Mohanlal's Malaikottai Vaaliban has massive sequences that weren't easy to shoot: Lijo Jose Pellissery

Director Lijo Jose Pellissery is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that his collaboration with Mohanlal - Malaikottai Vaaliban, not only meets the massive expectations of the audience but also sets a benchmark as far as big-budget period film goes in Malayalam cinema.

The team completed its first schedule after almost three months in Rajasthan and the filmmaker took a moment to extend his gratitude to the crew for making the arduous task possible.

Also read: Malaikottai Vaaliban: Mohanlal-Lijo Jose Pellissery film shifts location from Jaisalmer to Pokhran for next schedule 

“This is a film that had a lot of sequences that were massive in scale and could not have been easily shot. (It was a challenge) to come to Rajasthan and to film it. We have successfully done that and I want to thank every department for that. It’s not that we didn’t have hurdles and problems, but the delightful aspect is that we overcame all of that and completed the shoot,” said Lijo, in a video from the film’s sets in Rajasthan on the final day of its first schedule.

The team will now resume the shoot of Malaikottai Vaaliban after a month’s break. Mohanlal, who had shot a lot of his action sequences in this schedule in Jaisalmer and Pokhran, will also undergo a physical transformation for his next schedule.

The actor, who had wrapped up his portions a few days ago, had travelled to Mumbai soon after his scenes were done to shoot the weekend episode of Bigg Boss Season 5, in which he is the host. Mohanlal is also set to resume the shoot of Jeethu Joseph’s Ram this month. The team has a few portions left in Tunisia as well as the UK.

Also read: Exclusive! Jeethu Joseph: Several locations for Mohanlal’s Ram were cancelled after Queen Elizabeth’s death 

In an earlier interview with us, Jeethu, who is shooting the two instalments of Ram simultaneously, told us that the UK authorities had cancelled the permissions to shoot in a few locations in the UK due to the death of Queen Elizabeth last year. The team has now reapplied for permission and are expected to fly to London to wrap up those portions too. Ram is set to hit theatres in August 2023.