Not everything is hunky-dory in the cultural landscape of Kerala if recent updates from there are to be believed.

 

Reports of a spat between Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and leading Malayalam orator, social critic and writer Sukumar Azhikkode that have been trickling in recently would have us believe that all is not well in Mallu land.

Things have taken a controversial turn with Azhikkode reportedly asking Mohanlal to model himself on Tamil actors like Rajnikant and Kamal Hassan.

‘The Kollywood actors are very down-to-earth and simple when they attend public functions and interact with the people, where as Mohanlal never steps out without his wig and makeup out of fear of losing his fans in the state,’ Azhikkode is supposed to have said.

‘If he (Mohanlal) is courageous enough, let him please attend public functions without his wig and makeup. He should take a leaf out of the books of Tamil stars like Rajnikant and Kamal Hassan and go around without makeup,’ Azhikkode has been quoted as saying.

And not stopping at that, Azhikode has gone on to say that if Mohanlal’s teenage heroines happen to see him without makeup, they will faint for sure.

These comments have presumably not gone down well with Mohanlal fans and other notables in the cultural arena.
At the heart of this controversy is probably an allegation by veteran actor Thilakan that some big names in the industry, including a superstar, are conspiring to deny him opportunities.

According to Azhikkode, Mohanlal had called him some time ago and asked him to play a middleman to sort out the ‘Thilakan issue’. However in a kind of filmi twist, Mohanlal not only denied all the allegations but also said that he called on Azhikkode only to find out the reason behind Azhikkode’s unwarranted criticism against him.

 It was after this development that the writer reportedly started his tirade against the superstar.  Countering his statements, Mohanlal has said,’he (Azhikkode) must be hallucinating.’

It is also being said that prominent Malayalam film industry people and a few politicos like Kerala Education Minister M A Baby are trying their best to prevent an open confrontation between the two.

The insiders who are well-versed with the ways of these high fliers however seem to think that the war of words is unlikely to ease off quickly.