Will 'Marakkar' prove to be the biggest hit of Mohanlal's career?

Mollywood legend Mohanlal's latest movie Marakkar is set to hit the screens on Thursday, which has created a great deal of buzz among fans. The Priyadarshan-helmed period drama revolves around the life of a naval admiral and has the potential to be a gamechanger for the industry. So, will Marakkar prove to be the biggest hit of Lalettan's illustrious career?

Here is our SWOT analysis.

Strengths

Mohanlal, the star of sensational blockbusters such as Drishyam and Lucifer, is the biggest name in Mollywood today. His mere association with the movie should help it take an impressive start at the box office.

Judging by the trailer, the flick will feature several larger-than-life action scenes and intense dramatic sequences. The grand production values make it something that can be enjoyed on the big screen. The film's technical aspects -- right from cinematography to the sound design -- too appear to be quite good. Mohanlal is supported by an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Manju Warrier, Suniel Shetty, Keerthy Suresh, Arjun Sarja and Pranav Mohanlal.

Weaknesses

The story may not appeal to the non-Malayalam audience. Moreover, judging by the trailer, it does not feature commercial elements such as 'massy' punch dialogues and romantic sequences that helped Baahubali emerge as a pan-India hit.

Opportunities

Priyadarshan and 'Lalettan' previously collaborated for classics such as Chithram and Kaalapani, emerging as a bankable combination. Marakkar is their first collaboration in five years, which has piqued the curiosity of fans.

The film bagged three National Awards this year, which should work in its favour.

It won't face too much competition at the box office as it is the only major Malayalam film to release in Kerala this week. Kurup is unlikely to be a problem for Marakkar as the Dulquer Salman-starrer hit theatres nearly three weeks ago.

Threats

Marakkar, which has been shot on a budget of Rs 100 crore, needs to do well outside Kerala as well in order to emerge as Mollywood's answer to the Baahubali saga. This, however, is easier said than done for it will face competition from Balakrishna's Akhanda in the Telugu states. Moreover, it has not created much buzz in the Hindi belt.