Mohanlal readies to launch son in a big way

Thiruvananthapuram: Reigning superstar Mohanlal, who has been holding on to the tag of superstar along with his arch onscreen rival Mammootty for the past nearly three decades, now wishes to do what the latter did to launch his son Dulquer Salmaan into films.

According to multiple sources, Lal, as he is popularly known, is busy planning to propel his 26-year-old son Pranav in a big way as an actor.

Pranav has already donned the greasepaint in a few films and also worked behind the camera.

"He is now carefully reading quite a number of scripts and appears to be serious to launch him quite well. He knows that expectations from his son would be sky high and a small set back could well be tough to make a comeback," said a source in the know of things.

Pranav won the 2002 Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist for his role in the film "Punarjani" Adirected by Major Ravi. He later went on to do two more films and then decided to concentrate on his studies.

After that Pranav decided to try his luck behind the camera and worked as an assistant to Jeetu Joseph in two of his films, the last one "Life of Josutty", in 2015.

The challenge before Lal according to another source is that even though the two superstars maintain a mature and cordial relationship, there is an intense healthy competition between them in all spheres of life.

"Salman's first film 'Second Show' in 2012, even though did not make a noise in the box office, Mammootty ensured that his son is given more confidence and with his next film "Ustad Hotel", the message was loud and clear that Salman is here to stay. Since then, he has established himself and now no longer needs any prop up from his superstar dad," said the source.

Lal who has his own production house and a huge support from within the industry might not find it difficult to launch his son, as anyone would oblige him.

"But, he prefers not to do that, as he knows by his own experience that merit and hard work alone will be able to sustain an actor. Hence he is very particular about the story and also the script and is now concentrating on his son now, as his Onam block buster, "Oppam", directed by his friend Priyadarshan, has turned out to be a roaring success," said the source.

Incidentally Salman clicked when he was 26, the same age as Pranav is now.