Megastar Mohanlal in action is sheer poetry

Mohanlal in a still from Lijo Jose Pellissery-directed Malaikottai Vaaliban, which releases in theatres on January 25.

One can, perhaps, challenge the popular narrative surrounding Superstar Mohanlal’s flexibility in dancing skills. Because a trained dancer will tell you that it’s less about the technicalities and more about the ease with which he moves his body that creates the illusion of being a good dancer. But when it comes to his nimbleness with stunts, it is a no-contest. That, he does with the finesse of a prima ballerina — perfecting the line and length, conveying grace, ferocity, and elasticity. It flows freely like how he acts — incomprehensible where the beauty comes from, just so naturally rhythmic. We bring you some of the finest action set pieces featuring the actor — it can be a scene, a sequence, or an impromptu jig, but Mohanlal turns it into a piece de resistance.

There isn’t a dull moment in Priyadarshan’s 1985 comedy Boeing Boeing which revolves around a suave young man (Mohanlal) who is negotiating his time between three women. A friend’s (Mukesh) arrival further thickens the plot. Sure, Mohanlal and Mukesh craft an enviable comic jugalbandi on screen, but what isn't as discussed is this spectacularly improvised physical comedy in the film. They sneer, trade punches, use fists, dive over furniture, and fake hugs to avoid getting caught and it is hysterically funny! Perhaps, one of the earlier instances that showed Mohanlal’s ease in pulling off various stunts.

Sangeeth Sivan’s Yodha (1992) shifts base from Kerala to Nepal, in which Mohanlal becomes the unsuspecting savior of a young Rimpochee, though the laughs keep tricking in, there are a few superbly choreographed stunts that keep you on edge. There is a tiny portion with his rival Appu Kuttan (Jagathy Sreekumar) in which he quietly puts him in his place — he begins gently, easing into the conversation, and then expertly twists his forearm, turning his sneer into a squeal. Or these casual, almost affable stunts he pulls off now and then. And that finale stretch once he turns blind, where he ambushes his opponents, with a combination of karate and Tai Chi. So graceful, fluid, and believable.

But in Bharathan’s western thriller Thazhvaram (1990) which pivots around a man’s simmering thirst for vengeance against his one-time buddy, the stunts are raw and unrehearsed. In the third and final act set in the barren dusty terrain, as the vultures await their prey Raju (Mohanlal) and Balan (Salim Ghouse) fight it out — man to man, flesh to flesh, combating to stay alive. From the moment he walks unwaveringly through the explosion of a bomb with cold fury, his eyes never losing sight of his prey, followed by the grimy, reckless brawl on the ground and that calm, but strangely poignant closure, Mohanlal is lethal here.

A middling action-packed adventure heading a local hunter who is often called to slaughter man-eating tigers in a village in Vysak's Pulimurugan (2016) is deemed palatable solely for Mohanlal’s skills with fiery action stunts. Look out for that intro shot as he locks horns with the beast — somersaults, Mowgli-like long jumps, running between gigantic trees, tree hopping and finally, within the blink of an eye, he throws a loop around his neck and finishes the beast with a knife. In the hands of any other actor, it would have gone monumentally wrong but Mohanlal makes the act feel believable. In another scene, though Murugan doesn’t raise a finger, it’s a moment that captures the aura surrounding the “legendary hunter.” They unleash two fierce mongrels upon Murugan — they come racing in only to stop in their paths at the sight of the hunters’ presence. Soon we see them prostrating at his feet, like a pair of tame puppies. Pure hysteria for a fan!

Two similar massy action set pieces are arranged in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s action thriller Lucifer (2019), which again delineates the menacing “myth” preceding political kingpin Stephen Nedumpally. First up, he makes short work of an army of men at a vacant factory, with gunplay involved and a whole range of slow-mo graceful, bloodless fights, swatting humans out of his range casually, all the while keeping a stoic face, and his white shirt and mundu remains intact. Then there is a slightly more destructive, less tidy fight inside the jail—calm, defiant, and packs a punch. Though one is aware that it is a choreographed stunt, what Mohanlal brings to the table is grace and absolute naturality. Reminds you of that Phantom folklore — “The Phantom moves faster than a great cat, with the power of a charging bull elephant.”

In K Madhu's Munnam Mura (1988), a hostage action thriller, you can witness a less flamboyant but efficient Mohanlal as ex-cop Ali Imran who rescues the Minister and his team from the clutches of a gang of rogues. In the climactic stretch, Ali plans the operation resourcefully, almost singlehandedly taking down the men, using his wits and dexterity to outstrip them. Look out for the terrific summersault as he catches the gang leader off guard and rescues the last of the hostages. You would think this guy has been doing it all his life.

Sphadikam (1995), directed by Badran, is an action drama that brilliantly strikes a balance between the star and the actor in him. The film is jam-packed with stunts that can make a perfect Instagram reel with the header “How to punch like a boss.” Let’s pick the most testosterone-high jig featuring Aadu Thoma and his nemesis Cop, where the former takes him like a raging bull that’s seen red, plummeting him with knuckles, legs, and heavy punches. There is no one-upmanship here and that raises the temperature.

Devasuram’s (1993, directed by IV Sasi)  Neelakandan was the last of the flawed alpha male heroes from the Ranjith universe. That finale has Neelan and his longtime rival in public — and this time Neelan stands there, desperate to save the woman he loves, and agrees to be smacked without even once raising a finger. Just when a battered and bloodied Neelan is about to be defeated comes Bhanumati and an invigorated man smoothly turns the table around. It’s a brilliantly choreographed action piece that finely underlines Neelan’s arc.

That one-upmanship is there in Shaji Kailas's Narasimham (2000) — so though the goosebumps are up when Induchoodan takes on the thugs, starting with a close-up shot of the Mohanlal stretching his big toe (that’s unusual hero glorification), replete with uppercuts, jabs, cross, and back fists, you are also aware of the culmination. And that sort of takes the edge off the thrill.

Ending this with one of his most poignant action sequences in Sibi Malayil's Kireedom (1989). A fatigued and disillusioned Sethumadhavan after being treated as a pariah for the longest time, decides to eventually succumb to his fate. Mortification and rage are the only emotions left as he blindly attacks and stabs Keerikadan Jose multiple times — Sethumadhavan has finally set himself free. And all you feel is numbness. Brilliant.