Lijo Jose Pellissery speaks about casting Mohanlal for ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’

Lijo Jose Pellissery’s films have always grabbed eyeballs for his distinctive style of making and compelling storytelling. His upcoming film ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ is now the talk of the town. Touted to be a period drama, ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ has Mohanlal essaying the lead role. ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ also marks the maiden collaboration between Lijo Jose Pellissery and Mohanlal. The filmmaker has now opened up about the reason why he choose Mohanlal as the lead actor for ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’. It is worth mentioning that Lijo Jose Pellissery is quite particular about casting, and choosing to cast Mohanlal too was for all the right reasons. Post the release of the teaser of ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’, Lijo Jose Pellissery spoke about how Mohanlal came at the helm of the project.

In a statement, the acclaimed director said, “For me, the process of finalising a theme doesn't originate from the pressure to create the next big hit; it's a natural progression. The basic idea of 'Malaikottai Vaaliban' began germinating within me a couple of years ago and then metamorphosed into a comprehensive plot. A writer like Rafeeq expanded that world, and it was only then that we realised Lalettan (Mohanlal) was the perfect fit for that role.”


Originally made in Malayalam, ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ will be dubbed and released simultaneously in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. The film is scripted by P S Rafeeque, who has earlier worked with Lijo Jose Pellissery in movies like 'Nayakan' and 'Amen'. The film is slated for release on January 25, 2024.
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