Mohanlal is a born leader: Bala

Actor Bala took up the role of Kanchanamala’s brother Sethu in Ennu Ninte Moideen in Malayalam after a break of one-and-half years. However, the reception his performance received seems to have made it well worth the wait for the actor. Bala says that he had made a deliberate decision to choose only “challenging projects” after his 2012 directorial film The Hit List and that has worked in his favour.
“I decided I wanted to do only big projects. Luckily Veeram happened in Tamil and then Ennu Ninte Moideen. The former had a budget of Rs 60 crore while the latter, Rs 12 crore,” he says.
Similarly, his next, Pulimurugan, will be another big-budget production and Bala assures that the makers are leaving no stone unturned to make it the “biggest Malayalam film till date”. “We have Mohanlal in the lead and have roped in almost the entire technical team of Baahubali for the action scenes and visual effects. I can guarantee that the other film industries will stand up and take note,” he says. Leading the team from the front is none other than Mohanlal, informs Bala, who is all praise for the way the superstar carries himself on set and also instills confidence in the team.
“He is a natural leader,” says Bala. “The entire team can get demoralised if the lead actor walks around moody. But Lalettan has this positive aura around him that rubs off on everyone. We all get a fresh wave of energy when he’s on the set.”
Bala, who has previously shared screen with Mohanlal in Alexander the Great and Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded, tells us that working with the star has always been a learning experience. “No matter how close you are to Lalettan, the moment you are acting opposite him you tend to become nervous. But the best part is that he encourages you in such a way that it gives you confidence,” explains the actor, who will be playing a prominent role in Pulimurugan.