Vellalimunga is one of the all-time blockbuster films in actor Biju Menon’s career. Directed by Jibu Jacob, the film was a huge success. Vellimunga was the film that gave the lead role to Biju Menon after Oritewala.
Biju Menon played the lead role of Mamachan in the film written by Joji Thomas. Asif Ali was seen as a guest star in the film.
Now director Jibu Jacob reveals the difficulties he had to face before making Vellimunga.
Vellimunga was not the film I was supposed to direct. Jibu Jacob says that its story writers came to me to recommend me to some other directors.
Jibu Jacob’s revelation is in an interview given to a YouTube channel called Master Bin. The author came to me through my cousin. Its story writers came to me to recommend me to some other directors.
Writer Joji and I sat down and worked on that script a lot. Then one or two directors who knew me narrated the story. But none of them understood the freshness of that character. Rejected saying that there is nothing in it.
When Joji got tired of trying a lot, he became sad. He said he was leaving the story. That’s when I told him that I will do this film even if no one else does.
When I read the story, the character of Mamachan felt like someone I knew. You will find someone like Mamachan in every panchayat. Jibu Jacob says that this is how he got into cinema.
Joji said that it would be better if Mammootty did the role. But Mamuka has done this type of character before. So I told Joji that it would be better if someone who has not done this type of character can do it.
Normal release time. So Biju was on my mind. When I narrated the story to Biju, Biju liked it. decided to make a film. But getting producers was difficult.
Biju had also said that if another artist was immediately cast to do the film if the project did not take off, he would.
Jibu also says that no one was ready to work with Biju Menon.
A lot of efforts were made for Asif’s guest appearance. No one was ready to play that role. This was the situation then. Despite the connections, the artists refused to come.
Asif Ali did that guest role for Biju. Jibu Jacob said that it is their friendship. Jibu Jacob said that Aju drowned in water during a bathing scene at a ghat.