Actor Madhoo recently shared a memorable incident from the sets of the 1992 film Yodha, recalling how Mohanlal helped her escape an unruly drunken crowd while filming the popular romantic song 'Kunu Kune' in Nepal. Speaking to Pearle Maaney during promotions for her upcoming film Chinna Chinna Aasai opposite Indrans in the lead, Madhoo looked back on her experience working on the Malayalam classic.
Asked about her memories of Yodha, Madhoo said the shoot was particularly challenging as it was the first time she had lived abroad on her own for an extended period. "It was shot in Nepal. For the first time, I had to stay in Nepal all alone for a month. My father couldn't travel with me and I was very homesick," she recalled. Madhoo said cinematographer Santosh Sivan became her biggest source of comfort in Nepal, as they had previously worked together on Mani Ratnam's Roja. She recalled him bringing her books and keeping her company during her stay. She also credited Mohanlal and the rest of the team for helping her settle in despite not knowing Malayalam.
The actor then recounted a frightening incident that occurred while filming the song sequence in a crowded market area. "After 6 pm, everybody would drink in the marketplace there. We were shooting the dance on top of a temple structure. I asked my assistants if the crowd was coming up because it felt like they were getting closer. They said no. Suddenly, we realised they were just three steps away, and it was a drunk, rowdy crowd," she said.
According to Madhoo, Mohanlal immediately stepped in after recognising the danger. "Lalettan realised what was happening and held my hand. Santosh's assistant Bijoy held my other hand. They made me jump down the temple steps and took me through the crowd to a car that was waiting below. From there, they took me straight to the police station," she recalled.
Madhoo said the incident has stayed with her for decades because of the care shown by those around her during the chaotic situation. "It was an unruly crowd. There were just six or eight girls dancing with me. We all went to the police station. I remember calling my father and telling him what had happened," she said. Madhoo said the incident remains unforgettable because Mohanlal and Bijoy ensured her safety throughout the ordeal. Despite having to make her way through the crowd in her dance costume, she recalled that not a single person laid a hand on her.
Directed by Sangeeth Sivan, the Mohanlal-Madhoo-Jagathy Sreekumar starrer Yodha remains one of Malayalam cinema's most beloved films. The fantasy-comedy’s soundtrack was composed by AR Rahman in his Malayalam debut.