Editing Mohanlal (section)

===Established actor (1986–1999)===
During this period, Mohanlal played very different roles in films "made by the great masters", such as [[G. Aravindan]], [[Hariharan (director)|Hariharan]], [[M. T. Vasudevan Nair]], [[Padmarajan]], [[Bharathan]] and [[Lohithadas]].<ref name="hinduinterview"/> Mohanlal, along with actor and scriptwriter [[Sreenivasan]], who played his sidekick in several films, showcased the angst of unemployed, educated [[Malayali]] youth forced to adapt to hostile environments in many realistic social satires,<ref name="toi2">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/Too-bad-if-you-dont-know-this-man/articleshow/1173425.cms|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Too bad if you don't know this man|last=B.|first=Viju|date=14 January 2007|access-date=20 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120042753/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/Too-bad-if-you-dont-know-this-man/articleshow/1173425.cms|archive-date=20 January 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> some of which were written by Sreenivasan himself.<ref name="udayan">{{cite news|url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/05/20/stories/2005052003000100.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|last=Pillai|first=Sreedhar|title=The Mohanlal effect|date=20 May 2005|access-date=22 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204154816/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/05/20/stories/2005052003000100.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1986, he starred in ''[[T. P. Balagopalan M.A.]]'', directed by [[Sathyan Anthikad]], for which he received his first [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor]].<ref name="award1">{{cite web|title=State Film Awards (1986)|url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards2.htm|publisher=[[Department of Information and Public Relations (Kerala)|Department of Information and Public Relations]]|access-date=6 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119014326/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/stateawards2.htm|archive-date=19 November 2009}}</ref> He portrayed an unemployed young man who shoulders the responsibility of his family. His performance in ''[[Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam]]'' as a harassed house-owner won him the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam)]] in the same year. Mohanlal was given the status of a new Malayalam [[superstar]] by the public after the box office success of ''[[Rajavinte Makan]]'' (1986), in which he played an [[Crime boss|underworld don]], Vincent Gomez. He also starred in the [[tragedy]] ''[[Thalavattom]]'', playing Vinod, a young man who becomes mentally ill upon witnessing his girlfriend's death. He played Solomon in Padmarajan's ''[[Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal]]''. Mohanlal's association with Padmarajan was very well noted because their films told stories that were well and truly ahead of their times and broke many conventional [[stereotype]]s prevailing during that time in the Malayalam film industry. In 1986 alone, Mohanlal appeared in 36 Malayalam films.<ref name="hinduinterview"/>

The following year, Mohanlal starred with [[Sreenivasan]] and [[Shobana]] in the Sathyan Anthikad comedy ''[[Nadodikkattu]]'', which became a box office success. Mohanlal and Sreenivasan reprised their roles as the detectives [[Dasan and Vijayan]] respectively in its sequels; ''[[Pattanapravesham]]'' (1988) and ''[[Akkare Akkare Akkare]]'' (1990). ''[[Thoovanathumbikal]]'', directed by Padmarajan, in which he portrayed a person torn between his twin love interests, broke many stereotypes in Indian films,<ref name="toi2"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Mohanlal, still raring to go at 53|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/photos/mohanlal-still-raring-to-go-at-53-10492|access-date=21 May 2013|work=[[NDTV]]|date=21 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204155948/http://movies.ndtv.com/photos/mohanlal-still-raring-to-go-at-53-10492|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> such as, the leading man falling in love with a second woman immediately after he is rejected by the first, and of a man falling in love with a sex worker. The [[romantic comedy]] ''[[Chithram]]'', released in 1988, played for 366 days in a theatre, becoming the longest-running Malayalam film.<ref name="25yrs"/> Mohanlal won a [[Kerala State Film Award (Special Jury Award)|Kerala State Special Jury Award]] in 1988 for his acting in ''[[Padamudra (film)|Padamudra]]'', ''[[Aryan (1988 film)|Aryan]]'', ''[[Vellanakalude Nadu]]'', ''[[Ulsavapittennu]]'' and ''Chithram''.<ref name="award1"/>

