Director Kamal has recalled how Mamitha Baiju was considered for the female lead in one of his films, which ultimately never materialised. The filmmaker revealed that he was impressed by her performance in the Malayalam film ‘Kho Kho’ and was determined to cast her in the project.However, the film’s producer and male lead reportedly rejected the suggestion, preferring an established actress over a newcomer. Kamal now believes the producer might regret that decision following Mamitha Baiju’s success with ‘Premalu’.
Kamal was impressed by Mamitha Baiju’s performance in ‘Kho Kho’
Speaking about his admiration for the young actress, Kamal said, as quoted by Reporter website, “Among the new generation, Mamitha is an artist I like immensely. There is a film of mine that never materialised. I was very keen on making that film. Ever since I watched ‘Kho Kho’, I was drawn to Mamitha’s character in it.She performed that role exceptionally well. That is why I was determined to cast Mamitha as the heroine in the film. I discussed this with the hero and the producer, but they said a newcomer would not be suitable and that they wanted a more established actress. However, I told them, ‘This girl will become a big heroine in the future. You wait and see.'”The director said he recognised Mamitha Baiju’s potential even before she became a widely recognised name in Malayalam cinema. Her performance in ‘Kho Kho’ convinced him that she had the ability to carry a prominent female character. Despite the initial rejection, he continued to push for her inclusion in the project.
Director approached Mamitha Baiju after ‘Super Sharanya ‘
Kamal further recalled that his interest in casting Mamitha Baiju grew after watching ‘Super Sharanya’. He said he was willing to speak to the male lead and convince him about the casting choice. The filmmaker subsequently contacted the actress and narrated the film’s story to her.“I told the producer that I could speak to the hero and convince him. So, I called Mamitha and narrated the story to her. She listened to the story, which had a slightly negative shade to it, with great interest. I still remember the expressions on her face while I was narrating it. Her mother also asked me to inform them about the dates in advance. However, the hero and producer again insisted on having an established actress and decided against casting Mamitha. Since I had never faced an experience like this before in my career, I felt deeply disappointed.”
Why the producer and hero rejected the casting choice
According to Kamal, the female lead’s character was more important than the male lead’s role in the proposed film. It also had considerably more screen time. This reportedly contributed to the hero and producer’s reluctance to cast Mamitha Baiju, as they preferred someone with an established position in the industry.The director was particularly disappointed because he had already narrated the story to the actress and received an encouraging response. He also believed that she was suitable for the character despite being relatively new to the industry at the time.
‘Premalu’ changed Mamitha Baiju’s career trajectory
Kamal recalled that the casting decision was followed by an unexpected development just three or four months later. ‘Premalu’ was released, and Mamitha Baiju went on to make a significant impact with her performance as Reenu. The film became a major success and helped establish her as one of the prominent young actresses in Malayalam cinema.
Kamal still hopes to make the unmade film
Reflecting on the experience, Kamal said the producer must now feel that casting Mamitha Baiju would have been the right decision. Despite the disappointment surrounding the project, Kamal has not completely given up on it. He revealed that he still hopes to make the film someday, leaving open the possibility of revisiting the story that once brought him close to collaborating with Mamitha Baiju.On the other hand, Mamitha Baiju’s most recent film ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ turned out to be a blockbuster.