By mid-2025, Mohanlal has already made a dominant mark at the box office with two major successes—L2: Empuraan and Thudarum. At 65, the veteran actor continues to showcase his versatility and dedication to cinema. While his directorial debut Barroz-3D, released last Christmas, failed to resonate with audiences, his acting career remains unstoppable. Mohanlal is known for his unpredictability in choosing roles, and though the outcomes vary, one constant is the weight he brings as a performer. His latest, Thudarum, once again highlights his remarkable ability to elevate even a modest revenge saga into a compelling cinematic experience. As one might say, Mohanlal doesn’t just act—he transforms a film with his presence.
The Drishyam Comparison
It’s hardly unexpected that Thudarum has drawn comparisons to Drishyam, another celebrated Mohanlal-led film. Both revolve around a central conflict that slowly builds into a gripping crescendo. In each narrative, the actor portrays a man who seems ordinary on the surface but eventually reveals an incredible reserve of intellect and emotional strength.
In Thudarum, director Tharoon Murthy crafts the character of Shanmugham, affectionately known as Benz, a taxi driver leading a modest life with his wife and two children. He is deeply attached to his black Ambassador Mark 1, a car that stands as a symbol of his simple joys. The first half of the film carefully maps out Benz’s everyday routine, setting a tranquil tone before abruptly shifting when the police seize his car—a moment that sets the story in motion.
This change in tone is sharp and entirely reliant on Mohanlal’s nuanced performance. When the devastating truth hits Benz, the audience experiences it alongside him. It’s not just a plot twist; it’s an emotional detonation. “Mohanlal is utterly captivating in these scenes as the revelation sinks in bit by bit, and Benz is consumed by an uncontrollable sense of despair and rage.” This transformation marks the actor’s complete immersion into his character. With no room for vanity, Mohanlal commits his entire being to the role, portraying a man spiraling into emotional chaos yet trying to hold it together for his family.
From Family Drama to Thriller
While Drishyam also followed a similar narrative arc of concealment and survival, Thudarum pushes the envelope further. Benz is presented with the opportunity to surrender and come clean, but he chooses a different path—one where he takes the law into his own hands. The film pivots into thriller territory from this moment, moving away from the family drama it initially appeared to be.
As the narrative intensifies, so does the audience’s bond with Benz. “What a showcase for Mohanlal it proves to be!” His portrayal is raw, deliberate, and grounded in realism. He doesn’t attempt to present Benz as a larger-than-life action hero but as a middle-aged man with limited strength, emotional scars, and primal instincts. The action scenes are thoughtfully crafted to reflect this. “Mohanlal brings a lot of earthiness to them—this is a middle-aged man after all, who is bound to feel exhausted and, in turn, receive a few punches too.” Despite Benz’s physical limitations, the viewer roots for him to rise and continue his fight.
The Power of Mohanlal’s Presence
Thudarum does veer into excessive violence and indulgent storytelling in its final stretches. Its predictability lies in the fact that Benz, unlike traditional heroes, holds no special power or influence. He must ultimately confront the consequences of his decisions. Still, by the time this reckoning arrives, Mohanlal has transformed Benz into a character that transcends the film’s structural weaknesses. “Mohanlal’s lived-in performance has turned him into someone larger than life. Benz becomes larger than even the film’s limitations.”
Director Tharoon Murthy crafts a narrative that is measured in its emotional impact, but Mohanlal operates on an entirely different level. His instinctive understanding of human emotions allows him to highlight subtleties that others may miss. His performance captures each emotional beat with such clarity that the film gains depth merely through his involvement.
“He elevates Thudarum just by his mere presence by the end.” Few actors can convincingly portray the burden of the common man’s pain, disappointment, and fury the way Mohanlal does. Benz is both tender and terrifying—a man capable of deep love and frightening rage. The authenticity with which this duality is portrayed is what lingers long after the credits roll. “He might be the kindest, and yet you might not want to mess with him after all. It scares you a little.”
The Common Man’s Everyman Hero
Mohanlal’s legacy has always been rooted in his uncanny ability to portray the ‘everyman’—characters who aren’t superheroes or fantasy figures, but grounded individuals grappling with ordinary life and extraordinary circumstances. In Thudarum, he reaffirms this mastery. Benz, like Georgekutty in Drishyam, is someone who gets dragged into chaos through no fault of his own, but the choices he makes redefine his life and those around him.
His transition from calm to fury is neither theatrical nor rushed. Instead, it unfolds with the realism of someone internalizing trauma before reaching a breaking point. Mohanlal doesn’t act the transformation—he becomes it. His ability to internalize despair and let it explode through subtle gestures, body language, and controlled fury is unmatched.
A Strong Year for Mohanlal
Coming on the heels of the commercial success of L2: Empuraan, and after the disappointing response to his directorial Barroz-3D, Thudarum reinforces the idea that Mohanlal’s true strength lies in front of the camera. The film might not be revolutionary in its writing or premise, but its impact is monumental thanks to its lead.
The unpredictable nature of his recent choices only highlights his willingness to explore uncharted territory. It may not always result in box office gold or critical acclaim, but it keeps audiences intrigued. Thudarum proves that even within the confines of a familiar genre, Mohanlal can carve out a fresh experience purely through the power of performance.
As of now, Thudarum has crossed the ₹100 crore mark in just six days, showing no signs of slowing down. The numbers reflect what audiences already feel—this is a film elevated beyond its script, thanks entirely to the man at its center. Mohanlal continues to prove, with every role, why he remains one of Indian cinema’s most enduring and dependable forces.