In 1989, the combination of the writer [[Lohitha Das]] and director [[Sibi Malayil]] created the character Sethumadhavan, a person who dreams of becoming a police officer, but ends up as a criminal, in the tragedy ''[[Kireedam (1989 film)|Kireedam]]''. The role earned Mohanlal a [[National Film Award – Special Mention (Feature Film)|National Film Special Jury Mention]].<ref name="25yrs"/> Mohanlal later recalled that his portrayal of Sethumadhavan's mental agony, commended as a natural performance, was spontaneous and that he "did what Sethumadhavan, my character, would have done in such a situation", adding that acting was "akin to entering another person's body."<ref name="hinduinterview"/> In the same year, he acted in a film which became a commercial success, ''[[Varavelpu]]'', which tells the story of a man who earned money working in the [[Persian Gulf|Gulf]] and came back home to enjoy his life with his family. He bought a bus, which eventually gets him into trouble. The former [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]], mentioned the film as an example of ignorance by Malayali towards global economic changes during the inauguration of the Global Investor Meet held at [[Kochi]] on 18 January 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/jan/18gim.htm|title=Kerala ignores global economic changes: PM|work=[[Rediff.com]]|date=18 January 2003|access-date=20 January 2008|author=Press Trust of India|author-link=Press Trust of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204162257/http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/jan/18gim.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=PIB Press Releases: Prime Minister Inaugurates Global Investors Meet|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/releases98/lyr2003/rjan2003/18012003/r180120031.html|location=[[Kochi]]|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date=18 January 2003|access-date=18 January 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204172357/http://pib.nic.in/archive/releases98/lyr2003/rjan2003/18012003/r180120031.html|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1989, he starred in another one of Padmarajan's movies; ''Season''.

In the early 1990s, Mohanlal acted in a number of commercial films, such as ''[[His Highness Abdullah]]'', ''[[Mithunam (1993 film)|Midhunam]]'' and ''[[No.20 Madras Mail]]''. ''His Highness Abdullah'' was the first independent production of Mohanlal under his company [[Pranavam Arts International]]. Mohanlal appeared in Bharathan's ''[[Thazhvaram]]'' in 1990, as a widower seeking revenge for the murder of his wife by his most trusted friend. His romantic comedy ''[[Kilukkam]]'' in 1991 won him a State Film Award for Best Actor. The film is considered one of the greatest comedy films of all time in Malayalam. It also became the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the time. In 1991, Mohanlal produced and starred in ''[[Bharatham]]'', which is interpreted as a modern-day adaptation of the ''[[Ramayana]]'' from [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharath]]'s perspective. The film was a critical and commercial success, with his role as a [[Carnatic Music|Carnatic singer]] who is burdened by a jealous brother, earning him the [[National Film Award for Best Actor]] for that year.<ref name="ndtvgoodtimes">{{cite news|url=http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/PhotoDetail.aspx?Page=2&ID=10492&AlbumType=PG#talk|title=Malayalam cinema's invincible star turns 51|work=[[NDTV Good Times]]|date=21 May 2011|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401141453/http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/PhotoDetail.aspx?Page=2&ID=10492&AlbumType=PG#talk|archive-date=1 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Warrier|first=Shobha|title=An interview with Lohitadas, director of the Malayalam film, Bhoothakkannadi|url=http://www.rediff.com/entertai/aug/11lo1.htm|work=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=24 January 2016|date=22 August 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220111815/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/aug/11lo1.htm|archive-date=20 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> His role in Bharatham was listed among the "25 Greatest Acting Performances of [[Cinema of India|Indian cinema]]" by [[Forbes India]] on the occasion of celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Prasad|first1=Shishir|last2=Ramanath|first2=N. S.|last3=Mitter|first3=Sohini|title=25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema|url=http://www.forbesindia.com/article/100-years-of-indian-cinema/25-greatest-acting-performances-of-indian-cinema/35125/0|work=[[Forbes India]]|access-date=11 January 2017|date=27 April 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141028052937/http://forbesindia.com/article/100-years-of-indian-cinema/25-greatest-acting-performances-of-indian-cinema/35125/0|archive-date=28 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> He portrayed a [[Bharatanatyam]] dancer in ''[[Kamaladalam]]''(1992). He took help from his choreographer and his co-actors and professional dancers [[Vineeth]] and [[Monisha]] for enacting the dance scenes.<ref name = "hinduinterview">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/acting-is-a-bit-like-meditation/article2273126.ece|title=Acting is a bit like meditation|work=[[The Hindu]]|last=Kumar|first=P. K. Ajith|date=27 July 2007|access-date=27 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204170644/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/acting-is-a-bit-like-meditation/article2273126.ece|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Rajashilpi]]'', ''[[Sadayam]]'', ''[[Yodha (1992 film)|Yoddha]]'', and ''[[Vietnam Colony]]'' were his other films released in 1992. The drama ''[[Devaasuram]]'' (1993), written by [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]] and directed by [[I. V. Sasi]], was one of Mohanlal's most successful films and is regarded as a [[cult classic]].<ref name="ndtvgoodtimes"/>

In 1994, Mohanlal starred in the lead role as Dr. Sunny Joseph in the [[Fazil (director)|Fazil]]-directed cult classic ''[[Manichitrathazhu]]'', as a psychiatrist. ''[[Spadikam]]'' was a 1995 work for which he won his third Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor and fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam) for his portrayal of Thomas "Aadu Thoma" Chacko, a young man who becomes a thug, estranged from his father, upon failing to meet the latter's high expectations. In 1996, Mohanlal starred in Priyadarshan's ''[[Kaalapani]]'', an epic film about the prisoners in the [[Cellular Jail]] of [[Port Blair]] and Lohithadas's ''[[Kanmadam]]'' (1998). He played the lead role in ''[[Guru (1997 film)|Guru]]'', directed by [[Rajiv Anchal]] in 1997. The film was chosen as [[List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|India's official entry to the Oscars]] to be considered for nomination in the [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] category for 1997.

