Did you know Mohanlal is set to play a role meant for Irrfan Khan in acclaimed filmmaker's detective comedy?
4.5 Gang director Krishand recently revealed that the original idea for his upcoming project with Mohanlal was initially pitched to (late) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan.
Last Updated: 01.44 PM, Sep 18, 2025
Acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Krishand is once again winning appreciation for his latest web series, The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang. Krishand is also busy working on several projects, including a movie with Mohanlal, which, according to the filmmaker, looked even improbable to him. In a recent interview with The New Indian Express, Krishand revealed that the original idea was pitched to (late) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away in 2020.
Krishand-Mohanlal project first pitched to Irrfan Khan
Krishand’s project with Mohanlal has the full attention of the fans, who are eager to find out what this stellar collaboration will deliver. Krishand, who employs humour quite effectively in his films irrespective of the genre, had earlier revealed during a Reddit session that the upcoming Mohanlal movie will also be a detective comedy. Now, in the TNIE interview, he said that the core idea is something he pitched in Bollywood in the past "- to someone like Irrfan Khan.”
Referring to how surreal it felt working with Mohanlal, towering figure of Malayalam cinema, Krishand said, “For me, working with Mohanlal sir is something I never imagined would be possible in this lifetime — just like working with, say, Robert De Niro. Same applies to Mammukka.”
During a recent chat with OTTplay also, Krishand touched upon the Mohanlal project, saying that the superstar had asked for some changes in the script and that he was reworking on it. But stayed away from divulging any more details, including a possible shoot schedule.
Krishand’s upcoming Malayalam release is Masthishka Maranam, starring Rajisha Vijayan. On the other hand, Krishand’s latest release Sambhava Vivaranam Nalara Sangham (The English title is The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang) is streaming on SonyLiv via OTTplay Premium. Within six episodes, the series narrates the tale of a bunch of lads who take the criminal route and get involved in the flower and milk mafia.
FAQs
Q. How many films has Mohanlal done?
A. Mohanlal has done over 360 films. His latest Malayalam film to release was Hridayapoorvam with Sathyan Anthikad.
Q. Where did Krishand grow up?
A. A Malayali, Krishand grew up in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.