'Mosque set resembled Babri Masjid, natives opposed dismantling', Kamal describes incident during shooting of favourite movie

'Ghazal' was a 1993 film starring Vineeth, Thilakan and Mohini in lead roles. The movie is directed by the famous director Kamal. Now, the director has revealed that 'Ghazal' is one of his favorite films. Kamal revealed this in an interview given to Kaumudi Movies. He added that even though 'Ghazal' didn't run for too long in theaters, its songs were a huge hit. Later, when the film was shown on television, many people called and asked why it did not become a hit in theaters, he said.

‘Ghazal’ is the second film that T.A. Razak and I are doing together. There was a story in my mind that I wanted to make into a movie. When I mentioned this to Razzaq, he suggested incorporating some characters from his life background into the story. That's how the movie ‘Ghazal’ came to be—a love story set in a Muslim background.

We collaborated to write the script for this film in Malampuzha. There were some painful incidents during those days. It was a time when the Babri Masjid was demolished, which had a significant impact on us. At that time, there was a fear that a story set in a Muslim background might be problematic. However, we didn't let that deter us because the story doesn't delve into political matters. Then, the story progressed.’ Kamal said.

Furthermore, he explained an incident that occurred during the shooting of the "Ghazal" movie. The renowned art director Krishna Murthy had erected the set in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram. However, the locals there were reluctant to see it demolished.

‘The mosque was set atop a hill in Perinthalmanna, resembling the Babri Masjid. After shooting, when we attempted to dismantle the set, some of the local youths opposed it. This occurred amidst the backdrop of the Babri Masjid demolition issue raging across India. When this conflict arose, Krishna Murthy approached me and briefed me on the matter. Subsequently, Razak and I intervened and engaged in dialogue with them. Eventually, we reached an understanding that the set's demolition was unrelated to the Babri Masjid's demolition depicted in the story.’ Kamal clarified.