Latest news with #Joju
New Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Joju George reveals Pani 2 title
Pani, released in October 2024, is an action-packed revenge thriller set in Thrissur. The film was noted for its strong performances, particularly by Sagar Surya and Junaiz V P, who played the antagonists. Joju, who also co-produced the film, scored his biggest commercial success with it. Meanwhile, Joju is next teaming up with Urvashi for a film titled Aasha. Launched recently in Kochi, the film marks the directorial debut of Safar Sanal. Joju also doubles up as one of its writers as he pens the screenplay and dialogues along with Ramesh Girija and Safar Sanal. Joju is also part of Jeethu Joseph's upcoming thriller Valathu Vashathe Kallan, co-starring Biju Menon.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How directorial debuts are shaping Malayalam cinema
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) It's always a refreshing feeling to watch a movie directed by a debutant filmmaker, and the reasons are plenty. Coming to the Malayalam film industry, it has always opened doors to debutant filmmakers, and needless to say majority of them have proved their talent. Let's take a look at how the directorial debuts are shaping Malayalam cinema . Bringing something new to the table This is one of the major advantages of having a debut director on board. Every story has a common factor, and how it changes is the way it is presented to the audiences, and these debut directors like Manu Swaraj ('Padakkalam'), Sreeraj Sreenivasan ('Pravinkoodu Shappu'), and many others have infused a different and unique story treatment, which makes it special. Padakkalam - Official Trailer (Picture Courtesy: Facebook) 'The first thing about Joju is that he has conviction' - 'Pani' actress Abhaya Hiranmayi At the very end of 2024, the actor Joju George proved that he is not only a talented actor but also a genius filmmaker. Through his directorial debut 'Pani', Joju George proved that a Korean gangster thriller style can be infused in a normal Indian style gangster movie. Many sequences in the film prove that Joju knows his game. In an exclusive interview with the 'Pani' actress Abhaya Hiranmayi, she told, 'The first thing about Joju is that he has conviction. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle Japanese hair growth method for men and women's scalp Hair's Rich Learn More Undo That's his best quality. He's got so much going on—directing, acting, producing—his mind is everywhere. He has a kind of craziness on set, but he has conviction in everything he does. He knows what he wants and communicates it to everyone, whether they're comfortable with their dialogues or scenes. His kind of friendship on set is something amazing. I understood that he could do even more directing in the future.' Not everything was a success While several newcomers impressed the audiences with their directorial debut films, the legendary actor Mohanlal disappointed with his directorial debut movie 'Barroz'. Although the efforts were praiseworthy, the overdramatic style and several loopholes made 'Barroz' a tiring watch even for those who were keen to witness Mohanlal's directorial style. Many of the other films, like 'Bazooka' 'ID: The Fake', 'Secret', and others, also failed to impress the audiences. (Picture Courtesy: Facebook) 'Mohanlal was hurt by 'Barroz' failure - Producer Shibu Baby John In a talk with Mathrubhumi, the producer Shibu Baby John revealed that Mohanlal was hurt by the failure of his directorial debut. He said, 'Mohanlal was hurt by 'Barroz' failure. Audiences, including Mohanlal fans, were not interested in the film.' In another media interaction, Mohanlal said, 'The responsibility of taking a film forward lies with the audience. I see 'Barroz' as something significant that is being given back to society after four decades. Everyone who has watched the film has enjoyed it. However, some people haven't even seen the movie yet, coming forward to criticize it. I am someone who accepts criticism. But when you criticize something, you should understand it well. This is simply a different experiment from me and my exceptionally talented team.' Opportunities for new filmmakers There is, obviously, a wide scope for new filmmakers to showcase their talents, but what matters is whether they can keep up with the interests of the audiences through their storytelling style. For example, Jithu Madhavan's 'Romancham' can be simply categorized as a horror comedy film, but what makes it different is the treatment. Never in any sequence, the director try to bring out the ghost in the movie, apart from teasing the viewers with small elements that surely work. In short, there is surely no specific formula for the success of a film, nor can one definitely confirm that a debut director will be able to pull off successful films only. It all matters whether you are able to tell a story differently and give it good traction.
