'Lalettan had special diet to lose weight for that movie; that actor thrashed me and threw me to the ground': Actor Sarath Das recalls

Actor Sarath Das is a prominent and familiar actor in Malayalam cinema and television, best known among the family audience for his portrayal of Lord Krishna. Sarath became a favourite star of the big screen audience with his own films Ennu Swantham Janakikutty and Madhuranombarakattu.

Fans have been celebrating Sarath again with the re-release of Mohanlal's film Devadoothan, directed by Sibi Malayil. Sarath played the role of a college student in the film. The actor is also acting in the film '11.11', starring Dhyan Sreenivasan. Now, Sarath has shared his experiences when he entered the acting field.

'Devadoothan was not a hit in theatres back then. When I reached its set, I saw Lalettan standing in with a divine look in a beard and a kurta. He worked hard to lose weight. He ate only wheat dosa and steamed banana every morning and afternoon. Everyone worked hard for that movie. The movie was shot in two parts. Lalettan had to lose and gain weight accordingly. Still, the movie failed. It was a big gloom.

When the movie was re-released years later, it was a huge success. My father was a Kathakali singer. His name was Kalamandalam Venmani Haridas. My father and Lalettan had acted together in the movie Vanaprastham. They were good friends. That same love that Lalettan had given to my father, he showed me too. It was an unforgettable experience.

"In the film Pathram, there is a scene where Spadikam George thrashes me in front of the airport. Before turning on the camera, he said he would act as if he was beating me. But after the action call, he turned into the character. He thrashed me and threw me to the ground. My leg was injured. I still remember the pain.

"I still can't forget playing Lord Krishna in a serial. Many people have said, both jokingly and seriously, that Guruvayoorappan has my face. When I go to many temples for inaugurations, many mothers and sisters have asked me to give them prasad. I can't forget that," said Sarath.