1982–1989

Mukesh made his acting debut in 1982 with the film Balloon.^[16] Later, that same year he landed his first leading role with the drama film Ithu Njangalude Katha, a remake of the Tamil-language film Palaivana Solai. The film was an average grosser, with the film's songs becoming chartbusters.^[17] In the mid-80s, he appeared in several comedy films directed by Priyadarshan, usually in supporting roles. His first film as solo hero came in 1985 with Mutharamkunnu P.O. Despite being an average grosser at the box office, the film has over the years attained a cult status.^[18] His first major commercial hit came with the 1985 film Boeing Boeing, directed by Priyadarshan. He appeared in a supporting role in the film to Mohanlal. This was his first collaboration with Mohanlal. They would go on to star in several films in the late 1980s, usually starring Mohanlal in the lead role.^[19] Examples include Ninnishtam Ennishtam (1986), Adiverukal (1986), Hello My Dear Wrong Number (1986) and Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu (1986). He also appeared in supporting roles to Mammootty in the late-80s with successful films like Thaniyavarthanam (1987), 1921 (1988) and Sangham (1988). In 1988, he appeared as Chacko in the cult investigative thriller Oru CBI Diary Kurippu.^[20] The character of Chacko has over the years attained a cult status.^[21] He reprised his role as Chacko in the CBI series sequels in 1989, 2004, 2005 and 2022.^[21] Then, in 1989, he starred in Ramji Rao Speaking, a blockbuster that ran for 200 days in theatres and went on to become the second highest grossing film of the year.^[22] The film gave Mukesh his major break.^[23] Ramji Rao Speaking is considered by audiences and critics to be one of the best comedy films made in Malayalam cinema.^[24] The film still has a huge cult following.^[25] The film has been subject to many memes, with Mukesh's dialogue in the film "Kambilipothappu" becoming a catchphrase.^[24] He also starred alongside Mohanlal in Vandanam (1989), which is considered a cult classic in Malayalam cinema.^[26]

1990–1999

In the beginning of the 1990, he made an extended guest role in Priyadarshan's Akkare Akkare Akkare, which was the sequel to Patanapravesham (1989). After the success of Ramji Rao Speaking, he was offered many leading roles. The film Cheriya Lokavum Valiya Manushyarum was then released, which was a commercial success. Following the success of Cheriya Lokavum Valiya Manushyarum he again collaborated with Siddique-Lal for In Harihar Nagar, which is considered to be one of the defining films of the Malayalam golden age of comedy. The film was a box office success, running for 100 days in theatres. The film established Mukesh as a bankable lead actor in the industry. The film has over the years accumulated a cult following and huge fan base, with many scenes from the film being used in memes and online trolls today.^[27] Following the success of In Harihar Nagar, a series of unrelated low budget comedy films featuring the principal cast of the film were produced. These films usually starred Mukesh, Jagadeesh or Siddique in the lead roles.^[28] In 1990 he also formed a successful onscreen pairing with another rising star, Jayaram with successful films like Thoovalsparsham, Marupuram and Malayogom. He also starred as solo hero in commercially successful films like Gajakesariyogam, Ottayal Pattalam and Champion Thomas in the same year.^[29] His role as a serial womanizer in Kouthugal Vaartakal boosted his popularity as a lead actor. He also made his Tamil debut that same year in Manaivi Oru Manickam.^[30]

