Malayalam film producer – actor Antony Perumbavoor has finally addressed the disappointment surrounding Mohanlal‘s limited appearance in Rajinikanth‘s ‘Jailer 2’. The Malayalam superstar’s reduced screen time in Rajinikanth – Nelson Dilipkumar film had triggered strong reactions from his fans.Several viewers were also unhappy that portions featuring the actor in the trailer did not appear in the theatrical version. Antony has now revealed that neither Mohanlal nor his team knew about the extent of the cuts. The producer shared his views while responding to a mediaperson’s question recently.
Antony Perumbavoor says Mohanlal’s team was unaware of the cuts
Antony Perumbavoor confirmed that the actor’s team had no prior knowledge of the extensive editing. Responding to the criticism from audiences, the producer said, as quoted by On Manorama, “Malayalis weren’t generally happy about it. So are we,”.Mediapersons also asked Antony about scenes featuring Mohanlal in the trailer that were missing from the final theatrical cut. The producer did not conceal his disappointment over their removal.
Mohanlal’s cameo had raised expectations after ‘Jailer’
Mohanlal played Mathew in the first instalment of ‘Jailer’, starring Rajinikanth. His appearance received great response from audiences and became a memorable part of the film. This also created considerable anticipation for his return in the sequel.However, the actor’s role in ‘Jailer 2’ turned out to be much shorter than many viewers expected. Audiences noticed that several portions featuring him, shown in the trailer, were absent from the released version.
Joby Kodakara clarifies his role as Mohanlal’s body double
Separately, Joby Kodakara responded to speculation about Mohanlal’s appearance in the climax. The mimicry artist worked as the actor’s body double for a few sequences in ‘Jailer 2’. The controversy intensified after Joby shared photographs of himself dressed as Mathew on the film’s release day.In an interview with the YouTube channel ‘Jango Space’, Joby explained that his contribution was restricted to a couple of shots. He also denied allegations that his face had been used in the film.“To be honest, only one or two shots featuring me have been used in the film. Only parts of my hands and legs are visible. These appear in the airport scene during the climax. There is a shot of someone changing gears while driving and another showing someone pressing the accelerator. That is all. They are among the finest actors in the world, so perhaps I was used because of scheduling or time constraints.“My face has not been shown anywhere in the film. The face that people claim was used in the climax is not mine. I am certain about that. If someone is a body double, no director would shoot a close-up of their face. That is not me. If you ask me what mistake I made, it was posting pictures taken on the film’s set.”
‘Jailer 2’ continues its worldwide box office run
‘Jailer 2’ has maintained a strong performance at the box office. The Nelson Dilipkumar-directed action drama has collected Rs 776.95 cr in worldwide gross earnings after 16 days in theatres. The film is now approaching the Rs 800 cr milestone.
