Prithviraj’s mother recalls how Vinayan helped her sons during difficult times

Vinayan has been at loggerheads with bigwigs of Malayalam industry for a long time now.

On the pooja of director Vinayan’s comeback film Chalakkudykkaran Changath, actor Mallika Sukumaran, who is also the mother of actors Indrajith and Prithviraj, said a powerful section of people in the Malayalam industry tried to stall the careers of their sons in the past. She also said it was Vinayan, who supported their sons find the foothold in the industry during their trying times.

“I’m here today for Vinayan, who lend a helping hand to my sons during their difficult times. He is the one who introduced Indrajith in films. At one point in time, people who sidelined my husband’s career also tried doing the same to Prithviraj. He was pressurised to say sorry for acting in Vinayan’s film and when he didn’t give in, he was kept away from the industry for three months,” she recalled.

She said Prithviraj was so upset that he wanted to return to Australia. “I asked him why did he leave his education halfway and come here, whether seeking a career in the film industry or just came here without any intention to be here for a long time. He said he wanted to pursue a career in films. So, I told him to stay back. I believe my words gave him courage and strength to fight back,” she added.

She recollected that Vinayan’s Athbhutha Dweepu gave Prithviraj the much-needed break in the industry.

Vinayan has been at loggerheads with bigwigs of Malayalam industry for a long time now. Powerful organisations like Association of Malayalam Movie Artists and Film Employees Federation of Kerala had imposed a ban on him, preventing members of film fraternity from working with him. However, the director used legal means to remove the industry ban on him.

Vinayan is currently shooting Chalakkudykkaran Changath, which he said was a tribute to late actor Kalabhavan Mani. The popular character artist died last year under mysterious circumstances. Speculations of foul play in his death were also rife and even actor Dileep was accused to have had a role in his untimely death. However, none of them was proved.

Vinayan recently even made serious allegations against director Unnikrishnan saying the latter was trying to sabotage the shooting of Chalakkudykkaran Changath.

Some of the well-known members of the Malayalam film fraternity have alleged the presence of a group of powerful people, who work behind-the-scenes to make or mar the careers of actors and filmmakers. Veteran actor Thilakan had infamously described the organisations in the industry behaved like a ‘mafia.’