Jude Anthany Joseph on Mammootty biopic: ‘He’s a dancer, but after entering films, he is living like he doesn’t know’

Even before Malayalam director Jude Anthany Joseph had announced 2018, based on the Kerala floods, another project that had got a lot of fans as well as industry insiders excited was his plan to make a biopic on megastar Mammootty.

In a recent interview, the Ohm Shaanti Oshaana director revealed an update about the film, which was first rumoured back in 2017.

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“Everyone else is ready to do the biopic, except for Mammukka,” Jude told The Cue, recently. “Despite me asking him numerous times, he said, ‘Don’t make my life into a movie’. I have requested him that if he ever changes his mind, he should let me do it. Mammukka had initially agreed, but someone seems to have scared him after that (laughs).

Jude also said, irrespective of a movie being made on Mammootty, the megastar’s life is “inspiring”. “For a youngster in Chempu, Vaikom, to send his photo after seeing an ad in a magazine at that time, imagine the kind of passion he had,” said Jude. “It’s a great story of how that youngster became Malayalam’s megastar.”

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The filmmaker explained that Mammootty’s life has several “cinematic” incidents, which he got to know after reading a book written on the actor. “In my mind, Mammukka was this serious man, who rarely talks to people. But he’s such a sweetheart and a creative person.”

Jude also addressed an aspect that many regard as Mammootty’s Achilles Heel, when compared to his counterpart Mohanlal – his ability to dance. “Mammukka is a dancer, but somehow after entering films, he is living like he doesn’t know how to. The movie was planned with all these elements,” said the 2018 director.

He also clarified that he had initially planned the biopic with Nivin Pauly in the lead. “But after that I asked him if he was rejecting it because it was Nivin. I told him I am fine with Dulquer too, but he said no,” said Jude, adding that he is optimistic that Mammootty would one day greenlight the movie.