"Mohanlal requested me that role and left with tears in his eyes": Director reveals hardships Mohanlal had gone through to play an adivasi

'Thudarum' directed by Tharun Moorthy is a film that introduced a handful of great new actors and some forgotten faces. Veteran Malayalam director P Chandrakumar has also played a notable role in the film 'Thudarum'. Chandrakumar is also a director who is perhaps responsible for bringing Mohanlal to superstar status.

While 'Thudarum' was running in a packed house, an interview that Chandrakumar had previously given to Kaumudy TV about Mohanlal is now being discussed on social media. In the interview, he spoke about the hardships that Mohanlal endured for a character. The film 'Uyarum Njan Nadake' released in 1985 was directed by P Chandrakumar. In this film, Mohanlal played the role of an adivasi.

P Chandrakumar's words

The producers of the film 'Uyarum Njan Nadake' came to tell me the story. Lal was also on the set that day. When Mohanlal heard the story, he asked, 'It's a good role. Can you give it to me?' Then I said that I had saved it for Ratheesh. Ratheesh would be a little more suitable for a tribal man look. Mohanlal came to me like this for three or four days and asked me to give him the role.

"You are fair and can't play that role. If you play an Adivasi, people will beat me up," I told Mohanlal. The next day, when I came to the shooting, Mohanlal, who was supposed to be dressed as a police officer, was dressed in dusky makeup and wearing a thorth. Then I said, "Who told you to wear this costume? Go and change it," and Mohanlal left with tears in his eyes.

Then I thought. I had never seen such sincerity even in Ratheesh. I called Lal and told him. "Lal, I will give you that role. But there are some conditions. When you come to that shoot, you cannot wear footwear. And you cannot wear a shirt and pants, you can only wear the clothes we give you. You cannot sit with us. We are bringing 100 real Adivasis for the film. You have to go and sit with them. You have to sit with them and learn their ways." Mohanlal complied with that. When we walked in the cold of Wayanad wrapped in thick clothes, Lal walked in a thorth. That film is the result of that hardship. Mohanlal played that role very beautifully.