Rajiv Menon’s 2000 romantic drama Kandukondain Kandukondain, featuring Mammootty, Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, Ajith Kumar and Abbas in pivotal roles, charmed both the audience and critics. Moreover, the film’s soundtrack, composed by AR Rahman, also became a fan favourite. Recently, director Rajiv Menon shared insights into the casting of Mammootty as Major Bala in Kandukondain Kandukondain.
During a conversation with Sudhir Srinivasan, Rajiv admitted that the most challenging part of the casting process was finding the right actor for Major Bala, eventually played by Mammootty. The filmmaker revealed that he had approached several ‘leading actors’ before offering the role to the Malayalam superstar. In Kandukondain Kandukondain, Major Bala carries a quiet, unexpressed love for Aishwarya Rai’s Meenakshi.
Rajiv Menon said, “The beauty of that character is that he is an alcoholic and a war veteran who lost a leg. But back then, some leading actors rejected the role, openly saying they did not want to play a man with one leg. Mammootty, on the other hand, never once considered it a drawback.”
The filmmaker also shared a fun anecdote from the sets of Kandukondain Kandukondain: “Major Bala had lost his right leg in the war. So Mammootty decided he should lean to the right while walking. But sometimes during the shoot, he would forget. One day, I noticed he was leaning to the left instead. My assistant director wasn’t sure whether to point it out or not. Then Mammootty himself would ask, ‘Am I supposed to lean to the right or the left?’ It became one of the funniest moments on set.”
