PremiumExclusive! Mamta Mohandas: What drew me to Asif Ali’s Maheshum Marutiyum is the history of Maruti 800
The entertainer, which is directed by Sethu, has completed shooting and has the car as one of its pivotal characters
Last Updated: 08.46 AM, May 19, 2022
Since the pandemic, it’s not just Mamta Mohandas’ movies that have made news but also her love for cars. Last year, the actress brought home her dream car – Porsche 911 Carrera S – much to the cheer of her fans. But what got her more excited was that at the turn of the New Year, she was offered scriptwriter-director Sethu’s Maheshum Marutiyum, which has an automobile as one of its pivotal characters.
“It was crazy,” she tells OTTplay in an exclusive interview. “Just one week before (actor-producer Maniyanpilla) Raju chettan called me for the film, my dad and I were talking about the history of Ambassador, Maruti and the old cars.”
The movie is almost a love triangle involving Asif Ali and Mamta’s characters and a Maruti 800, which the titular character’s father brings home after it was launched in 1983. “Obviously, what draws me to the film is that the history of Maruti 800 plays a big role in it,” says Mamta. “I won’t say that it’s about Maruti but it’s a fiction that stems from the car’s history, and that’s what makes it a character in the movie. It’s also after a huge gap that I am working with Asif.”
Meanwhile, during the pandemic, Mamta had also completed shooting for Sohan Seenulal’s Unlock, which also has Sreenath Bhasi and Chemban Vinod Jose in pivotal roles. “It’s got a brilliant subject and it’s come out really well,” she says, adding that the film’s release will be announced soon.
The Jana Gana Mana actress recently also wrapped up shooting for her Telugu comeback movie, Rudrangi. On her next project, Mamta says, “I have signed another Malayalam film. It’s backed by a big production house and it’s a female-oriented film. I haven’t done a movie like that before. The subject is going to be absolutely interesting.”