Thudarum, directed by Tarunmurthy, starring Mohanlal in the lead role, is doing well in theaters. Thudarum was also the film in which Mohanlal and Maniyan Pillai Raju, who have worked together in many hit films, acted together after a while. Raju had recently taken a break from films. His son and actor Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju had said that his father had cancer and was now cured of it. Now, Maniyan Pillai Raju himself has revealed that he is a cancer survivor. He said this during a public event held in Kochi. Raju revealed that he had an MRI done due to ear pain and later the cancer was confirmed.

"I was diagnosed with cancer last year. After shooting for the movie Thudarum, I went to work on the movie 'Bha. Bha. Ba'. When I returned, I had an earache. When I got an MRI, it showed a minor condition. On the tip of the throat, under the tongue. I had 30 radiation therapies and five chemos. All the treatment was completed in September. I am taking no medicine but I lost 16 kg. There is no other problem,' said Maniyanpilla Raju.