Mamta Mohandas replaces Kalyani Priyadarshan in Asif Ali’s upcoming entertainer Maheshum Marutiyum

It’s been almost two years since Asif Ali’s Maheshum Marutiyum was announced. The movie, which will be directed by Sethu, is now set to go on floors this month, but with a change in its lead cast.

Earlier, Kalyani Priyadarshan was cast as the female protagonist of the movie. But with the pandemic lockdowns delaying the movie’s schedule, the actress has now opted out of the movie due to scheduling conflicts and this has paved the way for Mamta Mohandas to play the female lead.

According to a source close to the directorial team of Maheshum Marutiyum, Kalyani is also set to join the next schedule of director Khalid Rahman’s Thallumala, which has Tovino Thomas in the lead. The actress is currently in the US and is expected to reach Kerala by the end of this week.

Asif Ali is also stranded in Dubai. The actor who along with his family had been vacationing in Russia, had to quarantine for a week in Dubai upon returning from the country, according to the new rules that had come in force in the UAE due to the surging COVID-19 cases. While we hear that the actor has tested negative, he will have to undergo one more PCR test before returning to India later this week.

Asif was expected to join the team of Maheshum Marutiyum by January 23, but the unexpected quarantine in Dubai means that he now also has to complete a few portions of Nishanth Sattu’s thriller A Ranjith Cinema. The team will finalise the schedule once Asif returns.

Meanwhile, Mamta and Asif had previously collaborated in movies such as Kadha Thudarunnu. Maheshum Marutiyum, which is also scripted by Sethu, revolves around a youngster played by Asif and his love for a 1983 model Maruti 800, which his father had brought home to their hamlet when it was first launched. The story evolves when a woman, played by Mamta, comes into his life.

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