It is no news that young actors Prithviraj and Tovino Thomas are close buddies in real life too. However, not many know that their friendship began on the sets of Prithviraj starrer Seventh Day. Prithvi offered Tovino a prominent role in the much acclaimed Ennu Ninte Moideen after he was impressed by the latter’s performance in Seventh Day. It was in a television interview that Prithviraj revealed about Tovino’s entry in Seventh Day. The role was actually meant to be played by another young actor.
However, he walked out of the movie when he received an offer from Tamil. Soon, Tovino came on board to replace the actor. The video of this interview had become viral on the social media. However, Prithvi hadn’t revealed the name of the actor who had backed out from the movie.
Now, Shibu G Suseelan, the producer of Seventh Day has shared a note in which he reveals the name of the actor who was later replaced by Tovino.
Shibu begins the note by admitting that he felt happy watching Prithviraj’s interview in which the latter talks about the incident. “I feel proud that some of my decisions had become significant in an actor’s career. Rahul Madhav who had acted alongside Prithviraj in Memories was initially cast in Seventh Day. The advance payments were made and the actor even took part in the photo shoot. However, just a week before the filming began, Rahul Madhav received an offer from a Tamil movie and he flew to Chennai for the discussions. I felt dejected and sad hearing what he said after returning. Rahul was offered a role in a mega project in Tamil. We had to replace actor Ajmal as well who had received the advance payment and had taken part in the photo shoot along with Rahul Madhav. Instead, Anu Mohan came into the movie. I called Rahul Madhav and asked to return the advance amount. He returned the amount a few weeks after we began filming. However, I didn’t ask Ajmal to return the amount as he was ready to act despite everything. I thought it wasn’t right to ask him the money,” says Shibu.
“I realized that my decisions were right after we began filming the movie. The friendship between Prithviraj and Tovino began in Seventh Day and it has now reached Lucifer. Prithviraj had supported my decisions and I would remember it always with gratitude,” Shibu ends his note.
Meanwhile, in the interview, Prithviraj said that everything seemed like a movie’s story. He said that another actor was initially cast in Seventh Day who is also his friend. “A few days before the filming began, he came to me and said that he had received offer to act in a big Tamil movie. I told him it was alright and promised to handle it myself. We soon began looking for an actor to replace him. That is when we came to know about the actor who played the villain role in the movie ABCD. I decided to watch that movie. I had, in fact, watched ABCD just to see Tovino’s performance,” said Prithviraj.
Prithvi admitted that he really liked Tovino’s performance in Seventh Day and felt that he is an amazing actor. “Later, when we were casting for Ennu Ninne Moideen, Tovino’s face appeared in my mind. It is indeed a magic that an actor gets his big break when another person changed his decision. The fact that Tovino got cast in Seventh Day is the only lucky factor here, the rest happened due to his talent and hard work. If he wasn’t impressive in Seventh Day, I wouldn’t have offered him the role in Ennu Ninte Moideen. Moreover, if he wasn’t as good in Ennu Ninte Moideen, he wouldn’t have made it this far in his career,” Prithviraj said praising Tovino’s performance.
Tovino too recalled how Ennu Ninte Moideen has given the biggest break in his career. “A few days before the filming of Ennu Ninte Moideen began Rajuettan called me and said that I and not he would be acting in two of most amazing scenes in the movie. It was after that movie that the audience began remembering my name more than just a familiar face,” said Tovino.
Meanwhile, Prithviraj joked that these movies had earned Tovino the tag of the president of the ‘All Kerala Rejected Lovers’ Association’.
