When Prithviraj Sukumaran Justified Why Male Leads Should Have A Say In Casting Decisions

An old clip of Prithviraj Sukumaran, where he speaks about the importance of a male lead's opinion in casting decisions, has been making the rounds on social media.

An old clip of Prithviraj Sukumaran, where he speaks about the importance of a male lead's opinion in casting decisions, has been making the rounds on social media.

Source : IMDb

New-age stars like Prithviraj Sukumaran have changed the Malayalam film industry forever. The multi-talented and versatile actor has been preparing for his big directorial feature film, starring Mohanlal. 'L2: Empuraan' is highly awaited by fans and has kept Sukumaran busy for a long time now. There have also been reports about Prithviraj Sukumaran joining SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu's Indian Jones-style actioner, in which he is expected to play a key role.

As updates on 'Empuraan' keep fans waiting, an old clip of Prithviraj Sukumaran, where he speaks about the importance of a male lead's opinion in casting decisions, has been making the rounds on social media. Known for being vocal and articulate about his views, the megastar is seen not mincing his words and explaining why an actor in a lead role’s opinion must be considered in a film’s casting process.

When Prithiviraj Sukumaran spoke about actor's say in a casting deal

In an interview in 2010, when Prithviraj Sukumaran was asked if choosing a female lead was a male protagonist’s prerogative, he told DD Malayalam, "Not just when it comes to the heroine, the male lead should have a say in the casting of all characters, even the minor ones. The hero carries a significant share of responsibility for a film, alongside the director, producer, and screenwriter.”

“When a film flops, people don’t say, ‘so-and-so character actor’s movie flopped’; people won’t blame supporting actors like Jagathy Sreekumar or Suraj Venjaramoodu. Instead, the responsibility falls squarely on the lead actors like Mammootty, Mohanlal, and myself. In today’s scenario, the only actor who has to take responsibility for a film’s success or failure is the male lead. Hence, their opinion carries weight,” he added.

However, the Jai Bhim actor also clarified that while actors have their own opinions and can express themselves, they do not have the authority or say in casting decisions. "Actors, including myself, work with renowned and respected directors and producers. None of them are in a position where they have to blindly follow everything a male star demands.”