Over the years, we have seen some of the most unforgettable performances in dual roles that have left a lasting impression on the audience. The complexity of portraying two characters in the same film, often with stark differences, requires immense talent and skill, and Malayalam cinema has never failed to deliver the same. In this article, I delve deeper into the world of double roles in Malayalam cinema and explore some of the most memorable performances that continue to captivate audiences even today.

1.Mammootty in Annan Thambi (2008)

This Anwar Rasheed movie is a full-on entertainer. As the name suggests, it is the story of a pair of twins and their unending rivalry. Mammootty plays the twins effortlessly. The story starts from their childhood when a particular incident elevates the already-ignited rivalry between the brothers. But with time things get better and the film beings to explore the brotherhood between the two. The film is hilariously entertaining and has the right amount of drama and action.

2. Mohanlal in Ravanaprabhu (2001)

Ravanaprabhu is the directorial debut of acclaimed filmmaker Ranjith. He also wrote the film apart from directing it. Ravanaprabhu is the sequel to the cult classic Malayalam movie Devasuram, which also starred Mohanlal. The movie takes a leap of several decades and now the characters from Devasuram are all in their old age. Mohanlal reprises his role as Mangalassery Neelakanthan and also plays his son Mangalassery Karthikeyan. The film is a mass entertainer. But not to lie, it is nothing in comparison to Devasuram. Ravanaprabhu is one of Mohanlal’s best double roles ever.

Read: Best Performances of Mohanlal that you dare not miss!

3.Dileep in Kunjikoonan (2002)

Taking a break from double roles that were mostly associated with twins or familial relations, Kunjikoonan has Dileep play two entirely different characters and blows our minds. The focus however lies in the titular role of Kunjikoonan alias Kunjan, a kind young man with a hunched back. He feels extremely insecure about himself due to his physical disfiguration though never openly admits it. Those scenes are extremely hilarious. The second role Dileep plays is more like a villain. He interferes with Kunjan’s love life but then leaves without creating much of a ruckus. The movie is an evergreen comedy movie in the history of Malayalam cinema.

4.Tovino Thomas in Ende Ummande Peru (2018)

Though the movie is about Hamid (Tovino Thomas) and his journey to find his birth mother, Tovino makes a second appearance that hardly lasts for a few seconds. As he travels to Lucknow in search of his birth mother with his father’s first wife Aisha (Urvashi) he comes to know that he was in fact separated at birth from his twin brother. Hamid catches a glimpse of his identical twin brother right before leaving for home.

5.Dileep in Pachakuthira (2006)

Dileep always surprises us in his dual roles. In Pachakuthira Dileep plays Anandakuttan, a junior artist, and Akash, his long-lost younger brother from Germany. The younger brother who also happens to be autistic is unable to identify his elder brother. How the two brothers bond over time and make up for the lost time is beautifully depicted in this Kamal directorial.

6.Kavya Madhavan in Mizhi Randilum (2003)

Malayalam actresses have very rarely done dual roles. Kavya Madhavan’s dual role in Mizhi Randilum is pure bliss. Like in most double role movies, Kavya plays the twins Bhadra and Bhama. It is a family drama directed by Ranjith that also stars Indrajith, Dileep, and Revathy. The film explores the lives of Bhama and Bhadra covering the love angle and family equations.

7. Kavya Madhavan in Nadiya Kollapetta Ratri (2007)

Kavya Madhavan seems to be the only Malayalam actress who has two double role Malayalam movies to her credit. Nadiya Kollapetta Ratri is another film about twin sisters played by Kavya. It is a really thrilling film about twin rivalry and identity exchange and will keep you hooked till the end,

8. Iratta (2023)

The name of the film itself gives it away that it is a story about a pair of identical twins, both played by Joju George. It is a very dark film that explores the impact of childhood trauma on adults. The fact that the central characters are twins plays an extremely significant premise in the film.

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