Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, who attended the maiden edition of the WAVES, refuses to draw a categorical boundary between art and mainstream films in Malayalam cinema, as he thinks that the two are closely married in Malayalam cinema.

The veteran actor attended the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit in the BKC area of Mumbai on Thursday where he spoke during a panel discussion with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, veteran Hindi cinema actress Hema Malini, and Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi.

When Akshay asked the Malayalam megastar if the meaningful and mainstream can ever be united, the latter said that has always been the case with Malayalam cinema. He said, “We are blessed with great actors, directors. From the very beginning, Malayalam cinema doesn’t have that kind of demarcation, it’s a thin line.

It has an art house element and commercial or entertainment structure. It’s closely knitted, it’s very well balanced. I had the chance to work with great directors. That time, they called us art films. But even the art films back then had entertainment value. And even the entertainment, so-called entertainers, have art in it. So, in Malayalam cinema, content-wise, we are very rich”. 

Rajinikanth hails PM’s Kashmir peace push

Superstar Rajinikanth spoke about the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, including one Nepalese national, and injured many. He hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in bringing peace to Jammu and Kashmir, and expressed faith in his leadership.

In his speech, he said, “After the barbaric, merciless attack that happened at Pahalgam, many people told me that the government would postpone this event because of unnecessary criticism, because the event’s subject is entertainment.

But, I was confident that this event will definitely happen, because I have confidence in our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji.” While praising PM Modi, he added, “He is a fighter. He will meet any challenge, and prove what we have been saying for the last one decade, that he will face even this situation gracefully and bravely, and bring peace in Kashmir and glory to our country.”