Thudarum: Shobana didn’t even call me, Bhagyalakshmi on getting replaced after dubbing in Mohanlal’s film
Bhagyalakshmi has claimed that she had dubbed for the actress Shobana in Thudarum but got replaced. Mohanlal plays the lead role in the film, helmed by Tharun Moorthy.
Last Updated: 11.21 AM, Oct 23, 2025
Bhagyalakshmi is one of the prominent voice artistes in Malayalam cinema, best known for dubbing for noted actress Shobana. But in a startling statement, Bhagyalakshmi has claimed that she had dubbed for the actress for Thudarum but got replaced. The voice artiste further said that Shobana did not even inform her that the actress had dubbed for herself, despite working on so many films.
‘Shobana said she wouldn’t promote if she did not dub’
Actress Shobana, who is also a noted danseuse, starred in the 2025 Malayalam film Thudarum, opposite superstar Mohanlal. But in a recent interview with Saina South, Bhagyalakshmi said that she had in fact completed the full dubbing for Shobana in Thudarum. But got replaced.
“Actually, I dubbed for Thudarum. This is the first time I am saying this publicly. I dubbed the full film, and I put in a lot of effort, including for the climax. I got full payment also.
“But the film was not getting released. Then they told me openly that Shobana said that she would not come for promotions if she did not dub for herself. And then they made Shobana dub for it,” the noted voice artiste said.
“But she could have just informed me. As a dubbing artist who has dubbed for so many of her films, Shobana could have called and informed me.(Shobana ku ene vilichu oru vaaku parayam ayirunu)," she added.
In Thudarum, Shobana plays Tamil-origin woman Lalitha, the wife of Benz Shanmugham (Mohanlal). Though it starts off as a light-hearted family drama, the Tharun Moorthy film soon transforms into a thriller as Lalitha’s son gets killed and the family is tortured by the police.
During the Saina South interview, Bhagyalakshmi further claimed that they have used her voice in the climax. “Because I know that Shobana cannot scream like that as she does not have the experience. Dialogues she might have said, but the screams are mine,” she said.
Bhagyalakshmi is an award-winning artist who has dubbed for several noted Malayalam actresses, including Shobana, Revathy and Urvashi. Some of the popular Shobana films that she has dubbed for include Manichithrathazhu, Minnaram, and Commissioner.
FAQs
Q. Did Thudarum release in OTT?
A. Yes, Thudarum released on OTT. The Mohanlal-Shobana film is available for streaming on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium.
Q. Is Thudarum a hit or flop movie?
A. Thudarum is a hit movie. The Mohanlal film made over Rs 235.38 crore, as per Sacnilk.
Q. Why was Thudarum not released?
A. Thudarum was initially slated to release in January 2025 but got postponed and eventually hit theatres in April. There was no official update on the delay.