Actor-producer Joju George has never shied away from speaking his mind, whether about his creative choices, societal issues, or the inner workings of the film industry.

In a candid conversation with TNIE, he opens up about ‘Thug Life’, the increasing portrayal of violence in cinema, the controversial release of ‘Churuli’ and much more.

“Cinema is still a mystery to me”

Reflecting on his journey, Joju describes his career as a long process of survival and learning.

“Art, for me, is a means of survival,” he says.

“I began visiting film locations back in 1994, but my first line of dialogue in a movie only came in 2000. Those six years were about learning. I didn’t know a thing about the medium.”

Coming from a village, Joju says every step was about getting through the day, and his hunger for success came from the simple truth that without success, existence itself becomes uncertain.

“Even now, I don’t feel fully comfortable in this space. I’m still figuring cinema out,” he adds with humility.

‘Iratta’, ‘Thug Life’, and Kamal Haasan’s compliment

Joju credits his intense performance in ‘Iratta’ for paving the way to one of the biggest milestones in his career, a role in ‘Thug Life’, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan.

“Iratta helped me land that role. Kamal sir’s appreciation is the biggest reward I could ask for,” he says.

Having portrayed a double role in ‘Iratta’, Joju reveals that he drew inspiration from Kamal Haasan himself.

“It was challenging, and I feel one of the characters still had room for improvement. I never imagined it would become such a landmark moment for me.”

‘Reality is more violent than cinema’

Addressing concerns over the surge of violence in cinema, Joju believes it mirrors the current state of society rather than influences it.

“People say films are getting violent, but just look around, the reality is far worse,” he says.

Drawing from his research for ‘Pani’, he recalls disturbing real-life incidents, including one where a six-year-old was stamped to death near his own neighbourhood.

“Which film do we blame for such brutality?” he asks, arguing that intense content in films reflects the chaos and cruelty present in daily life.

Joju feels that things have become so bad in society that the police need to take stricter action.

“There’s no fear of the police anymore. Criminals live comfortably in jail, eating chapatis and chicken, while schoolchildren are given rice soup or cereal. It may sound harsh, but I believe such criminals should be dealt with firmly, even eliminated. Whether that’s right or wrong, I don’t know... but I believe it.”

On ‘Churuli’ controversy

Speaking about the backlash he faced after ‘Churuli’, Joju reveals he was unaware that the explicit version of the film would be released theatrically.

He said he was told the version with all the expletives would only be sent for film awards, not shown in cinemas.

“I was told it was only for awards. But that version was the one shown in cinemas,” He also said he didn’t get paid for the film and no one called him to check how he felt after the backlash.

“There’s actually another version of Churuli without expletives. It would’ve been good to be informed. No one called to check on me. I conveyed my concerns to the producers. I had to weather that alone.”

I don’t entertain baseless attacks

Joju says he welcomes constructive feedback but draws the line at uninformed or malicious remarks.

“Criticism helped me grow. I’ve built my career on it. But random criticism from people with no idea or with a personal agenda is tough to accept,” he says.

He believes in simplicity and honesty, both on-screen and off. “Even if I try to be a good human being, some may still see me as bad. That’s life. But I know who I am, and I believe I’m a good person.”

‘Pani’ and the pain behind the success

Joju’s passion project ‘Pani’ was both a creative risk and a personal investment.

“I put in two years and ₹18 crore into that film. It had 18 edits. The cast was full of newcomers. It was a gamble,” he says.

Though the film didn’t dominate the box office, it received praise from top names in the Tamil film industry. “Many appreciated it, saying it deserved better,” he adds.

However, Joju feels industry politics may have held the film back.

“There are some who can’t accept that I’ve grown, that someone who once earned ₹50 is now being paid so much. That’s hard for them to digest.”

Mammootty and Mohanlal collaborations?

Joju hopes to direct Malayalam superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal, but insists that it must be the right script.

“From a director’s perspective, it has to be a quality project,” he explains.

He had earlier pitched a script to Mammootty, who praised his sense of storytelling even though the film didn’t materialise.

“That compliment meant a lot. It told me I was thinking in the right direction.”