The year 2003 is a landmark for the Malayalam superstar Mohanlal as he completed 25 years in the film industry on September 4, 2003.

A rare week-long celebration to mark his 25 years in cinema has already been started at Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala. A felicitation function in the Poojapura area, where the actor grew up, kicked off the celebrations on September 8. Movie Director Balu Mahendra inaugurated a week-long Mohanlal films screening.

On September 14, a mega show is being planned in one of the biggest sports stadium in the capital; where besides the super star, most of the directors that he has worked with would be honoured. Priyadarshan, is the director of this mega show.

Mohanlal was in Thiruvananthapuram to participate in a rare moment of his life. His first shot for the film THIRANOTTAM was recreated at the same venue. In THIRANOTTAM, Mohanlal played a humorous character called Kuttappan. The scene recreated was his first scene in the film where Lal cycling his way to his house in Mudavanmugal. The artists and other colleagues, who were part of the team 25 years ago, were also present on the occasion.

Mohanlal has enthralled filmgoers in Kerala in more than 250 movies till now. At home equally in serious and comic roles, Mohanlal captured the imagination of the audience in such diverse roles as the tortured Kathakali artiste caught between reality and myth in VANAPRASTHAM or the simpleton jobless youth in NADODIKKATTU.

The year 2001 saw him don a different role when he blazed across the Delhi stage in a Sanskrit production of KARNABHARAM at the National School of Drama's annual festival.

"If he could give more time to the stage, he would be a first class theatre actor. It is a pity that film producers in Malayalam have type-cast him in a popular persona and not explored his versatility and range," said Mr Rajeevnath, who directed Mohanlal in two films KAVERI and AHAM.

Similar tales of dedication are recounted about Mohanlal's National Award winning performance in VANAPRASTHAM, for which he did a six-month crash course in 'Kathakali' to get the 'mudras' and the eye movements right.

Mohanlal made his debut in 1978 as a villain in MANJIL VIRINJA POOKKAL. But, he got more accolades than the hero of the film, remembers M Pradeep, a die-hard Mohanlal fan.

Pairing up successfully with director Priyadarshan and actor-writer Sreenivasan, Mohanlal gave a number of box office smashers such as NADODIKKATTU, SANMANASULLAVARKKE SAMADHANAM, CHITRAM and KILUKKAM.

He is also no stranger to awards, at the state or the national level. Winner of countless state awards for Best Actor, three-time National Award winner, as well as a Padma Shri awardee, Mohanlal accepts it all with humility.

His searing performance as an ambitious youth who is forced into criminal activities in KIREEDAM which won him the Special Mention of National Film Awards Jury. His first National Award was won for BHARATAM, in which he played a Carnatic musician facing the twin tragedy.

Hindi film viewers got a chance to see him in KAALAPAANI and more recently in Ram Gopal Verma's COMPANY.

Some of the milestones in Mohanlal's movie career...

MANJIL VIRINJA POOKAL: The debut film without which Mohanlal, the star would never have been created. He did a negative role as a sadist husband in the superhit film, which had Shankar and Poornima Jayaram in the lead. Mohanlal stole the thunder in this film directed by Fazil.

CHITRAM: CHITRAM was a trendsetter and a mega hit in which Mohanlal played a 'husband on hire' to a rich and arrogant girl. The film was noted for its hilarious comedy scenes and melodious songs. This film ran for 405 days continuously at the Little Shenoys theatre in Ernakulam. Priyadarshan directed it. Priyan, Mohanlal's childhood buddy, has directed maximum number of Lal films (34).

KIREEDOM: It was Lohithadas' best-written script about a loser; Sethumadhavan who aspires to be a cop. Sethu was brilliant in Lal's hands. He got a National Special Jury Award for the role.

BHARATHAM: Mohanlal's home production directed by Sibi Malayil for which he won the first National Award. The film was about the deep bonding between two brothers and the consequent tragedy caused due to petty jealousy. Mohanlal gave an outstanding performance of a younger brother groomed under the wings of his elder brother played by Nedumudi Venu, who later becomes more famous than him.

DEVASURAM: The film released in mid-nineties was the beginning of a series of Mohanlal films where he played larger-than-life characters. Directed by I. V. Sasi, `DEVASURAM` had a strong script by Ranjit. Later it was made formulaic in Mohanlal films like AARAM THAMPURAN, NARASIMHAM and RAVANAPRABHU, all written by Ranjit. These movies were nothing but sequels to DEVASURAM.

IRUVAR is a landmark in Mohanlal's career. 15 years after his first film with Mohanlal, Mani Ratnam, India's finest director, went back to him to play MGR in this period Tamil film. Even today Mani proudly says that it is his best film till date.

VANAPRASTHAM: Shaji. N. Karun's classic is Mohanlal's tour-de-force. The actor produced the film himself. Kunhikuttan, the Kathakali artist, is undoubtedly his best performance. The movie won Lal his second National Award.