Mohanlal continues to rule Malayalam cinema with his acting and unique choice of projects. ‘Universal Star’ as he is called, his films are frequently met with an exhilarating response from the audience. His recent film, Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea released on December 2 and is now available on Amazon Prime Video. It’s being hailed as director Priyadarshan’s most ambitious project. The film, based on Kunjali Marakkar IV, is receiving a thrilling response from the audience.
However, only a few know that this magnum opus had to wait for 25 years to see the light of the day.
As reported by Etimes, Mohanlal and director Priyadarshan had plans to make Marakkar after working together on Kalaapani in 1996. But at that time, as the actor described, it was not possible to make the film due to various factors. “In order to make a movie like this at that time, we would have to go abroad and film it there, the graphics that were required and the budget for it were beyond our imagination,” Mohanlal told Etimes.
Both Mohanlal and Priyadarshan had to carry the dream of making Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea in their hearts for 25 years.
Mohanlal also told the outlet that they were initially faced with the challenge of making the film in 106 days. And although it had not been planned, they managed to achieve the incredible feat. According to the veteran actor, these kinds of films require a time period of 6 months to one year, but they surprisingly completed it swiftly.
The magnum opus, which has been tastefully made in a periodic setting, has some breathtaking action and war sequences. The film narrates the story of legendary Kunjali Marakkar IV and his epic warfare against the Portuguese in the 16th century Calicut.
