Malayalam cinema superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal confront desperate times. They have enjoyed box-office supremacy for over 20 years but those glorious days seem to be past.
All their films in the last two years have flopped forcing Malayalam filmmakers to look for newer, younger heroes.
Not that Mammootty and Mohanlal are ready to write their respective career epitaphs. They have now teamed up with top directors like Priyadarshan, Siddique and Lal Jose to boost their careers.
After a year's 'forced vacation,' Mammootty is now shooting for Siddique's Chronic Bachelor.
Casting Mammootty caused Siddique much concern -- no young Malayalam heroine wanted to act with the 'ageing' superstar.
Kavya Madhavan, Malayalam cinema's most sought after heroine, recently said she would feel awkward to costar as a romantic heroine with Mammootty.
The junior college student may be right. Mammootty is over 50 and it may be difficult for the star to continue getting romantic roles (Kannada superstar Rajakumar incidentally returned to the screen as a romantic hero with Shabdavedi in 2000. He was 71).
Siddique has now cast Tamil actress Rambha opposite Mammootty in Chronic Bachelor.
Lal Jose, whose Meesa Madhavan last year had record collections, has offered Mammootty a 'befitting' role in his latest venture Pattalam. Mammootty begins shooting for the film later this month.
Pattalam tells the story of a village where a Rapid Action Force unit led by Mammootty arrives to restore peace and communal harmony.
Mammootty's friends and well-wishers hope Chronic Bachelor and Pattalam will herald his comeback.
Mohanlal has confronted similar career distress as his old rival. In the last two years, most of his films like Life Is Beautiful, Thandavam and Onnaman have flopped.
Critics say unless he has a hit soon he will be in deep, deep trouble. This could explain why the gifted actor has teamed up with college buddy, director Priyadarshan, for Kochu Kilichundan Mambazham.
Priyadarshan's latest Malayalam film is in the last leg of shooting on the sprawling banks of the Bharatapuzha river and across the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district.
Kochu Kilichundan Mambazham is the story of timber trader Abdul Khader (Mohanlal) who falls in love with the third wife of local Muslim strongman Moosakutty Haji (Sreenivasan).
The film, which has been scripted by Sreenivasan, also stars popular Kannada actress Soundarya.
Many believe Kochu Kilichundan Mambazham could revive Mohanlal's fortunes; after all, the Priyadarshan-Mohanlal-Sreenivasan combine are known for their exciting collaborations (take Kilukkam, to name just one).