Actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran, speaking as part of the promotions for the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, recently revealed in an interview with Galatta Plus that he initially pitched the lead role in Bro Daddy to Mammootty before casting Mohanlal. He stated that his original vision for the film was different from what was eventually made.
The Lucifer director had conceived Bro Daddy as a story set in Pala, focusing on a wealthy yet grounded Christian plantation family. He envisioned Mammootty in the role of John Kattadi, portraying a character reminiscent of his past roles in Kottayam Kunjachan—a love-struck husband, a persona not often associated with him in recent years. However, Mammootty was unable to commit immediately due to prior obligations to another film produced by his close associate, George. Given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, Prithviraj decided to move forward with the project rather than wait. "I actually told Mamookka, I would love to wait and do this later. But the only reason I am thinking of directing this film right now... is because I am thinking of doing a film in these COVID times... where we can only shoot with 50 people... social distancing on set and all that. If these times get over and we are now in an open market where any kind of films are possible, this is really not the film I want to do with you. I want to do like a big ticket film with you. Not something small like Bro Daddy," Prithviraj explained.
Mohanlal was made aware that the film was initially pitched to Mammootty. Prithviraj clarified that once an actor takes on a role, it is difficult to imagine another actor in it, as they bring their own interpretation and presence to the character. "The John Kattadi that is there right now is not the John Kattadi I would ever cast Mamookka in," he said, adding that the version of the film featuring Mammootty would have been entirely different. The original concept involved contrasting the traditional values of a plantation family with the urban mindset of the bride’s family. "My idea was that how this so-called native plantation family who might not be very educated and all that deals with this life circumstance so much more maturely than this urban city-dwelling family. That was my ideation behind the film," Prithviraj noted. The actor-director also hinted at his desire to collaborate with Mammootty on a much bigger film in the future.
Bro Daddy, Prithviraj's sophomore directorial venture, stars Mohanlal as John Kattadi and Prithviraj as his son Eesho. The plot revolves around the comedic events following simultaneous unexpected pregnancies in their family. The film was released directly on Jio Hotstar (previously Disney+ Hotstar) in 2022 to positive reviews.
The second instalment in the Lucifer franchise, L2: Empuraan, is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on March 27.