Actor Joju George opens up on controversial phone call to online reviewer: I wish the incident hadn’t happened

Actor Joju George
| Photo Credit: Ravichandran N.

Malayalam actor Joju George’s purported phone call to a person who had criticised his latest movie, Pani, landed him in a controversy a couple of weeks ago. Joju had slammed Adarsh H S, a research scholar, for posting a review on Facebook that prominently denounced the depiction of a rape scene in the movie. Joju says he regrets the entire incident.

“I wish that episode hadn’t happened in my life at all,” he says. Adarsh had said that the rape scene “objectifies the female character.” “When rape is picturised in a movie, the viewer must be able to empathise with the victim,” he had written. His review turned controversial when he posted his conversation with Joju online, accusing the actor of threatening him.

“I didn’t question anybody’s opinion,” Joju offers. “I felt a negative comment was force-fed to people across different platforms, and I reacted to it.” The National Award-winning actor said he has complete respect for film reviewers.

“It’s their right to talk about movies. It’s about how they see a film and what they take away from it. I can only make a film with all my skills. I can’t demand another person to see the movie the way I want,” he says.

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Pani is Joju’s directorial debut. Billed as an action-packed revenge drama, the film stars Joju, Abhinaya, Sagar Surya, and VP Junaiz in prominent roles. After a successful run in Malayalam, the movie will be released in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu on November 29, 2024.

The film drew flak for a sexual assault scene, with the makers being questioned by one section of the audience for the “graphic” portrayal of rape. Joju defended the scene, saying there is no one way to depict a situation in films.

“Cinema is an individualistic expression. For instance, if you look at a painting, it doesn’t have one meaning. It is subjective and depends on the viewer. There is no right or wrong in art. An artiste has the freedom to create his art,” he reasons.

For someone who began his career as a junior artiste, Joju has come a long way. Despite his vast experience, Pani was a challenging project for Joju. “I was more scared after making the film than being proud about it. The journey of making a film as an actor, producer, and director and taking it to the audience has been challenging. Now that the film has been well-received, I am more confident as a creator. It feels so nice to see my judgments and beliefs bringing me rewards.

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The actor-filmmaker showed Pani to Kamal Haasan and was thrilled by the legendary actor’s response. Joju shares the screen with Kamal Haasan in Mani Ratnam’s upcoming movie Thug Life. “Kamal sir loved the film, and he praised my writing. He is one of my gurus. Legends like him have paved a path for us to follow. I have learned a lot from his films.”