Director Lijo Jose Pellissery stated that he did not give any instructions to actor Mohanlal during the filming of the duo’s eagerly awaited project, Malaikottai Vaaliban, which is scheduled to open in theatres on January 25. He continued by saying that Mohanlal adapted to this role of a wrestler in this film .

He said he had no intention of making Mammootty and Mohanlal films one after the other. "I had not made up my mind to work on a Mohanlal movie following a Mammootty project. Malaikottai Vaaliban was the result of everything falling into place at the perfect moment, he continued.

Also Read: Mohanlal explains why Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Malaikottai Vaaliban must be experienced on big screen  

The director of Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam clarified that viewers of all ages will appreciate the movie in the same way that they would enjoy or visualise an Amar Chitra Katha. "The movie is just folklore; it doesn't belong to any specific genre," he continued.

Regarding the excitement surrounding Malaikottai Vaaliban, Lijo stated that the film's makers have simply expressed their intentions in a convincing manner in this movie.

He continued by saying that the anticipation surrounding the movie is uncontrollable and stems from what the public expected to see when the project was announced. “This movie requires such hype to draw a large audience to theatres,” he said.

Also Read: Mohanlal’s Malaikottan Vaaliban bags THIS certificate from censor board; Read details

Working with PS Rafeeque for the third time

With Malaikottai Vaaliban, Lijo Jose Pellissery is working with screenwriter and lyricist P S Rafeeque for the third time. The pair collaborated on projects such as Nayakan (2010) and Amen (2013). "We enjoy hearing tales from mythology. Our works reflect this preference," Lijo remarked.

He also commended the screenwriter for his skill in using folklore and mythology in his writing. "Rafeeque's writing is convincing, and he has a strong vocabulary," he added.

Malaikottai Vaaliban to release in multiple languages

Malaikottai Vaaliban also stars Hareesh Peradi, Marathi actress Sonalee Kulkarni, Manoj Moses, Bengali artist Katha Nandi, Manikandan R Achari, and Suchithra Nair. The movie is anticipated to be the actor's first success of the year, raising people's expectations for a Mohanlal-Lijo Jose Pellissery collaboration.

Watch Koose Munisamy Veerappan, Kadak Singh, Scam 2003, Chaaver and more on OTTplay, by subscribing to the Jhakaas monthly pack which provides access to 19 OTTs at just ₹49 for the first month