When President Droupadi Murmu presents the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Mohanlal today, the honour will resonate far beyond the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s gilded halls. It will be felt in every Malayali household, where “Lalettan”—as he is fondly called—has long been more than a film star. He is a cultural presence, woven into the daily imagination of Kerala and beyond. Ever since his debut in Manjil Virinja Pookkal (Flowers That Bloom in the Snow) 45 years ago, where he first startled audiences as a sadistic husband, Mohanlal has never looked back.

From then on, he has given himself completely to each role, shaping more than 360 unforgettable characters across genres, moods, and languages. His range is the stuff of........

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