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
'Churuli' controversy: Lijo Jose Pellissery withdraws FB post against Joju George
KOCHI: Two days after filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery and actor Joju George entered into a spat over the release of 2021 movie 'Churuli,' Lijo on Saturday, withdrew his Facebook post that claimed that the actor received Rs 5,90,000 as remuneration for the role. The controversy was triggered by Joju's statement in TNIE's 'Express Dialogues' programme aired on Sunday. In the interview, Joju said he hadn't received any remuneration for the film and had conveyed his displeasure to the producers. Responding to this, the director wrote on Facebook that Joju had received an amount of Rs 5,90,000 for acting for three days. 'Dear Joju, this clarification is in light of the emotional distress caused to the producers, who are our friends. The film, certified 'A', has not yet been released in theatres. The language used was examined by a committee, and a High Court verdict exists. None of us recall misleading Joju during the shoot,' Lijo wrote on Facebook. Actor Joju, on Thursday, had demanded that the agreement signed before taking up the role in 'Churuli' be made public.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Joju George on 'Churuli' controversy: 'I was well aware of the language used'
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Actor Joju George recently made serious allegations against the makers of 'Churuli'. The actor accused them of a breach of trust after they allegedly released an expletive-filled version of the film on an OTT platform—contrary to what he had originally been promised. "They told me one thing and did another" In a conversation with On Manorama, Joju shared," The filmmakers had assured him that the version containing profane language would only be screened at select film festivals. For public release, he claims, a censored version was to be used, and he even dubbed a separate audio track for it. However, Joju says the version now streaming online is the uncut, profanity-laden one, which was sold to the OTT platform for a substantial amount. "They told me one thing and did another," he said, expressing disappointment and emotional distress. The actor stated that it wasn't just about his professional image but also the impact it had on his personal life. 'My daughter faced bullying because of those scenes,' he shared, adding that this was the main reason he chose to speak up. Churuli - Official Trailer Rebuttal to Lijo Jose Pellissery's claims - 'Lijo has only shown a receipt' The controversy deepened when director Lijo Jose Pellissery, in a Facebook post, referred to Joju's role as a "guest appearance" and claimed that he was paid Rs 5.9 lakh for it. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Joju has strongly refuted this, saying that not only did he not receive any remuneration, but he also spent more days on set than what a guest role typically demands. 'Lijo has only shown a receipt. Let him show the entire agreement,' Joju challenged, suggesting that the document would reveal the full scope of his involvement and payment expectations. Joju clarified that he remains an admirer of Lijo's work and would not have gone public with his grievances if it hadn't personally affected his family. 'I was well aware of the language used in the film—that wasn't the problem. The real issue is that I was misled, and it deeply disturbed my family.' he said. Meanwhile, Joju George was recently seen in the Suriya starrer action flick 'Retro' directed by Karthik Subbaraj.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Joju demands contract be made public amid 'Churuli' film controversy
KOCHI: Actor Joju George on Thursday demanded that the agreement for his role in 'Churuli' be made public, escalating a fresh row over the controversial film. The demand came in response to filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery's social media post stating that the actor was paid Rs 5.9 lakh for a "three-day guest appearance" in the film. Addressing the media in Kochi, Joju said he agreed to act in Churuli under the impression that a version with abusive language would be used only for festival screenings. 'I was told it was for festivals. Later, the same version was released on OTT and monetised. If Lijo is now saying I was paid Rs 5.9 lakh, he should also publish the agreement,' Joju said. The controversy was triggered by Joju's remarks on TNIE's 'Express Dialogues' programme aired on Sunday. In the interview, Joju said he hadn't received any remuneration for the film and had conveyed his displeasure to the producers. 'Nobody even called me to enquire about it,' he had said, adding that the backlash he faced for the film's language caused personal distress. Joju also shared a personal fallout of the controversy. 'My daughter was shown scenes from 'Churuli' by her schoolmate, where I was using expletives. That put me in an extremely embarrassing position before my own family,' he said.
