Priyadarshan – Mohanlal: Best films of the duo

Priyadarshan - Mohanlal are considered as the hit machine of Malayalam film industry. Their comedy hits are still appreciated and loved by Malayalam cinema lovers. Here are some of the top films done by the duo...

Akkare Akkare Akkare

Akkare Akkare Akkare is the third movie of the Mohanlal-Sreenivasan CID series. The first two movies Nadodikkattu (1987) and Pattanapravesham (1988) were directed by Sathyan Anthikkad. This movie is about a missing crown and CID Dasan (Mohanlal) and CID Vijayan (Sreenivasan) investigating the case. The movie was mostly shot in USA, in cities like Houston, Texas, and Los Angeles. The other cast of the film included M.G. Soman, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Parvathy, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari, Jagadish, and K.P.A.C. Lalitha. This movie, like its other parts, was well appreciated and Sreenivasan was specially appreciated for its hilarious dialogues.

Boeing Boeing

This 1985 released film was the remake of the 1965 American film of the same name. In this movie, Mohanlal dates three airhostess with the help of his friend and rival Mukesh. The film became a big blockbuster and is also considered as a cult. This is considered as one of the best works of Priyadarshan-Mohanlal-Mukesh combination. Mohanlal, as a flirty guy, was hilarious in the film. The other star cast of the film included Lizzy, Madhuri, Ashwini, Jagathy, Sukumari, Maniyanpilla Raju, M. G. Soman and Sankaradi.

Chithram

Chithram that released in 1988 was claimed to be a screwball comedy movie. The star cast, other than Mohanlal, included Ranjini, Nedumudi Venu, Poornam Vishwanathan, Sreenivasan, Soman, Sukumari, Lizy, and Maniyanpilla Raju while Thikkurissy had a guest appearance. The movie still continues to be one of the highest grosser in the history of Malayalam cinema. It broke all the records at that time. The movie, though, has a tragic ending. It is still loved by the masses because of the stupendous performance by Mohanlal. The movie had many classical songs like Eeran Megham and Nagumo.

Killukam

This musical-comedy hit, written by Venu Nagavalli, released in the year 1991. The film is, reportedly, inspired from Audrey Hepburn starrer movie Roman Holiday. It is considered as one of the classics ever made by Priyadarshan. Mohanlal as Joji was amazing and was loved by his fans a lot. Revathy did full justice with the transformation she had in the film as a mentally ill woman and then a daughter searching for her father. The movie reportedly crossed the collection of Rs. 5 crore, making it the first Malayalam film to achieve the feat. Mohanlal won the Kerala Sate Film Award for Best Actor for the film.

Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu

Mohanlal-Priyadarshan came up with this comedy in the year 1986. Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu is considered as one of the best comedy film ever made in Malayalam film industry. This movie's cast included Mohanlal, Mukesh, Lizy, Sreenivasan, Jagathi Sreekumar, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Kuthiravattam Pappu in leading roles. The movie was considered as a brainless comedy and eventually became a cult movie. The dialogues of the movie were given by Sreenivasan. Whenever aired on TV, it still gets amazing viewership.

Minnaram

Minnaram is a 1994 released musical-comedy film. The other cast includes Shobana, Thilakan, Sankaradi, K. P. Ummer, Jagathy Sreekumar, Geetha Vijayan, Venu Nagavally, and Lalu Alex. Jagathy Sreekumar stole the show with his character of an insecure husband. The movie had a tragic climax but it went on to become a box-office hit.

Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu

This box-office hit movie was a remake of the Hindi film Katha directed by Sai Paranjpe that released in the year 1983. Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu was released in the year 1988. This movie was based on social issues of people living in small colonies, but its comedy was very well appreciated. The movie starred Mohanlal, Sreenivasan and Ranjini in leading roles.

Poochakkoru Mookkuthi

This 1984 release movie was the first collaboration of the Mohanlal-Priyadarshan combo. It was even Priyadarshan's directorial debut. Poochakkoru Mookkuthi was based on Charles Dickens's play The Strange Gentleman. The movie had an ensemble cast of Mohanlal, Shankar, Menaka, M G Soman, Nedumudi Venu, C.I. Paul, Sukumari, Baiju, Jagathy Sreekumar, Kuthiravattam Pappu, and Sreenivasan. Singer M.G. Sreekumar also made debut in playback singing with this movie. The music for the movie was given by M. G. Radhakrishnan, who is the elder brother of M.G. Sreekumar. The lyrics were given by Chunakkara Ramankutty.

Thenmavin Kombath

This 1994 release was about two friends who are ready to die for each other but fall in love with the same woman and then become biggest enemies of each other. Other than Mohanlal, the star cast included Shobana, Nedumudi Venu, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, KPAC Lalitha, Sukumari, Sreenivasan, Sankaradi and Sharat Saxena. The film was the biggest blockbuster of the year 1994 and even became the highest grossing film. Rumour has it, music director R.D. Burman was taken on board for composing the music for this film. But due to his death, Priyadarshan got Berny-Ignatius as the composer. They went on to win the Kerala State Film Awards for Best Music Director.

Vandanam

Vandanam (1989) is movie of many genres – it is basically a thriller with shades of comedy and romance. Like other Priyadarshan movies, even Vandanam had an ensemble cast which included Mohanlal, Mukesh, Girija Shettar, Nedumudi Venu, M.G. Soman, Jagadish, Sukumari, Ganesh Kumar, Maniyanpilla Raju and Cochin Haneefa. Reportedly, the smaller subplots were taken from the 1986 American film Stakeout. This movie even had beautiful songs which were penned by Shibu Chakravarthy and music was given by Ouseppachan. Vandanam was actress Girija Shettar's only Malayalam movie.