Legal & safety considerations
Take Mohanlal’s character in Vanaprastham (1999) or Bharatham (1991). He played a Kathi (sword) actor in Kathakali, wrestling with questions of artistic purity and bastardy. This required the audience to understand the Navarasa (nine emotions) of classical dance. In Kerala, where art is not relegated to auditoriums but is a living part of temple grounds and village yards, this was not a stretch. mallumv com 2025 malayalam link