Actor and filmmaker Dhyan Sreenivasan has said that he has often wondered why people fail to celebrate Mohanlal the person, beyond his stature as an actor.

Speaking at an event organised by the Mohanlal Fans Association, Dhyan reflected on his father and veteran actor Sreenivasan’s earlier criticism of the Malayalam superstar and revealed that the veteran actor later apologised to Mohanlal on the sets of Hridayapoorvam.

“We can never be like Mohanlal as an actor. But if we try, maybe we can become a person like him. I have often felt that people don’t celebrate Mohanlal the human being as much as they celebrate Mohanlal the actor,” Dhyan said.

He also recalled that when his father once made some sharp remarks about Mohanlal in an interview, Dhyan had defended the actor in another interaction. “He has faced many such comments. A few days ago, when Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he said something beautiful — that people have praised him to the skies and also dragged him down to the ground. Yet, he has never reacted to any of it,” Dhyan noted.

“Only someone like him can look at negativity positively and forgive everything. When my father met Lal sir on the sets of Hridayapoorvam after many years, he told him, ‘If what I said hurt you, please forgive me.’ Mohanlal just smiled and said, ‘Sreeni, let it go.’ That kind of grace is rare,” Dhyan said.

Meanwhile, Mohanlal was given a commendation by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in New Delhi.

Mohanlal, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, said it was an "honour" to receive the commendation from the Army Chief and a "great gesture" from the fraternity of which he has been a part for the past 16 years.

Speaking to the media after the event, the actor said he has been doing all that he can for the Army and for the betterment of civilians.

He said that he and the Army Chief also discussed "how to bring more efficiency to the Territorial Army battalions and what can be done for the country."

"So, it was a small discussion. We have bigger plans to come," he said.