‘Walk out with pride...’: Arjun Ashokan recalls what Kunchacko Boban told him after ‘Thalavara’ screening

Thalavara is proving to be the movie of the season. The Akhil Anilkumar directorial, starring hitmaker Arjun Ashokan as ‘Jyothish’ — a young man battling vitiligo — is now the talking point of Mollywood. An inspiring, heartfelt tale, Thalavara, featuring an ensemble cast including Revathy Sarma, Ashokan, and Devadarshini, is an ode to perceived imperfections in a judgmental world. The film proves that love and grit triumph over the deepest humiliations and pain, driving home a clear message to never give up and fight against all odds in life!

Due to strong word of mouth, Thalavara is finding increasing footfall in theatres and is already being termed a sleeper hit at the highly competitive Onam box office. Among the standout performances is the role of the Tamil girl named ‘Sandhya’, played by Revathy Sarma.

Notably, Thalavara is enjoying success right after Sumathi Valavu, starring none other than Arjun Ashokan again. The horror comedy, directed by Vishnu Sasi Shankar, is already a bona fide hit — the actor seems to be on a roll.

Talking to The Cue Studio, Arjun Ashokan recounted incidents that unfolded during an initial screening of Thalavara. At the end of the movie, Chackochan (referring to Kunchacko Boban) told the emotional actor, “You can walk out with pride.”

Arjun recalled the senior actor’s words of appreciation and encouragement.

“After what he told me, I walked out carrying my daughter in my arms. When people clapped at the end of the screening, we (referring to the crew) realised the movie had worked. Whether it was Shebin, Akhil, or Mahesh, all of them struggled a lot to bring this movie to theatres, and the response is overwhelming,” said an elated Arjun Ashokan.

For the unversed, Arjun Ashokan is the son of legendary Malayalam actor Harisree Ashokan. After debuting in Orkut Oru Ormakoot, alongside several other newcomers, he grabbed attention with his immaculate performance in Soubin Shahir’s Parava. From there, he went on to several hits including Jan.E.Man and Super Sharanya. Being one of the most sought-after and promising talents in the Malayalam film industry, Arjun Ashokan is now treading his own path in the cinema world!