Thanmathra, released in 2005, remains one of the most acclaimed films in Malayalam cinema. Directed by Blessy, the film features Mohanlal in one of the most powerful performances of his career—as Ramesan Nair, a middle-class government employee grappling with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Alongside Thanmathra, the Blessy-Mohanlal combination has also delivered other notable films like Bhramaram and Pranayam.

In a recent interview with Can Channel Media, Blessy opened up about the initial doubts and challenges he faced while pitching Thanmathra. “When I first shared the script, many believed it would be impossible to make a film like this—even with an actor like Mohanlal in the lead,” he said. “But the film exists today purely because of the faith Mohanlal placed in the script.”

Blessy recalled the responses when he first narrated the story to potential producers. “They said, ‘This isn’t something that can be made into a film’, especially not with a superstar like Mohanlal. They pointed to the intro scene where Mohanlal is at the tail end of a political rally, shouting slogans. In typical films, the hero leads from the front—but here, he was barely visible. That alone made some feel it wouldn’t work.”

Disheartened, Blessy visited Mohanlal on the sets of Naran to discuss the concerns. “After listening, Lalettan said he wouldn’t allow a single word in the script to be changed. He even called the producers himself and said, ‘If you’re worried about the risk, I’ll take it up myself.’ The producer immediately agreed, saying, ‘If Lal is in, I’m in.’”

Blessy also shared some behind-the-scenes moments that highlighted Mohanlal’s commitment. “Once, he asked me, ‘When you wrote this, did you really believe I could do all this?’” There’s a scene in Thanmathra where the character, in a disoriented state, gets up from bed nude and follows a lizard across the room. “He asked, ‘Did you even ask me before deciding I’d do this?’ I told him, ‘That’s how I envisioned that character.’”

“In Bhramaram, there’s a scene where he performs a headstand. He questioned that too—‘Do you think I can really do this?’ But then he went ahead and did it. He’d often ask me, ‘How did you assume I’d be capable of all this?’” Blessy laughed.

“What I had was confidence in a dedicated actor. And the ability to understand that—that’s what makes someone a truly great actor,” he concluded.