He then, in 1991 starred in the classic comedy film, Godfather directed by Siddique-Lal, another blockbuster, the film ran for 417 days at Sreekumar Theatre in Trivandrum.^[31] Godfather became the longest running film in Malayalam film industry.^[32] The film established him as one of the major stars of the Malayalam film industry.^[33] He then teamed up with director P. G. Vishwambaran, who had earlier directed him in Ithu Njangalude Katha (1982), in several successful films like Innathe Programme and Irrikku M. D. Akathundu. He then starred in the 1991 cult slapstick comedy film Mookilla Rajyathu, in which he played the role of a mental patient who escaped from a mental asylum. The film is widely regarded as a classic in Malayalam cinema.^[34] He starred in the critically acclaimed Kakkathollayiram in which he played the role of the brother to mentally ill woman.^[35] He also worked with Shaji Kailas in Souhrudam (1991), in which he starred alongside Urvashi, Sai Kumar and Parvathy. However, Souhrudam was a box-office bomb.^[36] The next year, he starred alongside Jayaram in Kamal's Aayushkalam (1992), a super hit at the box office. This was the first in a set of successful collabs with director Kamal. They then teamed up for the romantic comedy Ennodishtam Koodamo, another super hit.^[37] He then starred in Makkal Maahathmiam, which was written by Siddique-Lal.^[38] He then played the role of a petty thief in Manyanmar. This was his first onscreen pairing with Sreenivasan. The following year, he starred in the Balachandra Menon directorial Ammayane Sathyam.^[39] The film was also a box office success, running for 100 days in theatres.^[39] The next year, he starred in Malappuram Haji Mahanaya Joji, another box office success.^[40] It ran for 125 days in theatres and was one of the highest grossers of the year.^[40]

By the mid-1990s Mukesh got stuck in an image trap, usually of a young man behaving, or thought to be behaving fraudulently under pressure, such as a bribe taking policeman, a thief on the run, or someone lying to impress his parents, or to get a job. The mid-1990s also signaled the end of the golden age of comedy. In 1995, most of his films were failures at the box office, sparring a few such as Sipayi Lahala and Mannar Mathai Speaking (the sequel to Ramji Rao Speaking). The consecutive failures of his films forced him move on to supporting roles. He appeared in a supporting role to Mammootty in the 1996 comedy-drama film Hitler, directed by Siddique of the Siddique-Lal duo.^[41] Hitler became the highest-grossing Malayalam film at the time, and completed a 300-day theatrical run.^[42] It became the most viewed film in the history of Mollywood.^[43] He then starred in Sibi Malayil's 1996 film Kanakkinavu, which was screened at the Indian Panorama section of the IFFI and won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.^[44] The film was also commercially successful.^[45] The next year, all of his films except for Kalyana Kacheri, bombed at the box office.^[46] The following year, he starred in Mattupetti Machan, which was one of the highest grossers of the year and ran for 100 days in theatres.^[47] It was remade in Tamil as Banda Paramasivam, in Hindi as Housefull 2.^[47] He then made a cameo appearance as himself in the highly successful Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam.^[48] 1999 was a successful year for Mukesh as he starred in two super-hits namely, Friends, which was the highest grosser of the year (He starred alongside Jayaram for the first time in 7 years and Sreenivasan) and alongside Divya Unni in the Vinayan directorial Aakasha Ganga, which was the fourth highest grossing film of the year.^[49]

Later career

In the 2000s and 2010s, he struggled to escape an image trap. Regardless, he came back with interesting supporting roles in Udayananu Tharam, Goal, Vinodayathra, Boyy Friennd, Kaiyoppu, Naalu Pennungal and Katha Parayumbol. He has been a part of many of Mohanlal's comedies, most of them directed by Priyadarshan.

Mukesh at Kollam, during the election campaign in 2016

He also ventured into production with Sreenivasan, their first movie, Katha Parayumbol, featured a cameo by Mammootty.

Mukesh was the host of a Malayalam version of Deal or No Deal, which was aired on Surya TV.

In 2007, Mukesh authored a book based on experiences while he was a student at college, and tales from his life as a movie actor.^[2] titled Mukesh Kathakal – Jeevithathiley Nerum Narmavum.^[19] It proved very successful.^[50]

He is now acting in Badai bungalow, a comedy and celebrity talk show hosted by Ramesh Pisharody, launched on Asianet from 2013.^[51]

Malayalam films

Tamil films

As producer

• Katha Parayumbol (2007)
• Thattathin Marayathu (2012)

Radio anchor

• Laksham Laksham Pinnale (2013) (Reality show-Super 94.7 fm)

Theater performance

• Mukesh started Kalidasa Visual Magic for play productions. His first play Chayamukhi was in 2008 with Mohanlal and was written and directed by Prasanth Narayanan.^[59] He also appeared with his sister, Sandhya Rajendan and his wife Methil in the 2015 adaptation of Naaga, directed by Suveeran.^[60]