Today marks the 62nd birthday of actor Mohanlal. The actor, affectionately known as Lalettan by his fans, is one of the most influential stars in the history of Indian Cinema, with a focus on the Malayalam film industry.

With over 340 films under his belt and a career spanning over 40 years, the dynamic actor is respected by fans and peers alike.

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Let’s take a look at some of his lesser-known facts today, on the occasion of his birthday:

1. Mohanlal was a professional wrestler who had a successful career on the field before entering the film industry. After winning the state wrestling championship in 1977-78, he was chosen for the National Championship in New Delhi, but before he could compete, he received a call for his first-ever film audition.

2. Mohanlal is a black belt in Taekwondo. The World Taekwondo Headquarters in South Korea awarded the versatile actor a ‘black belt’ in 2012. He was the first South Indian celebrity to receive the honour, and the third Indian celebrity to do so, following Shah Rukh Khan and Lal Thanhawla.

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3. Mohanlal had around 170 releases in ten years in the 1980s. There was a time when his films were released every 15 days, leaving no room for other stars to appear on the big screen.

4. So far, the actor has received four National Awards for his contributions to the film industry. In 1991 and 1999, he won the National Award for Best Actor for his performances in ‘Bharatham’ and ‘Vanaprastham’, respectively. He received a special jury award in 2016 for his work on ‘Janatha Garage’, ‘Muntirivallikal Thalirkkumbol’ and ‘Pulimurugan’.

5. In the year 2001, Mohanlal received the Padma Shri award. He is also the only South Indian actor to have received an IIFA nomination. He won the award for his role in the film ‘The Hindi Company’. Mohanlal is also the first Indian actor to be awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army.

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6. Mohanlal appeared in the very first Malayalam film sent as India’s official entry to the Oscars. ‘Guru’, which was released in 1997, was the title of the film.

7. Mohanlal owns an apartment in the tallest building in the world- Burj Khalifa, Dubai.