Priyadarshan’s sweet revenge: Chased away from theatre as a boy, bought it after his success

Priyadarshan, one of the most celebrated directors in the Malayalam film industry, has carved a niche for himself with his remarkable cinematic journey, starting with Poochakoru Mookkuthi. Director Alleppy Ashraf recently shared an intriguing tale of Priyadarshan’s rise in a video on his YouTube channel, shedding light on a particularly memorable episode from the director’s early life.

Priyadarshan has always had an insatiable passion for cinema. In his younger days, he would often sneak into preview shows of movies at the Good Luck Theatre in Madras, owned by G Venkateswaran, a prominent figure in the Tamil film industry and brother of Mani Ratnam. The theatre was popular among filmmakers and stars, including Rajinikanth.

Humiliation at Good Luck theatre

Priyadarshan would join famous filmgoers, pretending to be part of their group, just to watch the films before their official release. However, his secret habit didn’t go unnoticed.

Kalyanam, the strict security guard at the theatre, became suspicious of the young man’s frequent visits. One day, Kalyanam stopped him, recognising that the boy was not part of the invited groups. After a brief confrontation, Kalyanam asked Priyadarshan, “Who are you? Tell the truth.” The guard soon realised the boy was a Malayali who couldn’t speak Tamil as he replied, “Priyadarshan.” Kalyanam swiftly chased him away and warned him not to return. This moment left a lasting mark on Priyadarshan.

Fast forward to years later, when the once aspiring filmmaker had grown into a successful director. Following the tragic downfall of G Venkateswaran, Good Luck Theatre was up for sale. Priyadarshan, now a wealthy filmmaker, seized the opportunity to buy the theatre, spending crores of rupees in the process.

However, Priyadarshan’s sense of justice wasn’t just about acquiring the theatre. His first order of business was to locate Kalyanam, the security guard who had once humiliated him. After some effort, Priyadarshan found out that Kalyanam had left the job and returned to his village. But the director didn’t stop there. He tracked down Kalyanam’s address and personally invited him back to a new role, offering him a higher position.