiling, however.
'We love him better with his mustache and beard but hey, Lalettan is a vikaaram (an emotion). It's not the look that matters,' said a die-hard fan who waited along with his big group of friends. 'What do you mean? He looks much more stunning than ever before! Use your words wisely bro!' said another. 'You can think what you want about the look but who can undergo such strenuous processes at this age, just for a character? Lalettan is marana mass...' educated a fan who couldn't stand comparisons and discussions.
Well, whether we love his look now or not, its impact will only be proven once we see him as Odiyan Manikyan on the screen. Till then, let’s appreciate his efforts, brush off the criticism and say 'Nee Po Mone Dinesha!'