Lal is a South Indian actor, and director and is also known as a screenwriter, and producer. He was born on 2 December 1958 in Kochi, Kerala, India. He is known for Anveshanam (2020), Bheeshma Parvam (2021), Pathonpatham Noottandu (2022), RDX: Robert Dony Xavier (2023), Veera Simha Reddy (2023) and Ponniyin Selvan 2 (2023). Apart, Lal also will be a part of the new upcoming Indian Tv series Killer Soup (2024).
Lal started his career as a mimicry artist in Kalabhavan, along with his childhood friend Siddique, who would later team up with Siddique-Lal to make many films. Lal and Siddique began their film career working as assistant directors to Fazil in Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu.
Siddique-Lal production had never been dependent on star value or superstar formula that was witnessed in those days in Malayalam cinema. They had always opted out from casting Mohanlal or Mammootty.
Ultimately, both of them changed their thoughts later and when their fourth production film was to get launched, Siddique-Lal opted for Mohanlal and made Vietnam Colony (1992) which did wonders at the box office too. The duo again combined in their fifth production and made Kabooliwala (1994), which was also a success.
After that, both decided to part ways as a director pair and Lal turned producer with the Siddique-directed Mammootty-starrer Hitler. Lal debuted in acting with a villain role as Paniyan in Suresh Gopi-starrer Kaliyattam, directed by Jayaraj. Kaliyattam was a new take on Othello, where Lal played Paniyan, the character standing for Iago.
He runs a film post-production company named Lal Media Arts, Kochi. The year 2009 saw his comeback again as a director. He directed the sequel to In Harihar Nagar named 2 Harihar Nagar, which got released and was declared a hit.
For his performance in the 2012 film Ozhimuri, he won the National Film Award – Special Mention. He was the winner of two state film Awards for Best Actor in Thalappavu (2008), Ayala (2013), and Zachariayude Garbhinikal (2013).
Lal, who also plays an important role in Karthi’s Sulthan (2021) and also heaped praise on Mari Selvaraj for Karnan (2021). Despite being given the most uni-dimensional character in the story Taanakkaran (2022), the actor effortlessly carries the role and leaves arguably more impact than in his previous outing. Lal is married to Nancy and they have two children Jean Paul Lal and a daughter. Jean-Paul is a film director.
