Thiruvananthapuram: Acclaimed director and director Basil Joseph sparked laughter among the audience at the Onam Week inaugural function when he candidly admitted to feeling nervous about wearing a mundu (traditional Kerala attire) on a public stage for the first time.

“This is the first time I’m wearing a mundu to a public event, and yes, I am a bit tense about it,” he said with a smile. The crowd responded with amusement as he added, “Only today did I learn that the greatest modern invention in Kerala is the Velcro belt used to secure the mundu.”

Basil, who spent several years in Thiruvananthapuram during his studies and while working at Technopark, shared a personal anecdote from his early days. “There was a time when the police chased me away for trying to take a photo of the Legislative Assembly building. Today, I had the opportunity to sit inside that very Assembly, sharing an Onam feast with the Chief Minister.”

He continued, “Not only that—I even arrived here in a government vehicle with a police escort. I’m still trying to process all this,” he said, leaving the audience visibly touched by his humility.

Also in attendance was Tamil actor Ravi Mohan, who addressed the gathering in Tamil. He expressed heartfelt thanks for being invited “with love” and praised Malayalam cinema and Basil’s contributions.

“I’m a huge fan of Malayalam films and of Basil. The new wave of thought and innovation in Malayalam cinema is driven by young talents like him. Today, the global film community is watching Malayalam cinema closely. I’m not saying this just because I’m here—it’s something I’ve mentioned many times elsewhere,” Ravi Mohan remarked.

He concluded by saying that Malayalam actors have always been a great source of inspiration to him.