Kaathal The Core director Jeo Baby talks about Mammootty's vital input for interval scene

Jeo Baby's directorial Kaathal - The Core, starring Mammootty and Jyothika, opened to positive reviews from critics as well as the audience for its sensitive portrayal of a bold subject - homosexuality. Speaking of which, the director opened up about the decision to avoid portraying any onscreen interactions or personal moments between Mathew (Mammootty) and his lover, Thankan (Sudhi Kozhikode).

Jeo Baby opens up about the interval scene in Kaathal - The Core

Speaking on the Director's Adda 2023 with Film Companion, Jeo Baby said the screenplay was "precisely designed this way". In the scene, they don't meet but watch each other from a distance. This scene was suggested by Mammootty. He elaborated, "The script was crafted by Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria. Mammootty was the first choice that came to my mind. I needed an actor like Mammootty Sir and also as a human being for this film."

"After narrating the story to him, he not only suggested some changes but also became deeply involved in the making of the film. His support was truly great. He actively participated in numerous discussions, in between. Sometimes, he sent WhatsApp messages to me occasionally with suggestions. 'Can we change like this, can we add like this?'” he added.

Mammootty suggested the interval

The director revealed that they had already written the interval, but when Mammootty suggested changes, they accepted, and to their surprise, it worked. "During the interval portion, Mammootty proposed allowing them to share a moment of eye contact. Although we had already written something, we made that change based on his suggestion, and it worked in our favour," he said.

About Kaathal - The Core

It is one of the few Malayalam films to address homosexuality. The film also marked the return of Jyothika to the Malayalam industry after 14 years. It was recently featured at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in the Indian Panorama section.