Mohanlal acted in his first non-Malayalam film in 1997, in the [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]] [[biographical film]] ''[[Iruvar]]'', directed by [[Mani Ratnam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/dec/07ash.htm|title=Ash's Hollywood debut in mid-2003|work=[[Rediff.com]]|last=Chand|first=Fakir|date=7 December 2002|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204172636/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/dec/07ash.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The film, in which Mohanlal depicted an actor who turns to politics (based on the life of [[M. G. Ramachandran]]), was a critical success and won many awards including the Best Film award at the [[FEST (Belgrade)|Belgrade International Film Festival]] and two National Film Awards.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/%28docid%29/F4AF25E8DDFA9E8F6525694100207BAB|title=Censors refer Iruvar to home dept|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=28 February 1997|access-date=6 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405022505/http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/%28docid%29/F4AF25E8DDFA9E8F6525694100207BAB|archive-date=5 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/09/slide-show-1-looking-at-mani-ratnams-landmark-movies.htm|title=Looking at Mani Ratnam's landmark movies|work=[[Rediff.com]]|date=9 June 2010|access-date=6 May 2012|first=Pavithra|last=Srinivasan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204173521/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/09/slide-show-1-looking-at-mani-ratnams-landmark-movies.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1998, he produced and starred in ''[[Harikrishnans]]'', co-starring [[Mammootty]] and [[Juhi Chawla]]. The film was a commercial success, but was not well received by critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/mar/11moh1.htm|title=Nothing, neither criticism nor compliment, affects me|work=[[Rediff.com]]|last=Warrier|first=Shobha|date=11 March 1999|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204174203/http://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/mar/11moh1.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The film had dual [[climax (narrative)|climaxes]], which were screened in different regions, based on the popularity of the two lead actors in each particular region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/1998/sep/14hari.htm|title=The win-win situation|work=[[Rediff.com]]|last=Jose|first=D.|date=14 September 1998|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204174523/http://www.rediff.com/movies/1998/sep/14hari.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> This, however, became controversial and took a communal turn when lawsuits were filed claiming that prints exhibited in [[Hindu]]-dominated areas showed Mohanlal marrying the heroine, whereas the ones in [[Muslim]]-dominated areas showed Mammootty marrying her. The major issue was that the film showed uncensored scenes, as the submitted cut of the film to the [[Central Board of Film Certification]] was the version in which Mohanlal wins the leading lady. Hence they were forced to remove the Mammootty version from theatres, replacing it with the original. However, in television premieres, both film versions were shown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/1998/oct/06hari.htm|title=Double trouble|work=[[Rediff.com]]|last=Jose|first=D.|date=6 October 1998|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204174801/http://www.rediff.com/movies/1998/oct/06hari.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

Mohanlal depicted a [[Kathakali]] artist whose personal life is a tragedy in the 1999 [[France–India relations|Indo-French]] [[historical drama|period drama]] ''[[Vanaprastham]]'', produced by him and directed by [[Shaji N. Karun]]. It won him the second National Award for Best Actor and was the first film that got him international recognition by screening in various Film festivals. The film was selected for the competitive section at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] and his performance was critically acclaimed. It also earned him his fourth Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, second National Film Award for Best Actor and sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Malayalam).<ref name="rd"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2000/07/28/stories/09280226.htm|title=Accolades are a norm|work=[[The Hindu]]|last=Narasimham|first=M. L.|date=28 July 2000|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204175519/http://www.thehindu.com/2000/07/28/stories/09280226.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2000/07/14/stories/09140221.htm|title=On a winning spree|work=[[The Hindu]]|last=Santhosh|first=K.|date=14 July 2000|access-date=6 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204175307/http://www.thehindu.com/2000/07/14/stories/09140221.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Vanaprastham'' was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the [[American Film Institute|AFI Fest]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Philip|first=Benson|title=Must Watch International Award Winning Malayalam Films|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/must-watch-international-award-winning-malayalam-films/photostory/52255815.cms|access-date=11 January 2017|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113194956/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/must-watch-international-award-winning-malayalam-films/photostory/52255815.cms|archive-date=13 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Vanaprastham'' was screened in retrospective, during the 2014 [[International Film Festival of India]] in the 'Celebrating Dance in Indian Cinema' section.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Cinema Catalogue 2014|url=http://www.iffi.nic.in/Indian%20Cinema%20Catalogue%202014.pdf|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]|date=20 November 2014|access-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316163822/http://www.iffi.nic.in/Indian%20Cinema%20Catalogue%202014.pdf|archive-date=16 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>