Did you know? Riya Shibu was not the first choice for the Delulu role in 'Sarvam Maya'

‘Sarvam Maya’ is undoubtedly the biggest Malayalam blockbuster of this year, giving Nivin Pauly a solid bounce back, and it is also winning over audiences in theaters and on OTT. The movie has done wonders at the box office, shattering records, and is still running successfully on OTT releases. The audience was completely charmed and impressed by the movie’s story, characterization, and realistic conversations. The audience loves Riya Shibu’s innocent and outstanding performance in ‘Delulu’, appreciating the clarity of emotions, which is one of the film's best features.Director Akhil Sathyan revealed in an interview with Asianet that actress Preethi Mukundan was the first choice for the character. However, during the development stage, the team felt that the love track became too predictable with that casting decision. This led to a major change in the plan. Preethi Mukundan was shifted to another role in the film, and Riya Shibu was brought in as Delulu. The decision proved to be a turning point, as Riya’s performance went on to become one of the film’s emotional highlights. Interestingly, even though the film’s title changed during development, it was first planned as 'Sarvam Delulu' before Nivin Pauly suggested renaming it 'Sarvam Maya'. Akhil Sathyan has shared that several moments in 'Sarvam Maya' are drawn from real experiences rather than pure imagination. One of the most powerful scenes in the film shows Delulu’s brother saying goodbye to Maya Mathew before doctors remove her life-support system. The director shared that a family friend went through a similar predicament where a child had to make a life-and-death decision to remove life support from a relative in a coma. He portrayed the encounter as horrifying and indelible, recollecting that the actual event became the emotional foundation for the scene in the movie.The film has collected around Rs 150.45 crore worldwide and continues to stream successfully on a popular digital platform, attracting new viewers even after its theatrical run. Akhil Sathyan has openly said that he draws inspiration from real people, real emotions, and real-life situations rather than relying only on fictional ideas. Realism, gripping performances, and deep emotions are the primary reasons why ‘Sarvam Maya’ has touched the minds and hearts of the audience, becoming a cult movie in contemporary Malayalam cinema.