M. P. Michael (born 2 December 1958), better known by his stage name Lal (), is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, producer and distributor who predominantly works in Malayalam and Tamil films and in a few Telugu films. Lal has won several awards, including a National Film Award – Special Mention for acting (2012), two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor (2008, 2013), and a Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam (2008). He is the owner of Lal Media Arts, a post-production studio.
Early life Lal was born as Michael to the late M. A. Paul and late Philomina, as their eldest son. He received his schooling at St. Augustine's High School, Ernakulam. His brother, Alex Paul is a music composer in the Malayalam film industry and his son, Jean is a movie director in the same industry. Lal's younger sister Neena's son, Balu Varghese is an actor in the Malayalam film industry.
Career He started his career as a mimicry artist in Kalabhavan, along with his childhood friend Siddique, who would later team up as 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 had changed their thoughts later and when their fourth production film was to get launched, Siddique-Lal had opted for Mohanlal and made Vietnam Colony (1992) which did wonders in the box office too. The duo again had 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 as 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 won of Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor in Thalappavu (2008), Ayaal (2013) and Zachariayude Garbhinikal (2013). He later directed films like King Liar (2016), and Tsunami (2021).
Lal, who also plays an important role in 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. He roped in to play the role of a warrior in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023).
He starred in the Malayalam web series Kerala Crime Files (2023) as Inspector which was released on Disney + Hotstar. and joined season 2 of Amazon prime series Suzhal.
Personal life Lal is married to Nancy and they have two children— a son Jean Paul Lal and a daughter Monica Lal. Jean Paul is a film director.
Awards + Award Year Category Film ResultNational Film Awards2012Special Mention for ActingOzhimurirowspan="7" Kerala State Film Awards1991Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic ValueGodfather2008Best ActorThalappavu2013Best ActorAyaal; Zachariayude GarbhinikalFilmfare Awards South2008Best Actor (Malayalam)ThalappavuAsianet Film Awards2010Best DirectorIn Ghost House InnVanitha Film Awards2012Best Star Pair (shared with Shwetha MenonSalt N' Pepper
Filmography
As an actor Malayalam + List of Lal Malayalam film credits Year Title Role Notes 1994 Manathe Kottaram Guest at the wedding Cameo appearance 1997 Kaliyattam Paniyan/Iago 1998 Kanmadam Johnny Punjabi House Sikkandar Singh Daya KombanaliChanchal Jeevan1999 Friends Man at the parkCameo appearance Chandranudikkunna Dikhil ParthanJananaayakan Misra2000 Mazha Chandran Arayannangalude Veedu Sukumaran Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu Gowrishankar Thenkasipattanam Dasappan2001 Ee Nadu Innale Vare Plappalli SreedharanRandam Bhavam Mohammad IbrahimUnnathangalil Shiva One Man Show Hari Narayanan 2002 Ente Hridayathinte Udama Pavitran Kannaki ManikyanKrishna Gopalakrishna Swamiji Kalyanaraman Thekkedathu Achuthankutty2003Uthara Ambi Sinkari Bolona Deva Sharma Anyar RaghavanPulival Kalyanam Karunan2004 Chathikkatha Chanthu Film Director HarikrishnanEe Snehatheerathu Chinnappa Gounder Black Devin Carlos Padaveedan2005Thommanum Makkalum Sathyan Banglavil Outha OuthaChanthupottu Divakaran 2006 The Don Kasim Baba Pothan Vava HimselfCameo appearance Oruvan Bharathan2007Panthaya Kozhi Raghavan Time Dr. Srinivasa IyengarRock N' Roll Issac2008PachamarathanalilMohammed AliThalappavu S. Raveendran PillaiAayudham Swami Antony Williams Twenty:20 Radhakrishnan2009 Thirunakkara Perumal 2010Aagathan Major George Joseph April Fool Dr. Mohana Chandran Penpattanam Inspector AntonyAnwar Babu SaitShikkarDancer Eldho Aashaan Cameo appearance in the song "Sembakame" Best Actor Vandippetta Shaji Kandahar 2011 Payyans James Varghese Salt N' Pepper Kalathipparampil Kalidasan Bombay March 12 Nissar Doctor Love HimselfCameo appearance Vellaripravinte Changathi 2012 Father's Day Seethalakshmi's suitor Unnam SibiCobra Kari (Karimoorkhan) Ozhimuri Thanupillai & Sivanpillai Scene Onnu Nammude Veedu Ottappalam UnniLittle MasterHusbands in Goa Sunny Chettayees Jacob2013Isaac Newton S/O Philipose Isaac NewtonMaad Dad Palachottil Geevargees