A film's final edit can sometimes leave out scenes that audiences have already seen in its promotional material. While such decisions are part of the filmmaking process, they can also disappoint viewers who enter theatres expecting certain moments to feature in the finished product. This has been a talking point among Mohanlal's fans following the release of Rajinikanth's Jailer 2.
The Malayalam superstar reprised his role as Mathew, the Mumbai-based gangster who shared a memorable association with Rajinikanth's Tiger Muthuvel Pandian in the first film. However, his appearance in the sequel was considerably shorter than many viewers had anticipated, with some scenes that featured in the promotional material missing from the theatrical version.
Producer Antony Perumbavoor has now responded to the disappointment surrounding the actor's reduced screen time. Speaking to the press at the launch of Mohanlal's upcoming film, tentatively titled L368, in Kochi on Friday, he said, “That is not a source of happiness for us Malayalis. We, too, share that lack of happiness.” When reporters pointed out that audiences had expected at least the scenes shown in the trailer to appear in the film, Antony reiterated his disappointment.
Antony's comments come after Mohanlal's costume designer Jishad Shamsudeen had publicly expressed his displeasure over the scenes being removed. He had shared the different looks designed for the actor in Jailer 2 and questioned the decision to trim portions featuring a star of Mohanlal's stature. He had also said that he would not be interested in working on a possible third instalment if the same approach continued.
Mohanlal has not publicly commented on the reduced screen time, while director Nelson Dilipkumar and Rajinikanth have also not addressed the criticism. Antony's latest remarks, however, have added another voice from the Malayalam film industry to the ongoing discussion.
Meanwhile, L368 was launched in Kochi on October 30. The film is written and directed by Anoop Sathyan and produced by Binu George Alexander. The project marks another collaboration for Mohanlal with the filmmaker after Anoop's directorial debut Varane Avashyamund.