Ram Gopal Varma's suggestion: Mohanlal should play Dadasaheb Phalke; 'isn’t it apt'

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma stirred the internet with a lighthearted tweet about actor Mohanlal.

Following the announcement that Mohanlal was conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023, Ram Gopal Varma Tweeted, “Now that Mohanlal has been conferred the #DadasahebPhalkeAward, isn’t it apt that Mohanlal should play #DadasahebPhalke in his biopic.” He had previously expressed his admiration in a quirky way, tweeting, “I don't know much about #Dadasaheb Phalke except that he's made the 1st ever film… but from what I saw and know of @Mohanlal, I think Dadasaheb Phalke should be given the MOHANLAL AWARD.”

Mohanlal’s graceful response

At a press conference in Kochi, Mohanlal responded to Varma’s comment with humor and composure. Laughing, he said, “I see it as black humour. I share a great friendship with him and had the chance to act in one of his cult films, Company.” He added, “He chose to react differently from others and that's it.”

A walk down memory lane: Company

Mohanlal and RGV first collaborated in the acclaimed 2002 crime drama Company, where Lalettan’s role as Commissioner Sreenivasan earned praise from critics and audiences alike. They later reunited in 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' (2007), which, unfortunately, did not fare well at the box office.

Mohanlal's acceptance speech

After receiving the prestigious award, Mohanlal said, "As a representative of the Malayalam film industry, I am deeply humbled to be the youngest recipient and only the second ever from the state to be bestowed with this National accreditation. This moment is not mine alone, it belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity.” He described the honour as “something far greater than a dream come true—magical and sacred." He also added that 'Cinema is the heartbeat of my soul'.


Meanwhile, Mohanlal's recent outing was the family drama movie 'Hridayapoorvam' which marked his collaboration with Sathyan Anthikad after a long gap.