55 films, countless memories: Why Mohanlal and Shobana still make hearts flutter

Mohanlal and Shobana are an evergreen onscreen pairing that has delivered countless super hits in Malayalam cinema. Mohanlal, who has shared screen space with hundreds of female actresses, has often said that Shobana is his favourite heroine. Meanwhile, Shobana, who has acted with almost all the superstars in all South Indian languages, still feels the excitement of a newcomer when she is cast alongside Mohanlal. One of the most successful and prolific onscreen couples in Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal and Shobana have acted together in 55 films. The veteran actors have reunited after a long break in 'Thudarum', directed by Tharun Moorthy. A vintage Mohanlal–Shobana chemistry was almost palpable in the teaser of the movie. As 'Thudarum' is all set to hit the theatres, here’s a look at some of the iconic movies and characters played by Mohanlal and Shobana.

When Dasan and Radha yearned for ‘Vaishaka Sandya’ in Chennai
Shobana plays the neighbour and colleague of Dasan and Vijayan, who come to Chennai in search of jobs. Filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad has captured the romance between Dasan and Radha beautifully on screen. The love expressed through their eyes, subtle expressions and silences still have hundreds of admirers. The audience has been associating the super hit song ‘Vaishaka Sandhye’ from 'Nadodikattu' with the promotional programs of 'Thudarum'. The scene in which Dasan invites Radha for tea, how she is hesitant, and her expression when Dasan pulls her by the arm is considered one of the evergreen romantic scenes in Malayalam. Tea has been a language of love that connects 'Thudarum' to 'Nadodikattu'. Meanwhile, Milma went a step ahead and used a scene in which the actors are seen enjoying tea with the caption, ‘some habits never die, like the tea made with Milma milk’ on their advertisement hoardings.

When Dasan complains that he loses money because there is no one to take care of him, Radha assures him that there is ‘someone’. Sreenivasan, who wrote the screenplay, had amazingly narrated the magic of romance in this scene.

The pain of lost love
Mohanlal and Shobana’s characters in 'Pavithram' (written by P. Balachandran and directed by T. K. Rajeev Kumar) and 'Pakshe' (written by Cheriyan Kalpakavadi and directed by Mohan) still remain a pain in the hearts of the audience. Unnikrishnan and Meera, and Balachandran and Nandini, never stopped loving each other even though they didn’t end up together. The onscreen couples stood out from the usual movies that always gave a happy ending to its lead pairs. Meanwhile, Mohanlal and Shobana perfectly portrayed the pain and helplessness of individuals who couldn’t fulfil their love. Shobana is one of the few female leads who has shared equal screen space with the male leads in Malayalam cinema. In both these movies, it is the man who gives up on his love due to the cruel intervention of fate.

The audience can never forget Bobby and Neena, who had once loved deeply but parted ways later. When they met again, Bobby and Neena couldn’t stop fighting and arguing with each other, but when they decided to get back together, fate had something else in store. Priyadarshan deserves the credit for making Bobby and Neena such endearing characters, making the audience root for them. The beautiful locations in Ooty, the magical songs penned by Shibu Chakravarthy and Gireesh Puthencherry and composed by S. P. Venkitesh, as well as the mesmerising frames by cinematographer Anandakuttan, make 'Minnaram' an evergreen romantic drama. The entertaining flashback scenes and songs 'Oruvallam Ponnum Poovum' and 'Chingaram Kinnaram' still remain fresh in the hearts of moviegoers.

If the characters played by Mohanlal and Shobana in movies like 'Pavithram', 'Pakshe' and 'Minnaram' do not end up together, then Dr. Sunny and Annie in 'Ulladakkam' are unable to unite even after their wedding.

Charming Manikyan and Karthumbi
The love between Manikyan and Karthumbi, whose feuds had entertained the audience, developed quite organically. Karthumbi enjoys tricking Manikyan, but their bond grows stronger when they take the trip back home together. From her expressions, it is clear that Karthumbi was waiting for Manikyan to say, ‘Aren’t you coming with me’. The audience couldn’t see Mohanlal and Shobana in this movie; instead, they enjoyed the charming romance and cute little fights between Manikyan and Karthumbi. The impeccable craft of filmmaker Priyadarshan and the scenic frames of Anandakuttan make the romantic scenes extra special and enjoyable. The chain shot in which Manikyan gives ‘muthugavvu’ to Karthumbi is as beautiful as a poem. The romance inside a bullock cart, the mesmerising countryside and the village council make the movie stand out. Mohanlal and Shobana displayed incredible chemistry in the romance as well as comedy scenes.

Dr. Sunny, who sees Nagavalli and Ganga
Although Ganga, played by Shobana, is paired opposite Suresh Gopi’s Nakulan in 'Manichitrathazhu', the combination scenes between Ganga/Nagavalli and Dr. Sunny, portrayed by Mohanlal, are the highlights of the movie. Dr. Sunny is probably the only person who understands Ganga and Nagavalli, who is 'inside' her. In their combination scenes, Mohanlal perfectly complemented Shobana with his minute eye movements and minimalistic acting. The scenes in which Ganga becomes eloquent about Nagavalli and Sunny curiously watches her, as well as the one in which Sunny and Ganga argue with each other, are some of the best moments in the movie. No one has probably understood Ganga as well as Sunny did. It must be the reason why Fazil cast Mohanlal as Dr. Sunny in the iconic movie 'Manichitrathazhu'.

The heroine who supports a reformed hero
Contractor Pavithran and municipal commissioner Radha were in love in the past before they parted ways and ended up being foes. Contractor CP takes his revenge by plotting a bribery case against Radha. When Radha tries to commit suicide, CP’s revenge gives way to guilt. Besides, he is also shocked by the mysterious death of his sister. After this episode, it is Radha who supports CP and leads him to a path of reformation. A bond that was once destroyed due to ego and misunderstanding later becomes stronger and unbreakable. It is this unique factor that makes Radha and Pavithran’s love story in 'Vellanakalude Naadu' different from other movies.

Mohanlal appeared in double roles in 'Mayamayooram', written by Ranjith and directed by Sibi Malayil. He convincingly played two characters who possess different get-ups and traits. Revathy and Shobana were the female leads in the movie. Narendran aka Appu works as a civil engineer in a metropolis like Bangalore, while his twin brother Krishnanunni is a simpleton who enjoys the beauty of the countryside. The story narrates the romance between Appu and Nanda and the mental trauma that she suffers after his sudden and shocking death. Nanda realises Appu has a twin brother only when she reaches his ancestral home after his death. She finds solace in Unni’s resemblance to Appu, but soon it turns to love. However, Unni is in love with Bhadra, played by Shobana. When his family pressures him to marry Nanda, Unni lands in a dilemma as his love for Bhadra is intense. Meanwhile, Bhadra, who realises that she might lose Unni, is ready to give up her life. Revathy and Shobana delivered spectacular performances as two lovers who yearn for their love. 'Mayamayooram', which beautifully depicted two unique yet intense love stories, undoubtedly had one of the most complex narratives in Mohanlal and Shobana’s careers.

Mohanlal and Shobana are two of the most talented artists in the Indian cinema industry who have created countless super hits together in their careers. Now, the audience is eagerly waiting to see another Mohanlal and Shobana magic unfold in 'Thudarum'.