‘If Mohanlal hadn’t caught her in time’: Kaloor Dennis recalls terrifying near-accident that almost changed the fate of ‘January Oru Orma’

Veteran Malayalam screenwriter Kaloor Dennis once revisited a chilling incident from the sets of ‘January Oru Orma’, recalling how Mohanlal’s lightning-fast reflexes prevented a serious mishap involving actress Karthika during filming. By the mid-1980s, Karthika had already become a sensation in Malayalam cinema. Films like ‘Oru Painkilikatha’ and ‘Manicheppu Thurannappol’ had established her as a fresh, distinctive presence. Despite her swift rise, she remained soft-spoken and reserved, a contrast Dennis noticed when he first met her in Kodaikanal in 1986.

Racing against time in Kodaikanal

Dennis and director Joshiy arrived at the location days before the shoot with only a scene order and an incomplete script. With actors like Mohanlal, Soman, Jayabharathi, Rohini and Suresh Gopi set to join, the pressure to finish the screenplay was intense. Karthika arrived quietly with her mother on the eve of filming.




The first day’s shoot took the team to Suicide Point, where Mohanlal, playing Raju, shared the frame with Karthika’s character Nimmi. As the mist rolled in, their casual dialogue flowed naturally along the narrow path near the gorge, lending authenticity to the scene.

As stated by Mathrubhumi, during a playful exchange, Karthika delivered her line, “Anyway shall I try jumping once?” As she stepped forward, her foot slipped dangerously close to the edge. In an instant, Mohanlal grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, preventing a potential tragedy that few on set even noticed.

A quiet fear that lingered

While the crew applauded the scene, Dennis stood shaken, acutely aware of how narrowly disaster had been avoided. The thought “If Mohanlal hadn’t caught her that exact second…” stayed with him. Years later, that misty hilltop remains unforgettable for him, especially as ‘January Oru Orma’ became one of Karthika’s final films before her sudden exit from cinema.


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