‘To my dear Joju…’ Lijo Jose Pellissery refutes Joju George’s claims on ‘Churuli,’ shares salary details

Kochi: Director Lijo Jose Pellissery has responded to actor Joju George’s recent allegations regarding the 2021 Malayalam film Churuli, denying claims that the actor was not paid for his role and that the film’s theatrical release terms were violated.

In an official statement shared on Facebook, Lijo clarified that Joju was paid ₹5.9 lakh for his three-day guest role in the film. He added that Churuli, which holds an 'A' certificate, has not yet been released in theatres and is currently available for streaming on Sony LIV.

“To my dear Joju, this clarification is being issued considering the disappointment caused to our producer friends,” Lijo wrote in Meta. He noted that there is a High Court ruling regarding the language used in the film, which had drawn attention for its explicit dialogue.

He also clarified that he does not recollect any instance when Joju George was misled during filming. “Thankan Chettan (character played by Joju George) has a good understanding of this language,” Lijo added.

The controversy erupted after Joju, in an interview with The New Indian Express, alleged that he was not compensated for the film and that the makers failed to release the uncensored version in theatres as promised. His remarks sparked widespread discussion online.

Lijo concluded his post by saying that if an opportunity arises, Churuli will certainly be released in theatres.

Written by S. Hareesh, the film stars Vinay Forrt, Chemban Vinod Jose, Joju George, Soubin Shahir, and Jaffar Idukki. The film premiered at IFFK on 11 February 2021 and was later released via SonyLIV on 19 November 2021.