Mohanlal blockbuster earned 22x profit, changed Malayalam cinema forever; and why it’s under fire today | Malayalam News
5 min readKochiFeb 20, 2026 09:30 PM IST
It’s doubtful Malayalam cinema will ever see a star reign over the industry for four decades again. Yet, Mohanlal and Mammootty have somehow managed to do it and continue flying high, unwilling to let go of their thrones any time soon. Not only have the two been commanding the box office for over 40 years, but they have also brought notable recognition to Kerala, with the most significant being Mohanlal’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award win and Mammootty’s three National Film Awards for Best Actor. The two have also delivered several blockbusters, playing a key role in the industry’s growth.
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Among Mohanlal’s many superhits is an action drama that ushered in a new era in his cinematic journey. One of the biggest successes of his career, the movie grossed 22 times its budget, leaving thousands of jaws on the floor. While the film and its many punchy lines are still beloved by Malayalees worldwide, it has also, over the years, faced intense scrutiny for its overt celebration of hypermasculinity and misogyny.
And the blockbuster action drama we are referring to is Shaji Kailas’ Narasimham (2000). One of the biggest hits Malayalam cinema has ever seen, particularly in terms of profit, Narasimham was released on January 26, coinciding with Republic Day. Also starring Aishwarya Bhaskaran, Thilakan, NF Varghese, Kanaka, and Jagathy Sreekumar, the action drama revolves around a man named Poovalli Induchoodan (Mohanlal), who is out of prison after serving six years for allegedly murdering his classmate, and his efforts to rebuild his life while exacting revenge on those who falsely incriminated him.
Narasimham is one of the biggest hits Malayalam cinema has ever seen. (Credit: thecompleteactor.com)
Made on a budget of Rs 1 crore, the action drama collected Rs 22 crore, as reported by Onmanorama. Narasimham was significant for Mohanlal in another way, as it marked the foray of Aashirvad Cinemas, founded by his chauffeur-turned-close friend Antony Perumbavoor, into the world of cinema. Aashirvad’s entry marked a turning point in the superstar’s career, leading him to set aside his production company Pranavam Arts International — which had bankrolled classics like Vanaprastham, Bharatham, Kanmadam, Kaalapani, Kamaladalam, and His Highness Abdullah, among others — and make Antony his frequent collaborator. Aashirvad went on to produce several notable and successful movies with the superstar.
Although Mohanlal had delivered several blockbuster action films by then, Narasimham became one of the biggest trendsetters in Malayalam cinema, with its dialogues, Mohanlal’s getup and acting, the background score, and the action sequences, among many other elements, gaining iconic status. From Induchoodan’s “Po mone Dinesha” punch dialogue to the way he kept his moustache twirled and the type of colour mundu (dhoti) he wore in the film, everything associated with Narasimham became popular.
Narasimham became one of the biggest trendsetters in Malayalam cinema. (Credit: thecompleteactor.com)
Rajinikanth’s Padayappa inspired Narasimham
Interestingly, it was KS Ravikumar’s Rajinikanth-starrer Padayappa (1999) that inspired Shaji to push screenwriter Ranjith into writing Narasimham. “I went to see Padayappa while Ranjith was penning the script for Narasimham. Families occupied the whole theatre. However, the entire cinema hall echoed with cheers every time Rajinikanth even moved. My first reaction was, ‘Shouldn’t we make a movie like this?’ Not exactly the same, but I thought we should do a Malayalam film with a similar attitude. I requested Ranjith to infuse our new script with the same enthusiasm. Padayappa had a significant influence on me when I was making Narasimham,” Shaji once told Club FM. Mammootty also made a cameo appearance in the film.
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While Narasimham enjoys a special place in the hearts of Mohanlal fans and in the annals of Malayalam cinema, it has faced significant criticism over the years for celebrating hypermasculinity and elitism. Quite a few of its dialogues, much like many other scripts penned by Ranjith, have drawn flak for being outrightly misogynistic, reducing the female lead, Anuradha (Aishwarya), to just an object.
Narasimham, which reportedly ran for over 200 days in theatres, was remade in Telugu as Adhipathi (2001), with Mohan Babu essaying the central role. The Malayalam action drama has had numerous re-releases in Kerala over the years.
