Hindi actor opposite Mohanlal in Thudarum? Tharun Moorthy on how his writer vetoed it as 'plastic'

Thudarum director Tharun Moorthy revealed that George Sir’s casting was the toughest to crack, and they even considered a Hindi actor. Here's how ad filmmaker Prakash Varma came on board Mohanlal film

Prakash Varma, Mohanlal

Superstar Mohanlal’s second film of the year, Thudarum was a raging success, which also gifted Malayalam cinema a handsome villain with George Sir, played impeccably by Prakash Varma. Thudarum director Tharun Moorthy recently revealed that George Sir’s casting was the toughest for the team to crack, and they even considered roping in a Hindi actor. But his writer vetoed the suggestion, saying that it looked plastic.

Tharun Moorthy on Thudarum casting

The 2025 Malayalam film Thudarum pitted Mohanlal’s Benz Shanmugham against Prakash Varma’s George Sir, giving one of the iconic rivalries in recent times. Recounting how they made the casting choice during the Club FM Roundtable, Tharun Moorthy said that he had insisted on casting the best actor for George Sir but could not find a suitable artiste in terms of appearance and performance.

“We even thought of bringing someone from Hindi (industry) and dub their portions,” Tharun said, while admitting that it would have been risky as the character has to mouth a lot of heavy dialogues.

Also read: Thudarum director Tharun Moorthy on sequel, comparisons with Mohanlal's Drishyam and film following Empuraan in theatres | Exclusive

“Even then, we considered roping in a Hindi actor. But the writer KR Sunil said that all other casting is fantastic but that casting feels plastic,” recounted Tharun, whose second film Saudi Vellakka fetched National Award glory.

And it was again Sunil, who pointed out that they need someone like Prakash Varma, who is a noted ad filmmaker. Tharun followed it up with why not reach out to him, and see how he responds. The rest as they say is history as Prakash Varma gave his nod to act, marking his debut performance with Thudarum.

He played the vile cop George, who greets people with a smile and ‘Hello’. It is later revealed that George Sir killed Benz’s stepson Pavi, sparking off a tale of revenge. Despite it being his debut performance, Prakash Varma was able to match steps with the veteran Mohanlal. On the other hand, Mohanlal was seen in an extended cameo in Dileep's Bha Bha Ba, which released amid much public hue and cry on December 18.

Also read: Thudarum ending explained: Mohanlal-starrer to get a sequel after Benz is arrested for killing George sir?

Thudarum FAQs

Q. Is Thudarum worth the hype?

A. Thudarum is a Malayalam movie, which starred Mohanlal in the lead role of Benz Shanmugham seeking revenge for his stepson's murder. Those who like revenge thrillers with some stellar action sequences will enjoy the film.

Q. Is Thudarum released in OTT?

A. You can watch Thudarum starring Mohanlal and Prakash Varma, on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium

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