Considered a doyen in Malluwood, super star Mohanlal will be celebrating his 46th birthday on Sunday. An actor, who has been around for nearly two decades now, playing versatile roles not just for various awards but is an example for young artistes to emulate.

Having made his debut in Fazil'z Manjil Virinja Pookkal, Mohanlal's major break came in 1986 with the all-time hit Rajavinte Makan. The comic hero came into full blossom in typical Priyadarshan films like Chitram , Minnaram, Kilukkam. Throughout his career he has been through a lot of ups and downs but every time he came back with extra perseverance and won his way through people's hearts with wonderful performances in his films.

One striking aspect of Mohanlal as an actor is his versatility. He has shown flair for both sentimental and comedic roles, and has now appeared in over 250 films. Mohanlal established Pranavam Arts to be able to produce the kind of films he had an intense desire to create. His film Kaalapani won 5 National and 7 State Awards. Another splendid creation, 'Vaanaprastham', released in 1999 won the National Award for Best Film. Lal is still riding high. His recent success in movies like Thanmatra and Rasathantram has taken him to new heights With over half-a-dozen offers in his kitty, Lal is still the darling of the movie-buffs.