Kuriyakose Easo Shutter Rasheed 10:30 am Local Call Govindan, Nimmy's fatherKaattum Mazhayum HajiyarAbhiyum Njaanum Nandan MenonAyaal GurudasanHoney Bee HC MichaelBuddy Michael Dominic SavioSringaravelan YesudasZachariayude Garbhinikal ZachariaIdukki Gold BehnnanVishudhan Mathew Pokkiriyachan Kadhaveedu Major Frederick Mukundan2014 Happy Journey Gopikrishnan God's Own Country MohammadHi I'm Tony Tony Kurishingal Iyobinte Pustakam Iyob Nagaravaridhi Naduvil Njan 2016 Swargathekkal Sundaram Maniyan 32aam adhyayam 23aam vaakyam Ravi Uncle / R.K. Varma King Liar Anand VarmaDum Xavier Pulimurugan BalaramanKappiri ThuruthuKadalakka Ustad2017FukriRamzan Ali FukriHoney Bee 2 : CelebrationsMichaelOru Cinemakkaaran Thomas Zacharia Pothen Jeevichirippundu SajiChunkzzVarkichanHoney Bee 2.5As HimselfOru Visheshapetta BiriyanikissaAbu Musaliyar MowlaviNjandukalude Nattil OridavelaK C Chacko2018IblisShreedharanVallikudilile VellakaaranJoseph2019PengalilaAzhaganThelivuKhalidHelenPaulThakkol Metropolitan Archbishop2020Al MalluFather PaulSilencerEenasuAnveshanamDr. FarisBhoomiyile Manohara Swakaryam 2021 Nizhal Vishwanathan Kala Raveendran Jan.E.Man Kochu Kunj 2022 Panthrandu Peelu Mahaveeryar Rudhra Mahaveera Ugrasena Maharaja Vichithram Alexander 2023 Dear Vaappi Tailor Basheer 2018 Mathachan 2024 Nadikar David's co-actor Cameo appearance 2025 Azadi Sivan Nancy Rani Akkaraparambil Chackochan Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira Mathew Thalachirayil Ambalamukkile Visheshangal Alex John
Tamil + List of Lal Tamil film credits Year Title Role Notes2004 Engal Anna Sundaralingam / Veerapandi 2005 Sandakozhi Kasi 2007 Marudhamalai Maasi Oram Po Bigil Aalwar Punniyamoorthy Madurai Veeran Mayandi Deepavali Chidambaram Rameswaram Vasanthi's father 2008 Kaalai Jeevanandham IPS 2009 Thoranai Chennai Police Commissioner Anthony Yaar? Michael Azhagar Malai Rathnavelu 2010 Porkkalam Aslam Bhai 2013 Kutti Puli Arjunan 2015 Chandi Veeran Thamarai's father 2018 Antony George Seema Raja Karikkada / Kaathadi Kannan Sandakozhi 2 Kasi Special appearance 2020 God Father Marudhu Singam 2021 Sulthan Mansoor Karnan Yeama Raja 2022 Taanakkaran Eshwaramurthy The Warriorr Kumarappa Ponniyin Selvan: I Tirukoilur Malaiyaman 2023 Ponniyin Selvan: II Maamannan CM Sindhanai Rajan Tamil Kudimagan Sudalaiyandi 2024 Singapore Saloon Chacha Star Pandian 2025 Kadhalikka Neramillai Sid's father Surrender Periyasamy Bison Kaalamaadan Kandasamy 2026 Leader Sathyamoorthy
Telugu + List of Lal Telugu film credits Year Title RoleNotes2006KhatarnakSmugglerAnnavaramPuranapool Ganga 2009 Pistha Vizag Police Commissioner 2019 Saaho Ibrahim2022The WarriorrKumarappa 2023Veera Simha ReddySidhappa 2025 They Call Him OG Ibrahim Cameo Appearance
Other Languages + List of Lal film credits in other languages Year Title Role Language2007 Before the Rains Rajat English2009 Yuvah Dhoni Kannada 2019 Saaho Ibrahim Hindi 2024 Mahadev Ka Gorakhpur - Bhojpuri
Web Series + List of Lal web series credits Year Title Role Language Platform Notes Ref. 2023-2025 Kerala Crime Files CI SHO Kurian Malayalam Disney+ Hotstar Season 1,2 2024 Killer Soup Charles Lucas Hindi Netflix 2025 Suzhal: The Vortex Adv. Chellappa Tamil Amazon Prime Video Season 2
Director, writer + List of Lal film credits as director or writer Year Title Credited as Notes Director Writer1986Pappan Priyappetta Pappan1987Nadodikkattu1989Ramji Rao SpeakingDirectorial debut as Siddique–Lal1990In Harihar Nagar1991Godfather1992Makkal MahatmyamVietnam Colony1993KabooliwalaManichithrathazhu1995Mannar Mathai SpeakingSequel to Ramji Rao Speaking20092 Harihar NagarDebut as independent director2010In Ghost House InnSequel to 2 Harihar NagarTournament – Play & Replay2012Cobra2016King Liar2021Tsunami
Producer, distributor + List of Lal film credits as producer or distributor Year Title Credited as1996HitlerProducer1997Superman1999Friends2000Thenkasipattanam2001One Man ShowDistributor2002Kalyanaraman2003SwapnakkooduDistributor2004Chathikkatha ChanthuBlack2005Thommanum MakkalumBunglavil OuthaDistributorBharathchandran I.P.S.Chanthupottu2006Chinthamani KolacaseDistributorClassmatesPothan Vava2007Panthaya KozhiNivedyamDistributorKangaroo2008CycleThalappavu20092 Harihar Nagar2010In Ghost House InnElsamma Enna AankuttyDistributorTournament – Play & ReplayProducer2011Salt N' PepperDistributorViolin2017Honey Bee 2: CelebrationsProducer
Other crew credits 1987: Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal – Script supervisor and assistant director (as Siddique–Lal)
References
External links
Lal Actor/ Director SNP Database