As ‘Kireedam’ returns to theaters in a restored version 37 years after its original release, director Sibi Malayil reveals an interesting chapter from the film’s journey. The filmmaker shared that the now iconic title was not originally intended for the Mohanlal classic.Speaking in an interview with Silly Monks, Sibi Malayil recalled how the title finally came to Kireedam. He also credits writer AK Lohithadas for naming Kireedam and the sequel Chenkol.
‘Kireedam’ was first proposed for a Mammootty film
Sibi Malayil revealed that the idea for ‘Kireedam’ existed long before Mohanlal was finalized for the lead role. During that time, Lohithadas wrote scripts for several filmmakers, including IV Sasi.Recalling the incident, Sibi said, “The idea for Kireedam has been with us for a long time. When Lohi (Lohithadas) and I were developing the story, we had not decided that Mohanlal would play the lead. During that time, Lohi also wrote films for several directors. IV Sasi sir had earlier made a film called Mukthi, starring Mammootty. Once, when Lohi was in Madras working on the film, I went to meet him. He told me about Mukthi. It’s about the life of a publican and the ‘crown of thorns’ he carries in his life.”He further said, “Lohi suggested the title Kireedam for the film. But IV Sasi sir didn’t like the title very much. He told Lohi to do something else. When Lohi told me about it, I immediately said, ‘That title is ours. We will use it in our film.’ Lohi agrees and says it fits our story very well. That is how we use the title Kireedam.”
How did ‘Chenkol’ get the last title?
Sibi Malayil also revealed that the sequel almost carried a different name before the team settled on ‘Chenkol’. Several options are discussed in the planning phase.Sharing details, he said, “When we started planning the sequel, many titles were discussed. One of the names we considered was Kanneerpoovu. But it was Lohi who finally came up with the title ‘Chenkol’. He wanted a title that had a connection with Kireedam. ‘A prince who has lost his crown and scepter.’That idea also influenced the title.According to the director, the symbolic link between the two titles makes ‘Chenkol’ a perfect continuation of Sethumadhavan’s story.‘Kireedam’ marks one of the most memorable collaborations between director Sibi Malayil, writer AK Lohithadas and actor Mohanlal.Its sequel, ‘Chenkol’, continues the story and ends on a more emotional note than the first part.The restored version of ‘Kireedam’ is now back in theatres.