Drishyam Without Mohanlal? Jeethu Joseph Reveals His First Choice For Georgekutty

Drishyam

3 is enjoying a blockbuster run at the box office, fans are once again celebrating Mohanlal's unforgettable role as Georgekutty. The film has opened to impressive reviews making fans of the franchise praise the team for delivering the thriller. However, few know that the actor was not director Jeethu Joseph's original choice for the role. Before approaching Mohanlal, Jeethu Joseph had narrated the story to Mammootty, hoping the Malayalam megastar would star in the thriller. Now, Jeethu Joseph has opened up about the decision that ultimately paved the way for one of Malayalam cinema's most iconic characters.

Drishyam Without Mohanlal? Jeethu Joseph Opens Up About His Original Choice for Georgekutty

Long before Mohanlal stepped into the shoes of Georgekutty, Jeethu Joseph had approached Mammootty with the script for Drishyam. The filmmaker narrated the story to the actor, hoping he would headline the suspense thriller. Contrary to popular theories, Mammootty did not reject the project because he doubted its potential.

In an interview with Media One, Jeethu Jospeh said that the megastar was highly impressed by the story and even called it terrific after hearing the narration. Speaking about the decision in the interview, Jeethu said that Mammootty was already committed to several projects featuring similar family-oriented roles at the time. The actor felt that taking on another father-centric character immediately would result in a repetitive lineup of films. As a result, he gave Jeethu two options: either wait for nearly two years until his schedule cleared or proceed with another actor.Rather than delaying the project, Jeethu Joseph decided to move forward and eventually cast Mohanlal as Georgekutty, a decision that would prove historic for Malayalam cinema.

Mammootty's Support For Jeethu Joseph

Even though he did not join the film, Mammootty continued to support the project behind the scenes. One example involved actress Meena, who was initially hesitant to play Rani, Georgekutty's wife. At the time, she was balancing work commitments with motherhood and was unsure about taking up the project. However, Mammootty spoke highly of the story and encouraged her to listen to Jeethu's narration. Meena later admitted that his support played a role in her decision to sign the film.

Mammootty also praised Jeethu's decision to cast Kalabhavan Shajohn as Constable Sahadevan, one of the key antagonists in the first film. While fans may wonder how Drishyam would have looked with Mammootty in the lead, Drishyam saw Mohanlal grip the world with his performance as Georgekutty, Indian cinema's most celebrated on-screen characters.