Mohanlal to Suraj Venjaramoodu: 5 award-winning actors and their lesser popular performances

Bagging the prestigious National Film Award or a State Film award is every artist’s dream. From actors to production designers, every cast and crew of a film aspires to bag the honour someday or the other. Walking away with the best actor award is a dream-come-true moment for every performer. If we take a look upon the Malayalam actors who have bagged the best actor award in the past decades, we can’t help but notice one thing in common, none of their movies were a commercial success. Although the movie buff knows that their favourite actors bagged the honour, seldom have they watched the movies that have won the actors the honour. From Mohanlal to the latest Suraj Venjarmoodu, here are five Award-winning best actors and their lesser popular award-winning performances.

Well, from the 1980 release ‘Manjil Virinja Pookkal’ to the recent ‘Big Brother’, this man needs no introduction! Mohanlal bagged his second National Award for the Best Actor in 1999 for the movie ‘Vaanaprastham’. Directed by Shaji N Karun, the movie told the story of a Kathakali artist Kunhikuttan, who is from a lower caste. From learning Kathakali under a teacher to portraying the complex emotions the movie demanded, Mohanlal poured his soul into the character and bagged the National award for all the right reasons. Although now people are revisiting the movie, appreciating it and lauding Mohanlal’s performance, the movie didn’t get recognition from the audience at the time of its release.

Mollywood actor Indrans is best known for his rib-tickling comic characters. The actor made a career-defining performance in the 2018 movie 'Aalorukkam'. Directed by debutant VC Abhilash, Indrans bagged the best actor award at the State Film Awards for his performance. Indrans essayed a 75-year-old man, Pappu Pisharodi, who goes in search of his son, who left 16 years ago. Essaying the retired Thullal artist Pappu, Indrans welled up the eyes of the audience. The movie approached old age and loneliness from a new perspective, but it’s pitiful that only a few have watched the movie.

Comedy and humourous characters are never inferior and we always appreciate them. But it cannot be left unnoticed that until ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ released, M-Town didn’t take ‘actor’ Salim Kumar seriously. Salim Ahamed’s directorial ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ was a stepping stone for Salim Kumar’s career. Salim Kumar essayed Abu, an old man, who sells attar (perfume) for a living. The movie narrates the story of a Muslim couple Abu and his wife Aishumma, who dreams of going to Mecca someday. Portraying the intricate emotions in his jaw-dropping makeover, the 2010 movie won Salim Kumar the National award for best actor. Every frame of the movie speaks a thousand words, but even today, ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ remains one of the under-appreciated movies of Mollywood.

One of the most talented actors in Mollywood, Surabhi Lakshmi bagged the National Film Award for the Best actress in 2016 for her performance in 'Minnaminungu'. She essayed the protagonist in the movie, who is a struggling single mother. It was after 14 years, that Mollywood bagged the Best Actress award at the National film awards through Surabhi Lakshmi. Despite bringing honour to M-Town, 'Minnaminungu' still remains the less appreciated movie.

M-Town knows Suraj Venjaramoodu as a great comedian. Last year, the movie buff also witnessed his charm in portraying character roles. M-Town audience even knows that the actor bagged a National Award for best actor, but it is unfortunate that only a few have seen his award-winning 2013 movie 'Perariyathavar' (Names Unknown). Directed by Dr. Biju 'Perariyathavar', the movie revolves around the people from the marginalised section of the society. Suraj essays a street sweeper in the movie, who is a widower and has a son. Although the movie bagged recognition and made headlines, it reached the theatres much later. Despite the hard work and fame, the movie was screened only at a few theatres as it was regarded as an ‘offbeat film’, which apparently couldn’t entertain the audience.