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It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this is the era of Prithviraj Sukumaran. Not only is he gearing up for the release of his biggest directorial venture to date — the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan — but he has also reportedly joined the highly anticipated upcoming SS Rajamouli-Mahesh Babu film, in which he is expected to play a key role. The multi-hyphenate Malayalam star is not just breaking new ground but also leading the industry’s expansion across linguistic and regional boundaries.
The son of yesteryear superstar Sukumaran and acclaimed actor Mallika Sukumaran, Prithviraj made his on-screen debut at just 19 and has since become one of Malayalam cinema’s most successful and established actors of his generation. He eventually made his directorial debut with the political action thriller Lucifer (2019) — featuring Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Vivek Oberoi and Tovino Thomas in key roles — which went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters in Malayalam cinema history. Now, as he gears up for the release of Lucifer’s sequel Empuraan, set to hit screens on March 27, expectations are at an all-time high.
Meanwhile, an old interview in which Prithviraj spoke about the importance of considering the male lead’s opinion in casting decisions has grabbed attention. Renowned for not mincing words and his meticulous approach as a filmmaker, he also elaborated on why an actor in a lead role must have a say in a film’s casting.
When asked in a 2010 interview with DD Malayalam (formerly DD4) whether choosing the female lead was a male protagonist’s prerogative, he replied: “Not just when it comes to the heroine, the male lead should have a say in the casting of all characters, even the minor ones. The hero carries a significant share of responsibility for a film, alongside the director, producer and screenwriter.”
He added: “When a film flops, people don’t say, ‘so-and-so character actor’s movie flopped’; people won’t blame supporting actors like Jagathy Sreekumar or Suraj Venjaramoodu. Instead, the responsibility falls squarely on the lead actors like Mammootty, Mohanlal and myself. In today’s scenario, the only actor who has to take responsibility for a film’s success or failure is the male lead. Hence, their opinion carries weight.”
Prithviraj, nonetheless, clarified that while actors can express their views, they do not have the authority to dictate casting choices. “Actors, including myself, work with renowned and respected directors and producers. None of them are in a position where they have to blindly follow everything a male star demands.”
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