Malayalam epic Marakkar: The Lion of Arabian Sea hit the screens on Thursday and fans turned delirious seeing superstar Mohanlal come in person to watch his film. Despite pouring rain, fans who waited for a long time to catch a glimpse, finally got their wish fulfilled when the superstar arrived with his wife Suchitra and producer of the film Antony Perumbavoor at a theatre in Kochi close to midnight.
The police had a tough time escorting the star inside the theatre and soon the film began. This film has been waiting for a release since March last year, but amid the Covid pandemic, it had to be postponed and finally it was released in 4,100 screens across the world.
Mohanlal said let this be a new beginning and become a new strength for the industry and wished that all come and see the film in the theatres. A day after Mohanlal tweeted the trailer of the period drama, he put up a post claiming that the film is the first Indian movie to enter the Rs 100 crore club worldwide through reservations alone. It is one of the most expensive Malayalam films ever made with a reported cost of over Rs 100 crore.
Speaking to IANS veteran actor Siddiq said it was a great feeling to see the first show and that too with Mohanlal. “The general impression that we all got was, it has come out extremely well and Malayalam cinema has reached newer heights. We have proved that we are second to none and the highlight has been the superlative performance of Mohanlal. Definitely this film is a feather in the cap for our industry,” said Siddiq.
Directed by Priyadarshan, the film won three awards—Best Feature Film, Best Special Effects, and Best Costume Design at the 67th National Film Awards, even before its release. The veteran director’s young son, Siddarath Priyadarshan, fresh from studying special effects in the US, also won his first national award for the best special effects. Sujith Sudhakar won the National Award for the best costume designer.
The magnum opus tells the tale of Kunhali Marakkar, the famous naval chief of the Zamorin of Calicut, often known for organising the first naval defence of the Indian coast. Mohanlal, known for his flexibility and adaptability to any character, plays the title role of Marakkar.
The star cast includes Manju Warrier, besides actors from south India and Bollywood and four British actors and one Chinese actor.
Priyadarshan has stated that this is the outcome of his four decades in the film industry. It took three years for the film to commence shooting after the first day he conceived it.
(With IANS inputs)
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