Cinema VinesMalayalam filmmaker Jude Anthany Joseph has set the record straight after a controversy erupted over a comment he made about superstar Mohanlal. The dispute began when Joseph revealed that he had walked away from a Bollywood project featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, citing disrespect from the production team. According to Joseph, the producer referred to Mohanlal as a “secondary artist,” a remark that offended him and led to the project’s collapse.
In a recent post on social media, Joseph shared a photo with Khurrana and clarified that the disparaging comment was not directed at the actor. He wrote, “Wonderful catching up with Ayushmann today ❤️ Just to clarify, my Mohanlal Sir comment was about the producer and had nothing to do with him. Nothing but respect between us. Hope we get to work together soon! ❤️.” The filmmaker also explained that Khurrana had been enthusiastic about the script, but the project fell through due to the producer’s stance.
Joseph detailed the sequence of events, noting that he had demanded confirmation of Mohanlal’s role before proceeding with the screenplay. The producer’s response—“First we need to like the script. Only then will we think about the secondary artists”—prompted Joseph to exit the project. He emphasized that his disagreement was with the production house, not with Khurrana, and that both parties maintain mutual respect.
Ayushmann Khurrana responded to Joseph’s clarification with a supportive message, stating, “I’m a fan of your work and I hope that I get the opportunity to work with you soon. I have the utmost respect for Mohanlal sir’s work. He is a legend. I hope I’m worthy enough to share screen space with him someday. 🙏🏽.” The exchange underscores the professional courtesy between the two figures despite the earlier misunderstanding.
