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Jyothika was first choice for Mohanlal's Thudarum before Shobana, says director

Jyothika was first choice for Mohanlal's Thudarum before Shobana, says director

India Today23-04-2025
When 'Thudarum' was announced as the on-screen reunion of Mohanlal and Shobana after 20 years, it instantly sparked nostalgia and excitement among Malayalam cinema fans. But director Tharun Moorthy recently revealed that actor Jyothika was first approached for the role of Lalitha before Shobana came on board.In a recent interview with Red FM, Tharun said, 'Shobana was always on our mind for Lalitha. But we weren't sure how to get in touch with her. So we began exploring alternatives. We were looking for someone who hadn't acted with Mohanlal before. That's when we thought of Jyothika.'advertisementSharing his experience of narrating the script, the director said, 'Jyothika and Suriya were very excited when I narrated the story, but her dates clashed with a planned family world tour.' Not wanting to push her into the project, Tharun eventually decided to contact Shobana, who had always been their ideal choice.
Talking about Shobana's reaction, Tharun said, 'That question kept lingering in my mind: Wouldn't Mohanlal and Shobana be the combination that Malayali viewers want to watch? We decided to contact Shobana, and she was also interested in coming back to movies. She said if the script and space were right, and if I made her feel comfortable, then she would do the film.'The resulting casting brings Mohanlal and Shobana back together after their last full-length collaboration in 'Mambazhakkalam' (2004). The duo also shared screen space in the iconic 'Manichitrathazhu' (1993), 'Minnaram' (1994), and 'Pavithram' (1994).advertisementContrary to speculation, 'Thudarum' is not a crime thriller. In an interview, Tharun clarified that it is a grounded family drama. The story is inspired by a real-life incident involving a man named Sunil. The film also stars Farhaan Faasil, Maniyanpilla Raju, Binu Pappu, and Irshad Ali. It is written by KR Sunil, with music composed by Jakes Bejoy, and produced by Aashirvad Cinemas and Rejaputhra Release. 'Thudarum' is set to release in theatres on April 25.
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