Throwback: When Mohanlal and Priyadarshan’s grand ambition turned into a box-office stumble

Few actor-director collaborations in Indian cinema carry the legacy that Mohanlal and Priyadarshan share. Their partnership spans decades, genres, and moods. They shaped memories, laughter, silence, pain, and comfort. From light-hearted comedies to intense dramas, their movies shaped popular Malayalam cinema and continue to enjoy massive repeat value.Mohanlal and Priyadarshan never limited themselves to one genre. While audiences fondly remember comic classics like ‘Kilukkam’, ‘Vandanam’, ‘Chithram’, and ‘Thenmavin’, ‘Kombath’, the next they left viewers shattered with ‘Thalavattam’ , ‘Minnaram’. They explored power and politics in ‘Adhwaytham’, ‘Thalavattam’, ‘Minnaram’, ‘Aryan’, and ‘Abhimanyu’. Even ‘Kaalapani’, their earlier historical epic and that trust followed them into ‘Marakkar’.When Priyadarshan announced ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea’, the excitement was immediate. The film drew inspiration from Kunjali Marakkar IV, the legendary naval commander of the Zamorin of Calicut. Winning three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film, even before release, only amplified the buzz.According to The Indian Express, the makers chose theatres over OTT during the pandemic. That decision alone spoke of confidence. The film reportedly crossed the Rs 100 crore mark even before release. Opening day numbers looked promising. But cracks showed fast. Reviews turned lukewarm. Word of mouth slipped. The momentum collapsed. Against a reported Rs 100 crore budget, the film grossed only about Rs 45.4 crore worldwide. For a film this ambitious, that failure hurt.Unlike Kaalapani, which earned long-term respect despite financial struggles, 'Marakkar' failed to find similar redemption. It became a subject of online trolling and criticism, even among Mohanlal loyalists. The film’s fall felt heavier because of the names attached to it.Mohanlal will have a cameo in 'Haiwaan,' directed by Priyadarshan and starring Akshay Kumar as the antagonist.