When Mammootty sensed that Mohanlal would become a threat to him; warned his friend Sreenivasan: ‘We should be cautious’

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“That was when Mammootty was shining in hero roles. One day, at the New Woodlands Hotel in Chennai, he told me, ‘We should be cautious of him.’ I asked who he meant, and he replied, ‘That Mohanlal. Not only will he become a hero soon, but he’s likely to become a threat to me.’ This was when Mohanlal was still playing villains. That’s when Mammootty made this insightful remark.”

“On another day, while at the same hotel, Mammootty told me he wanted to visit the Navodaya Studio office. Since I was penniless and jobless, I tagged along. The best part of going somewhere with him was that he’d not only take care of lunch and tea but also slip me Rs 100-200 at night. If he didn’t, I’d ask, and he’d give it to me,” Sreenivasan shared.

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“When we arrived at Navodaya’s office, a young man suddenly jumped up from his chair, exclaiming, ‘Mammoottikka!’ (a term of respect combining ‘Mammootty’ and ‘ikka,’ which means ‘elder brother’). I was taken aback by this lean, tall guy wearing glasses. I feared he might outshine me by showering Mammootty with affection, especially as it was lunchtime and I was starving,” Sreenivasan quipped. He noted that the man seemed oblivious to him, speaking only to Mammootty non-stop.

“When we stepped out, I asked Mammootty who that skinny guy was. Mammootty replied, ‘Oh, I forgot to introduce him. He’s talented in writing and well-read. He’s a small genius and if he gets the right opportunities in Malayalam cinema, he’ll shine. His name is… Priyadarshan.’ Mammootty’s predictions about both Mohanlal and Priyadarshan came true — he has such foresight,” he concluded.