Director Lijo Jose Pellissery has removed the Facebook post made in response to Joju George’s recent allegations regarding the 2021 film, Churuli. Joju had claimed that he had acted in the film since it was planned as a festival film, and assumed that the version loaded with expletives would not be screened in theatres.

Further, Joju alleged that he was not paid for essaying the role of Thankan, in an interview given to a prominent newspaper. Not one to mince words, he said he had taken up the issue directly. He stated that the makers should have shown the courtesy to inform him that the uncensored version would be released for public viewing.

Lijo responded to the allegation through Facebook, saying that he was making this public statement due to the mental distress caused to the producers owing to the ongoing controversy. He called attention to the High Court order pertaining to the language in the film, and the fact that it was certified A (restricted to adult audiences). The post informed the public that Joju had been paid Rs 5.9 lakh for shooting for three days on the project.

Lijo further added that Churuli was only available on streaming, on SonyLIV, and had not been released in theatres, contrary to Joju’s claims. However, if the opportunity arose, he would definitely release the film.

Churuli had raised a controversy in 2021 for the rampant use of expletives, which Joju claimed he had become the poster boy for, due to an edited video going viral on social media recently. He had spoken to the press after his statements in the interview created a controversy, where he said that he would not have acted in the film had he been better informed.