‘She Is A Born Actor’: Thudakkam Director Jude Anthany Joseph On Vismaya Mohanlal’s Big Debut

After delivering the biggest blockbuster of his career with 2018, director Jude Anthany Joseph could easily have rushed into his next film.

Instead, he did what he has always done – he waited. Thudakkam (Beginning), which releases on August 7, marks the Malayalam debut of Vismaya Mohanlal, alongside Ashish, the son of producer Antony Perumbavoor. In an exclusive chat with NDTV, the filmmaker spoke about casting Vismaya, why he takes his time with every project, and more.

When asked about the long gaps between his films, Jude Anthany Joseph says, “My films have always had gaps. My first film released in 2014, the second in 2016, then there was a five-year gap before the next one. After 2018, there is another three-year gap. I only make a film when I’m completely convinced that I have to direct it. I don’t want to compromise on the script.”

Interestingly, Thudakkam stars two newcomers – Vismaya Mohanlal and Aashish Joe Antony – with a special appearance by Mohanlal. According to Jude, casting fresh faces was not a gamble but a creative necessity.

“If a well-known actor had played these characters, audiences would immediately start making assumptions. For example, if Tovino was playing the role, viewers would already expect him to emerge victorious. With newcomers, the audience has no preconceived ideas, which gives me complete freedom as a storyteller.”

He also points out that this is not the first time he has trusted newcomers. He recalls casting a 65-year-old woman with no acting experience in Oru Muthassi Gadha.

Many people may assume that Thudakkam was written specifically for Vismaya, but the filmmaker dismisses the idea. He says the story has been with him since 2020.

“It wasn’t written for her. Suchi chechi (Suchitra Mohanlal) told me about Vismaya’s passion for acting and her wish to make her debut in Malayalam cinema. When she heard this script, she loved it. The moment I met Vismaya, I felt she was perfect for the character,” he explains.

The Sara’s director has nothing but praise for Mohanlal’s daughter, describing her as someone who is naturally comfortable in front of the camera.

“She is a born actress. She’s extremely natural and performs with great ease, just like her father. I believe audiences will see even better performances from her after two or three films.”

Since Thudakkam marks her acting debut, Jude says his role was simply to guide her through the filmmaking process.

“I never tried to teach her acting. I only guided her whenever she was confused about an emotion or a scene, and that too because this is her debut film,” he says.

Given that Mohanlal also makes a special appearance in the film, what was he like on set with his daughter? Jude says the veteran superstar never interfered with either his daughter’s performance or the filmmaking process.

“He’s not that kind of person. He comes to the set as an actor. He gives suggestions only if someone asks him. Otherwise, he never comments on anything. Their relationship on set was like that of two actors. There was no father-daughter atmosphere on set. It was purely actor-to-actor,” he says with a smile.

Rumours that Thudakkam was a full-fledged action film gathered pace after reports claimed Vismaya had trained in Muay Thai and would showcase those skills in the film. Jude dismisses the speculation.

“The film isn’t an action entertainer. There are a few action scenes because the story requires them, but it’s essentially a family drama. Any family could experience the situation shown in the film. The film not only shows the situation but also offers a solution. I want every family to have that solution if they ever face such a situation.”

Another rumour suggested that Tovino Thomas was also part of the project. The filmmaker laughs and says, “After the trailer was released, people mistook the back shot of another actor for Tovino. But he is not part of the film.”

Although audiences have seen Jude Anthany Joseph both behind and in front of the camera, he says there has never been any confusion about which role he prefers.

“I enjoy acting, but if I had to choose, I would always choose directing. As an actor, you’re happy when people appreciate your performance. But when a film you’ve directed is accepted by audiences, the satisfaction is completely different. That’s the best feeling in the world.”

With Thudakkam set to release in a few days, Jude says he is happy with how the film has turned out.

“Now, I’m just waiting for people to experience it. Mohanlal sir is happy and said he enjoyed the film. Vismaya is happy too, but she’s obviously nervous,” he says.

If Jude Anthany Joseph’s confidence in the film and Vismaya Mohanlal’s are anything to go by, Thudakkam could turn out to be a memorable debut that introduces Malayalam cinema’s next promising talent.