Madhoo’s shocking revelation on Pearle Maaney Show: How Mohanlal saved her from drunk rowdy crowd

Veteran actress Madhoo has opened up about a frightening incident that occurred during the filming of the iconic 1992 Malayalam movie Yodha. Speaking in a recent interview, the actress recalled how her co-star Mohanlal and a crew member shielded her from an unruly, intoxicated mob during a song shoot.

The shocking revelation was made during a candid appearance on the highly popular YouTube talk show, Pearle Maaney Show. Hosted by the widely followed media personality Pearle Maaney, the channel is known for drawing massive viewership with its intimate celebrity chats. Madhoo joined the show as part of the promotional campaign for her project, Chinna Chinna Aasai.

The incident took place during the filming of the evergreen track "Kunu Kune Cheru Kurunirakal". The crew was shooting on location at an elevated pagoda situated near a local marketplace. According to Madhoo, the atmosphere shifted rapidly as evening approached and the local crowd grew volatile.

"By around 6 PM, the people around the market space started drinking," Madhoo shared during the episode. "We were shooting the dance sequence on top of the pagoda. Initially, the crowd was down below, but I suddenly noticed they were creeping up. I asked if it looked like they were coming closer, and they said no. But suddenly, you realise this drunk, rowdy crowd is just three steps away from you."

Realizing the imminent danger to Madhoo and the six to eight female background dancers—who were all in performance attire—Mohanlal and Bijoy (an assistant to cinematographer Santhosh Sivan) immediately sprang into action.

Madhoo recounted how the duo grabbed her hands and literally made her leap down the massive stone steps of the pagoda to bypass the closing crowd. A vehicle waiting amidst the chaos caught them, and they were rushed straight to a nearby police station for safety.

"It was an unruly crowd, and it was just me and a few girls up there," Madhoo said, recalling the panic of the moment. "We all ended up at the police station. I distinctly remember calling my father right after to tell him what had happened."

Despite the volatility of the situation, Madhoo emphasized the protective wall her co-star and crew built around her, ensuring she remained completely unharmed.

"It was terrifying, but it is also a lasting memory. Not even a nail or a shadow of anyone touched me in that mob. Lalettan held one of my hands and Bijoy held the other, and they took care of me the entire way down through that crowd. Not a single person could get close to me."

Decades after its release, Yodha remains a landmark film in Malayalam cinema. For Madhoo, the project remains permanently etched in her memory—not just for its cinematic legacy, but for a real-life rescue that she says she will never forget.