Sudha Kongara's heartfelt message to Alphonse Puthren: 'Premam kept me alive'

A day after Malayalam director Alphonse Puthren announced his decision to quit cinemas citing health reasons, filmmaker Sudha Kongara wrote a heartfelt message urging him to keep creating art. Sudha Kongara's social media post could be termed as a fan letter, as she expressed in a few words how Alphonse's films had been a source of comfort and transformation during the darkest moments of her life.

"I’m going to miss your cinema. Premam is my all time favourite and kept me alive at my lowest. I would watch it on loop. It made me, a total cynic, fall in love again with the idea of being in love. Please continue to create in any form and I will consume. Love, Sudha," said Sudha, conveying her deep admiration for Alphonse's storytelling skills.

Sudha Kongara is the first celebrity to react to Alphonse's shocking decision to retire from making feature films. 

ALSO READ: Malayalam director Alphonse Puthren reveals autism diagnosis, deletes social media post later

On Tuesday, Alphonse shocked the Indian film industry by revealing his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. He expressed his inability and unwillingness to continue making movies, while profusely apologising to fans for his abrupt decision. 

"I don't want to be a burden to anyone else," Alphonse said in a statement posted on his Instagram page. "I don't want to quit Cinema, but I have no other option." 

He suggested that he was not willing to deliver his committees on time owing to his bad health, prompting him to take such a major decision. He, however, noted he will continue to create entertainment on smaller scales. 

Premam can be considered the pinnacle of Alphonse's creativity as a filmmaker. The coming-of-age drama starred Malayalam star Nivin Pauy in the lead role. It narrated the pains and pleasures of its hero George David and his never-ending search for love. The movie was released in 2015 and became an instant classic. Not just in Kerala, Premam became a huge hit across the south Indian states and inspired several remakes. 

Premam is streaming on Disney+Hotstar.