Joju George alleges he wasn't paid for 'Churuli'; Calls out makers; Betrayal over dialogue cut

Time of India

5 hours ago

Malayalam actor Joju George has made a shocking revelation about his experience working on 'Churuli', one of the most critically talked-about and controversial films from director
.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
In an interview with The New Indian Express, Joju claimed he was not paid for his role in the film and accused the makers of breaching a mutual agreement regarding the film's content.
'I was hurt': Joju on broken promises
Joju played the role of a police officer named Anthony in Churuli, which garnered both acclaim and criticism, especially for its use of profane language.
Churuli - Official Trailer
The actor revealed that the team had assured him that only a clean version of the film—without bad words—would be released theatrically.
Joju George was told that the explicit version would be reserved only for awards consideration.
Leaving the actor shocked, the unedited version was screened in theatres. 'I had to weather it alone,' Joju said. The 'Retro' actor further said that he conveyed his concerns to the producers, but no one called to check on him after the film's release.
"I would've felt better if..."
Joju also spoke about the impact on his public image, especially in his hometown, where audiences were not expecting such language from a film featuring him.
The lack of communication from the team after the release added to his distress. 'I would've felt better if they had just informed me about the change,' he said, calling it a breach of trust.
About 'Churuli'
Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, 'Churuli' received much heat from the audiences for its explicit dialogues, though necessary for the content. The movie is a science fiction film where two undercover police officers are in pursuit of a wanted criminal and get stuck in a strange village. The movie featured Joju George, Soubin Shahir, Chemban Vinod Jose, and Vinay Forrt in pivotal lead roles.