In the past three decades, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan have been two of the most reliable and commercially viable actors in Hindi film. They have appeared in some of the greatest Bollywood movies ever made, like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Krrish, 3 Idiots, and PK. Therefore, it's rather ridiculous to compare their lifetime collection of smash movies to what one actor achieved in a single calendar year, especially considering that all of those films were in starring roles. A celebrity accomplished this amazing feat nearly four decades ago, and he is still thriving today.

The protagonist with 25 successful movies in a single year

The 1980s saw a transformation in Malayalam film. The trio of Soman, Jayan, and Sukumaran rose to prominence as the "new superstars" after Prem Nazir had reduced his output to a minimum. However, that run came to an end with Jayan's passing in 1980. Younger performers competed for the top spot even as Sukumaran and Soman kept producing hits. Mammootty and Mohanlal were the two leading candidates. In 1986, his annus mirabilis, the latter established his claim. Mohanlal starred in 34 movies that year. Dilip Kumar only made 52 movies throughout his 53-year career, to give you an idea.

Of the 34 films Mohanlal made in 1986, 25 were successful at the box office. At age 26, he established himself as one of the top stars of Malayalam cinema, a throne he is yet to abdicate. Till that point, he had been one of the many promising stars in Mollywood. But from then on, it was a diarchy where he and Mammootty reigned supreme.

How Mohanlal's feat compares to Bollywood superstars

Giving 25 hits in a single year is no mean feat. Aamir Khan, one of the top stars in Hindi cinema history, has just 21 in his entire career (out of 44 films). Hrithik Roshan, on the other hand, has just 15 in 27 films. Even legends like Raj Kapoor (17), Manoj Kumar (19), and Rajendra Kumar (23) had fewer hits in their entire careers than Mohanlal's 1986. Even more prolific Bollywood stars pale in comparison. Akshay Kumar had 4 hits each in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2013. Amitabh Bachchan had 5 hits in 1982, his peak. In fact, in the year when Mohanlal gave his 25 hits, Amitabh, then the country's biggest star, only had one release.

Mohanlal's current professional life

It's remarkable that Mohanlal has remained at the pinnacle of Malayalam film for forty years. Between 1986 and 2016, he consistently ranked among the highest earners in the industry. With Lucifer, the first Malayalam film to earn ₹200 crore, Mohanlal regained his stride in 2019 following a string of failures in the late 2010s. Additionally, he had success in Drishyam.

However, the seasoned professional saved his finest for 2025. His two releases thus far this year—L2: Thuradum and Empuraan—have been huge successes, each bringing in more than Rs 200 crore. The movie has surpassed both Salman Khan's Sikandar and Ram Charan's Game Changer in terms of revenue. Even at the age of 65, Mohanlal is still competing with younger celebrities at the box office.